The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-18
Topeka GAS SHUT OFF.

ali the down town churches with the
exception of the First Christian church
were supplied with coal and otner
sources of heat. Many people who
were cold in their own homes went to
church. who ordinarily would never
have left their homes Sunday evening
1t was arranged by the gas company
that as soon as the break had been
temporarily repaired so that the pres
sure would again be resumed here, that
the whistles of the Continental Cream
cry and the Santa F'e shops should
blow and that the bell at the fire sta
tion would ring. The whistles and bells
started in at 8:25 last night, and the
sound was a welcome one to the in
habitants of Topeka. The three blend
ed together really made some music.
The sound temporarily stopped the
church service. Even the preachers
stopped speaking long enough to give
their auditors a chance to hear the
musical strains.
Didn't Stop at Once.
That the gas supply did not give out
as soon as the break occurred was due
to the supply that was already in the
mains. The pipe line which reaches
| Topeka branches near the Haskell In
stitute and this was shut off there to
prevent the escape of all the gas
| through the broken main at Ottawa. 1t
was some time before this supply was
exhausted.
Got Out Oil Stoves.
Many Topekans got out their oil
stoves Sunday only to learn that as
the grocery stores were closed no coal
oil could be secured. For the same
| reason those who were without coal
oil and who had kerosene lamps were
unable to have light in their homes.
One grocer on the East Side who has
had a box of candles in his store for
several years, sold few to his GUS
toners for lighting purposes. Small
icrbf a
carrying baskets of candles under
their arms and selling them from
house to house.
Used Storage Tank.
During the noon hour the supply
was increased little by turning the
big storage tank at First and Monroe
into the mains. This revived many of
supply that lasted over a half hour.
and the few who were wise were
able to cook a small dinner without
much inconvenience.
Some Amusing Incidents.
Hard as it was to be Inconvenience
by a shortage of heat and light. the
situation was not without it's humorous
side. Early this morning the Office
wag sprung the stereotyped joke about
fire less cookers.
One of the amusing incidents report
ed was one that fell to the lot of
rison street. Mr.. Guthrie heats his
home with gas furnace. As soon
as>he heard of the failure of the sup
ply he made arrangements with
friend of his who is coal dealer for
a supply of coal. Then he issued in
vltations to mis- neighbors to come to
mis- house and keep warm. He ar
rayed himself in a pair of overalls,
big red sweater, and some gloves, and
went to work on his furnace. A
bunch of trash and other stuff of like
nature was gathered together and
burned for temporary heat while the
coal was being brought out This
worked well and kept the house we'll
heated. During the afternoon the coal
arrived, a whole ton. A goodly por-
ton of this was then thrown into the
furnace right over the gas burners.
He placed his hand on the pipe leading
from the furnace to the f1ue, when to
his surprise the pipe crumbIed be-
meath his fingers, having been cor
coal had been ignited and Mr.. Guthrie
had a good fire in the CRATE. The
heavy smoke from the soft coal was
filling the house, and Mr.. Guthrie was
forced to use his lawn hose and put
the fire out The next few hours he
spent in carrying out the Goals and
ashes. By the time this was COM
pleted the gas supply came back, and
his furnace was rendered useless. The
Guthrie family spent the night in a
cold house. Today the pipe to the f1ue
is being repaired.
One Santa Fe official took things
easier. He was better fixed than the
average mortal as he had a pass for
himself and family good on any portion
OF the system. The family took the
first train to Kansas City and spent the
day riding back and forth between
these two stations. The cars were well
heated and lighted and the day was
spent in comfort.
Others resorted to different methods
rf bon to-
whole families spent the day in the
down town stores where other means
of heat were employed. Many spent
the day in the Santa Fe offices, and
the different passenger stations of the
city were filled with a full quota of Wis
itors.
Around the newspaper Offices much
trouble was experienced. The linotype
machines used gas as means of melt
ing the type metal. Even before the
natural gas was brought into Topeka,
the old artificial gas was used.
The Trouble Today.
Patrons of the Consumers Light
and Gas company were notified last
night that the gas would have to be
shut off some time this morning
were being made, and that work
might take until evening or perhaps
only a few hours.
Manager Treleaven of the local gas
company SAID concerning the pros
poets for todays supply: 81 can not
state for certain whether the gas will
be entirely shut off or not, nor for
how long, thought 1T will probably be
for but a short time A large force
of wOrkmen went to work at day
break this morning installing the new
main north of Ottawa. They were
forced to wait until today as no lights
can be used around the burst main,
'even an electric light is sufficient to
touch off an explosion. The gas has
been supplied through a six inch pipe
laid around the broken main since
the break. This will be in operation
until the main is ready for connection