The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-15
A REPORT ON GAS
Keep Coal in Your Bins, Says
Commercial Club.
Sc'pio Declared Main Cause of
Our Troubles.
MAINS ARESUFFICIENT.
Topeka Pipes Adequate In the
Coolest Weather.
Supply of Gas Sufficient TO Last
Fifty Years.
MAINS ARESUFFICIENT

1--WE would recommend that this
club notify gas consumers of the city
of Topeka that it is unsafe to rely
wholly upon gas for fuel during pro-
tracted cold weather, and that every
consumer should provide himself with
some collateral means of heating to
assure his comfort during extremely
cold weather.
"Our gas consumers should do this
against extremely cold periods, but
also to provide for cases of emer-
gency, such as the breaking or wash
ing out of the mains, which may oc-
cur at any time, wholly cutting off
the gas supply for a short period"
This, in a nutshell, is the gas stu
alton as it presents itself to the To-
peka consumer, according to the re-
port of the special committee ap-
pointed by the president of the Conn
mercial club at it's last meeting to in
vestigate the whole subject of natur-
al gas supply. This committee, COM
posed of Messrs. T. F. Doran ana
George E Moeser, with official repre-
sentatives of the cities of Topeka, st.
Joseph and Kansas City, and the Of
f1cials Of the local and Kansas Ma
tural Gas companies, on Saturday,
r SDTudTy o, NiSIlou Tue SO-CdlleQ
pumping stations at Scipio and Pc
trolia, the latter being in the heart
of the gas fields, and its report to the
club last night was a plain and COM
prehensive statement OF facts that
will appeal to the understanding Of
the average consumer more strongly
than anything offered before since
the controversy began.
This report and the ensuing discus
sion formed the most prominent. as
it was the most important feature of
the program of the February meet
ing of the club, the first held under
the new administration and which
brought out a large attendance of
representative members and citizens
to greet President w. F. Jensen in
the assumption of his new duties and
responsibilities
The report covers eleven typewrit-
ten pages and enters into details
which to a considerable extent are of
a technical nature and would not in
terest the majority of consumers, who
want conclusions and are more eager
to know what remedies are suggested
and recommendations made. Under
these heads, the committee has this
to say:
Its First Inquiry.
Our first inquiry was whether the
gas wells attached to the southern end
of the pipe lines afford sufficient gas to
supply the maximum demand during
periods of cold weather to consumers
along the route of the pipe lines and
at northern terminals. The answer to
this inquiry by officials Of the Kansas
Natural Gas company and by residents
OF the producing district was always
the same: There is an abundance of
gas and new wells are constantly being
drilled The superintendent of the
pumping station at Petrolia told us that
he could telephone to the operators at
the various wells and get any pressure
he desired at Petrolia, some wells af-
fording natural pressure of 400 pounds
to the square inch. We therefore as
sumo that the gas fields will, for some
time at least, supply any reasonable de-
mand, though we were unable to secure
any definite proof of the natural supply.
Pumping Stations Explained.
There is an erroneous public opinion
that natural gas is pumped or drawn
like water from the wells. Such Is not
the fact. On the contrary, our state
law provides that it is unlawful to use
any device for pumping or any other
artificial process that shall have the
effect of increasing the natural flow.
The state law also prohibits the con-
sumption Of more than so per cent OF
the daily production Of any gas well.
The so-called pumping stations are in
fact not pumping stations at all, but
are compressor stations, and the So
cAlleu pumps are not pumps III las
sense that they draw gas through the
pipes. They simply receive the gas as
it flows into them In the first instance
from the wells, driven only by the force
of the natural flow. They then COM
press 1t and discharge 1t into the pipes
or mains leading to the consumer at a
higher pressure and in more compact
volume which Increases the flow, adds
to the carrying capacity and overcomes
the resistance of the pipes. It is appar-
ent that the supply of gas and pipe
lines being adequate,the greater number
of compressors and COMPRISING sta
tons, the greater amount of gas VIII be
delivered
Questions Presented.
Assuming an abundant supply of gas
in the fields, the following questions
arise:
al What is the maximum demand
for gas In the coolest weather?
so. Has the pipe line capacity sufn-
cient to meet this maximum demand?
"3. Are the COMPRISING or so-called
pumping stations at Petrolia and Scipio
adequate and Of sufficient capacity to
deliver gas at a time of maximum de-
mand?
Answering the first question. we find
that there are at least 10 cities and
towns north of Scipio using gas from
the mains with which Topeka is either
directly or indirectly connected. Their
estimated daily maximum demand is
103 million cubic feet.
Mr.. Moeser has carefully figured
that the two 16-inch parallel mains
from Petrolia to Scipio have a capacity
of $50 million cubic feet of gas. at a
4-ounce pressure, in each "a hours. or