The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-10
WHY GAS IS POOR
Scipio Must Take the Blame
After All.
Compressors Not Sufficient to
Do the Work.
MORE ARE ORDERED.
Until Then-WelI, We May Shiv-
er In Zero Weather.
Leaking Valve Blamed for the
Recent Trouble.


Not enough gas conapressors at the
Scipio plant of the Kansas Natural Gas
company to insure against all proba-
bility of doubt the recurrence of gas
famine in zero weather, this was the
expression of repres entatives from the
city governments of Topeka. st. Jo-
seph and the two Kansas Citys after
viewing the facilities which the Kansas
Natural Gas company has at Scipio
ana Petrolia. Kansas. for the pumping
OF gas to the consumers at the above
cities.
j. c. Mcdowell, general manager of
the Kansas Natural Gas company, de-
murs TO this opinion. He says: "Pro>
vided the compressors at Scipio are
working as efficiently as they should.
there should be no trouble experienced
in furnishing sufficient gas even in zero
that"
What are you intalling additional
compressors for? For additional Gus
tomers?" was asked. s-asa-.
That is it." he replied. I'VE expect
that there will be demands for gas in
your cities just as fast as the mains
can be laid and 1t is to take care of that
number Of additional customers tina,
we are providing for more compress
sors."
The installation of seven more COM
pressors is planned. orders for the de-
livery of three of them not later than
April. The gas company has taken a
warning from experfence-it ordered
the compreSsors now at Scipio for Au-
gust delivery. but they failed to show
up until considerably later than that.
we'll towards the tag end of autumn.
The pumps as consequence were not
completely installed until in January,
and sufficient time did not elapse to
get them in shape to work smoothly.
They are not waiting until August this
| time. Three of these compressors will
be added to the number now at Scipio.
The location of the remaining four has
not been definitely decided upon yet.
Doubling the pipe lines to the cities
in question would help in getting the
gas delivered but not until there is
more extensive provision made for
COMPRISING the gas-thfs was another
| opinion arrived at. But the doubling
of the pipe lines, with the exception of
the two Kansas Citys, is entirely out
! of the question. The officials Of the
| Kansas Natural Gas company stated
that 1t would cost too much.
| The Kansas Natural Gas company Is
line all the way from Kansas City to
! Ottawa. At present the double line
runs simply from Kansas City, to
preached 1t was mphatically waived
aside as involving an expenditure that
they did not care to assume. The IL
| 100000 feet. ~
They claim to- have an investment
| Of 100000 in the enterprise and
/ from the first inception of 1t four years
ago until today it is stated not a single
| dollar in the way of dividends have
been declared; every dollar has gone
back into the original investment and
| besides this director of the company
| stated that they had gone out during
| iaH nf Ans n
raised $1.200,000 which was to help
pay for the Scipio plant and 10 miles
| of pipe line. They expect to declare
| % per cent dividends when in COM
Topeka city officials and the officials
| of st. Joseph are not, however, advo-
| eating So much the presence of another
pipe line. The present pipe lines to
demands If only their capacity were
crowded by the COMPRISING station at
Scipio, which is not being done.
| So the whole question revolveS back
| to the adequacy Of the plant at Scipio
| A leaking valve on one of the com
pressors was the cause assigned for the
| low pressure experienced on the I'd OF
February by the chief engineer, Mr.
| WEIGH. The compressor just "churned"
| the gas in the pipe line without rails
| ing 1t to the 275 pounds required. j. e.
| Mcdowell assigned the cause not only
to the leaking valve but also to the
inefhciency of the compressors due TO
| their newness. I'VE can't get a better
| type Of compressor on the market than
| we have now, mind you,p said he.
When we were getting ready to make
\ this last purchase we invited all OF the
| large manufacturers to send us their
plans and. estimates. We had all our
| own engineers and others engaged out
| side for the purpose but when we got
all through we ordered the same KIND
| that we got in the first place-they ap-
! va6 r., h1 he hnC
| as the Snow compressor made at Bur
| falo."
with the compressors working right
at Scipio, even in zero weather, there
should be none of the trouble that was
experienced during the last cold snap,
| said W. NJ WEIGH, chief engineer OF the
gas company who designed the plants
| and installed the compressors at botn
| Scipio and Petro1ia-
Those compressors have delivery
capacity of about 80, 000, 900 cubic feet
| of gas each or 96,000,000 in all, and the
| average demand upon them runs from
| Al, 900 600 to 65 000, 600 cubic feet per DAY
with a peak load of S0.0O0,0o0 cubic
feet"
| Entering in its calculations that the
Scipio plant is ample as it now stands
the Kansas Natural Gas company takes
| into consideration the operation or the
| whole complement Of compressors az
| their highest point of ef1iciency-no re-
serve compressors standing idle wait
ing for an emergency.
| It appears to the Topeka city OFF,
Gals particularly that provision against
cold weather can only be guarded
against by more compressors notwith-
! standing the assertion OF both OF the
| officials of the Kansas Natural Gas
company. with the purchase, however.
of the seven compressors 1t is believed
that this possibility Of further snort
age Of gas in zero weather Will not
exist