The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-08
KANSAS CITY EXCITED.
Council Adopts Drastic Measures on
Gas situation.

| kansas City, No, Jan. S--The low
| pressure of gas during the cold wealth
| er which caused much suffering in
I this city, is responsible for some dras-
tic measures taken by the city council
/ in special session which occupied all
/ Of Thursday afternoon.
An ordinance providing for an expert
supervisor Of gas to ascertain whether
obligations and to recommend meas
ures for relief from the gas Shorta ge
was passed during the extra session of
the council.
The ordinance passed the upper
house without a dissenting vote, but in
the lower house the objections of five
aldermen caused the measure to be
sent to a special committee The COM
u1ittee returned favorable report and
the bill passed the lower house.
This action of the council was taken
after a stormy debate in which the
feelings Of the gas company were rot
spared Not man was there in
either house who had not felt the cold
weather, because of the shortage in the
supply, and personal feelings prompt
ed the men to take summary action
IN the. session. the forfeiture of the
gas company franchise was de-
manded A plan of action was
decided upon to bring about
this end at a meeting next Mon
day night a measure Will be debated
and in all proba bility passed, provid-
to maintain an adequate pressure or
forfeit their franchise. This will give
the city a chance to proceed through
the courts should the company fail to
furnish plenty of heat and light during
the cold weather
During the heated debate. Alderman
Isaac Taylor Of the upper house sound
ed the keynote of the council in a
speech calling for radical action.
Men. women and children are act
.uaIly suffering" he said 1T is almost
next TO murder How much viii this
ordinance give reHef2 This city has a
ply q human ueceSSity-heat and light
The company fails to do so. The first
winter the gas officials said they were
caught unawaTes. 1t wouldn't occur
again But it has occurred again.
don't believe any lawyer will say that
the franchise is not now subject to for
feiture by reason of its failures. I de-
mand that proceedings be started al
once for the forfeiture of the company
franchise and the taking over of the
plan by the city"
The gas situation in Kansas City is
the worst II ever has been since natural
gas was piped into the city. At the
Twenty-ffth street station all Thursday
afternoon there was a pressure Of only
two pounds while at the Thirty ninth
street station the pressure amounted &c
but five pounds, neither Of which is any
where near what IS needed to keep the
city cOnIOrIaOLa IN cold weather Ihe
only hope of the shivering populace is a
rise in the temperature and the un-
cIouded presence Of the sun
There is no relief whatever. The gas
company frankly admits its helpless
ness. There is no reserve supply in the
city with which the situation could be
partially alleviated- The five storage
tanks here were emptied last night in
an effort to help the supply, and 1t was
intended that during the early morning
the tanks should be refiIled. but the gas
company couldn't get ahead enough tc
replenish the vacant tanks. Hence the
city is helpless today.
Probably the only people who derived
any pleasure from the cold snap were
the students Of the Argentine public
schools. Argentine has no gas, but the
coal furnace broke down during Schoo
hours Thursday afternoon. The stud
ents were shivering and the teachers re-
leased them from their classes and al
lowed them to throng in the gymnasium
where dancing was INDUCED in. The
students waItzed and two stepped while
the teachers looked on Those who
didn't care TO dance were allowed to &C