The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-20
CANCEL POLICIES.
Insurance Companies Threaten
to Take Action
Unless Gas Situation in TOpeka
LIS Solved.
MUST ACT AT ONCE.
City Officials Will Have to Pro-
tect Property.
Gas Will Be Drained From Be.
meath Pavements.

| A committee of agents representing
the insurance companies doing business
in Topeka called upon Mayor William
7 Green this morning and asked that
some action be taken on the situa-
ton supposed to be due to leaking gas
mains.
AS a result of the meeting and pre-
vious plans, Mayor Green has ordered
City Engineer Fulton and Fire Mar
shall Wil1narth to make an immediate
investigation of the conditions near
Seventh and Jackson streets and do
whatever is necessary to relieve the
quantity of gas that has undoubtedly
collected under the pavement in this
vicinity.
The city engineer and the fire mar
shall Will go to the scene some time
this week-if not the first thing tomor
row morning-and the cistern which
| blew and resulted in the serious injury
of six men last week Will be opened
and aired. The telephone companies
! will be asked to open all of their man
holes and construct a fence of some
kind around them in order that no one
+ will approach the openings.
After this has been done the paving
at the corner of Seventh and Jackson
will be torn up in places and protect
ed. 1t is expected by this move that the
gas will leave from under the pave
ment and the inspection of the cistern
may then be carried out as planned
Inspectors to Come.
The insurance agents stated to Mayor
Green this morning that this gas pro
blem has become a serious matter with
their companies and every firm doing
business in the city had become alarm
ed at the situation and had prepared
to rush inspectors to this city
It is expected, according to the agents.
that there will be score of inspectors
in this city tomorrow to make
thorough examination of the gas stu
alton and report to their company at
once. 1t is a dangerous proposition to
insure buildings standing over gas
mines, say the agents, and the recent
explosions in this city would indicate
that such dangerous conditions exist
If the inspectors report to the COM
panies that Topeka is in a dangerous
state large number of policies in this
city will be recalled and will not be re-
issued until matters have been placed
i'll safe way. Such action on the part
of the insurance companies would at
feet thousands of dollars worth of pro-
perty in Topeka and every effort will
be made by the city officials to better
conditions
Fire Marshal George O. Wilmarth has
issued another gas warning to the peo-
pie of the business district of the city,
asking that wherever it is possible the
merchants and property owners throw
open their cellars and keep them aired
and ventilated as much as possible dur
ing the day.
sOf course realize that this may be
an inconvenience in many cases." said
Chief Wilmarth. MANY merchants do
not dare open their cellars and base
ments because they have stock and
valuab les stored therein. But there is
no question but gas is entering every
crack and crevice over the business
section-especially around Seventh and
Jackson and Kansas avenue-and the
cellars are liable to collect it and cause
a serious explosion with great loss of
life and property. If a merchant feels
safe in keeping his basement open it
should be done-and continued until
this gas leakage is remedied.'
Fire DepaI tment Kept Busy.
Since the warning sent out the other
day by the chief asking that all who
think they detect gas in the house or in
the building, call up the marshaPs Of
flee at the city hall and ask that q, fire
man be sent out at once to investigate,
the chief has been busy assigning men
to places over the city where it was
thought that gas was leaking.
I'VE have had number of inquiries
every day." said Chief Wilmarth, land
although we have found nothing seri-
Gus to date we are glad to respond to
all the calls and take every precaution
possible
1t is planned now to put an electric
fan down in the Seventh street fire els
tern and force all the gas out. Then a
a torch will be taken down and it will
be run over all the walls in search of
gas leak of some kind. It is thought