The Topeka state journal., 1908-02-17
KANSAS GAS TO ST. LOUIS
A Company Formed to Lay Pipes From
Western Fields.

St. Louis, Feb. ia proposition to
furnish natural gas for domestic and
commercial use at 35 cents per 1000 GU
bic feet, free gas for lighting purposes
for the principal public buildings, with
an income to the city of $4,000 a year.
mas been made by party of Kansas.
Ohio and Pennsylvania capitalists The
oHer is couched in an application for
80 year natural gas franchise for ST.
Louis, the gas to be piped $50 miles.
from the Kansas and Oklahoma gas
neids, representing an outlay in capital
of $16, 600 0OO
An ordinance granting the franchise
introduced in the city council provides
the price the company, when organized,
may charge for gas; that the city get
one-half of per cent of the company's
gross receipts as a bonus; that the city
receive free gas for lighting purposes
for the city hall, Jail, city and female
hospitals and the insane asylum. and
that the city may purchase pipes and
any plants that may have been built
within the city at the expiration of the
term of the franchise.
James o. Rodgers, president of the
Lanyon Zinc company of lola, Kan, Is
the principal promoter of the PROPOSE
ton of gas producing lands. represent
ing daily capacity of 300, 100000 cubic
feet of gas. He says that the field Is
to be tapped and connected up direct
with ST. Louis, this city. the fourth
largest market In the United States, he
says, to receive the entire output of
the field. Two 16-inch mains. $50 miles
in length. will connect this city with
southern Kansas and northern Okla
hoTna.
Besides the cheaper gas for domestic
and commercial purposes, the company,
Mr.. Rodgers said, will bid on the city
lighting contract to be advertised with
in few weeks. The present contract
expires September 1, 1910, allowing the
new company two and one-half years
l. 1T - IL IL
lay mains in the city, enabling 1t to
assume possible contract beginning
at that time. The present price of $2S
per lamp, Mr.. Rodgers said, will be con-
siderably reduced if the present COM
pany continues to handle the city bus
mess, now amounting to about 100000
a year. He said his company could bid
in the contract at So per lamp, ZOO per
cent reduction, furnishing natural gas,
and make money.
The company has been tentatively or
ganized, and a large amount of capital
tentatively subscribed, subject only to
the action of the municipal assembly in
passing the ordinance granting the
franchise. Rodgers said the company
would be Immediately organized and
work started as soon as the franchise
was allowed.
The men given as promoters behind
the scheme are five in number. George
V. Reynolds of Reynolds & Reynolds
is the only St. Louis man who will be
admitted. Besides Rodgers, George A
Bolus of lola, Kan, president of the
lola National bank, and a business man
and financier, is named as one OF the
Kansas leaders. Dallas c. Byers, con-
nected with. the A. M. Byers Pipe COM
pany of Pittsburg.o Pa. is also mention
ed as is Willis B. Hale, retired capi-
talist of Cleveland, o. Rodgers, who
came to the city several days ago, re-
turned to his home at lola last night.
He will return to st. Louis in week.
Before leaving thescity he said the fight
between his company-to-b be and the To-
cal gas company was on in earnest. He
said he expected hard fight before
getting into the field.