The Topeka state journal., 1908-02-08
OFF FOR GAsHELDS.
City Council Accepts Company's In
vitation With Reluctance.

City Council Accepts CoulpHny's In
vitation With Reluctance.
For about two hours the council in
fits special sessions last evening hesi-
tated over accepting an invitation
from the Kansas Natural Gas COM
pany to join Kansas City, Mo-. al
dermen in trip of investigation to
the gas belt in an endeavor to arrive
at some conception of what the real
difficulty in the natural gas situation
is. The hesitation was due to the ex-
pressed fear that the public might
consider the city council as being par
ties to junketing trip which would
result to the benefit of the gas COM
pany and corresponding loss In
safeguarding the welfare of the citi-
zens who have been suffering through
a lack of the fuel article. Council
men Hughes, Horn and Tandy refus-
ed to accept the rendered invitation
and remained at home this morning;
several others could not go on ac-
the council decided to accept, nine
voting for and three against. This
morning number of the council
men left over the Santa Fe Joining
the special train at Holiday, Kan.
They will journey through the main
gas belt and inspect the property Of
the Kansas Natural Gas company re-
turning this evening.
Mayor VIM. Green headed the par
ty and stated last night to the coun-
Gil: II am very anxious to get all the
Information that I can get. I am not
afraid of the consequences of taking
such trip as this. And in order to
get as much information as possible
I intend going and will be at the
train at 1880 and hope others will be
there too"
1--WE will not be contented until we
have enough gas to supply gas in an
emergency. If we have real strength
of character, we will not be afraid
of associating with men whether they
are our friends or enemies. If we feel
that we can't go without being the
gas peoples man then we had better
stay at home. I don't believe that
there is anyone here who feels that
way about it. The only question in
my mind is whether we can get the
information there. I'll put my time
against their entertainment" replied
Councilman Blakely to the arguments
of Hughes and Horn.
Are they now engaged in fncreas-
ing the facilities p asked H. B. Kelly.
That's just what we want to go
down and see.' said Holiday.
You'll get acquainted with the
Kansas City councilmen and it Will do
dignant councilmen as here and 1t
will do you good to swap ideas. II
you think people are disgruntled here
you ought to go down to K. c." said
Councilman Holiday
60 down there and become ac-
quainted. 1t will do you good,' he
continued
"Mr. Holiday didn't answer my
question. I will ask him again if the
Kansas Natural Gas company is in
creasing their facilities said Kelly.
81 think that it would be a good
idea to have the officials Of the Kan
sas Natural come here next Monday
and explain to u.s. answered Holli-
day. ESQ
Councilman Jordan said: "I regret
very much that owing to previous
business engagement I can not CO..
see no reason why the councilmen
should not go down If they can get
| away. I hope that the officials of the
Kansas Natural Gas company will be
invited to come here and be asked
want to learn. Though 1 don't think
much is to be gained from this trip,
yet I don't see any harm in it,
"I would like to have Mr.. Hughes
and Mr.. Horn to go down with us in
| order that we may have the fellows
who are on the other side"
'Now then. Mr.. Blakely, I don't
think anybody ever accused me of
being afraid of anyone or of contain
nation said Councilman Hughes. "I
don't think that it is right for me to
place myself under obligation to the
gas company. If I went down there
I would feel under obligations to
those people"
Don't you ride on street car
pass, general?" said Holiday
mot since the 1st of January, the
law took 1t away. Il am not a wishy-
washy man. I don't think 1t is right
for the council to go away on these
| junketing trips" continued Hughes.
Councilman Horn: According to
| Blakely some of us would be afraid
| of something that the people might
say am not afraid to look any man
| in the face. The taxpayers of the
city, the people, have not asked for
us to go. If they want us to go why
| they would ask us to do so and we
| would pay our way. They don't want
this council to go as the guests of this
company I will stay at home"
| Councilman Stanley: 'tIf I knew
| that there was danger of contamina-
| ton would stay at home, but don't
think. there is. I want to find out. I
am not afraid that my constituency
will say that I am contaminated and
| I hope that I will know somethin g
then that I do not know now"
| The vote was then taken: Ayes
Councilmen Jordan, Van Ness, Holli-
day Howard Blakely Montgomerv