The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-18
CAVE THE NEWS.
State Journal Bulletin Service
on Gas Situation.
People, Eager for Information,
Crowded Sidewalk.
WARNINGS ARE GIVEN.
WARNINGS ARE GIVEN.
Gas Users Notified to "ClOse
the Valves"
Then Told to Listen for the
Signal Whistles.

With desire to serve the public the
State Journal early established a bu-
reau of information to answer all
questions of interested citizens rela-
tive to the gas situation, and thou
sands of anxious househoIders were
thus kept Informed of the situation on
Sunday
Superintendent Treleaven of the gas
company at once realized the impor-
tance of giving the bad news of the
break in the gas mains to the public.
He called up the State Journal about
o'clock Sunday morning and asked
that the news be announced by buIle-
tin that within a very short
time the supply of gas would be
practically exhausted He also re-
quested that the citizens be warned to
turn off the burners as soon as the
gas supply failed, in order to guard
against possible danger to life from
escaping gas after the repairs to the
big main had been completed.
Immediately upon receipt of this
information from Supt. Treleaven,
this office called up Information"
on both telephone lines and announc-
ed that this paper would fur
nish information relative to the gas
supply.
over the long distant telephones a
concise report of the exact nature of
the accident was secured direct from
Ottawa and bulletins were promptly
posted in the windows telling of
the trouble, the probable time of re-
newa1 of the gas supply, and also Civ
ing warnings to citizens with respect
to closing the burners.
Director II. B. Jennings, of the
weather bureau, was called up for in
formation concerning the condition of
weather for the remainder of the day
and night, and a weather bulletin was
iT1er rixr
from Jesse Shaw, superintendent of
the city water works, directing house
holders to use all precautions to pre-
vent the freezing up of the water
pipes in their homes.
Employees of the business and edi-
torial rooms were busy during the day
and four telephones We're necessary to
handle the calls of anxious citizens
seeking information from O'Clock in
the morning until the sounding of the
signals about S 80 in the evening. Dur
ing the entire day the side walk in
front of the newspaper office was
lctins posted for their benefit in the
front windows.
Among the bulletins posted were
the following:
Topeka Without Gas-Caution: Close
Valves.
A serious accident has happened at
ottawa to one of the principal gas
mains leading to Topeka A large
valve has blown out. superintendent
Treleaven said to the State Journal at
a. "a: 81 have just received the
very bad news that Topeka is likely to
be entirely out of gas within half an
hour. 1 wish you would caution con-
sumers to turn off their burners i'm
m ediately, so that when the gas sup
ply returns it will not escape into the
houses. 1 have not received particu-
lars but presume it may take five or
six hours to make repairs and resume
supply of gas"
Topeka Not the Only One.
Lawrence, St Joe, Atchison and
Leavenworth are also without gas on
account of the break in the main.
Weather.
r. B. Jennings says this morning:
"The weather will remain partly
cloudy, with but little change in tenn
perature."
Signals.
When the gas pressure returns
warning will be given by ringing fire
bell and blowing Santa Fe and Con-
tinenta1 creamery whistles
Gas VIII Not Be Turned on Between
9p. m. and a. IN.
Should the gas supply return before
9 %. M. warning will be given and gas
will be turned into the mains at once.
However, if the pressure should not
return until after p. M, the gas
will not be turned into the mains un-
til after O'Clock Monday morning on
account of the danger of its escaping
into rooms where people are asleep.
Drain Water Pipes.
Supt Jesse Shaw of the city water
works says: ITO avoid any risk of
water freezing in the pipes tonight
house holders should turn off the
water in the cellar and drain the
pipes"
6 ID. IN.
At p. M, Supt Treleaven said:
"a temporarily pipe line has been
built around the scene of the accident
and Topeka will have gas in about an
hour The supply will continue dur
ing the night and until after break
fast time Monday morning, when it
will be again shut off for short time
to make the repairs permanent"
Threw 40O-Ib. Casting 175 Feet.
Ottawa, Kan, Jan. 17---Noon.-A
blowout in the natural gas pipe line
occurred this morning two miles north
east of Ottawa at the crosSover or
tee. The explosion made a hole 16
feet square and destroyed a consider
able portion of the 16 inch cast iron
main One piece of the valve weigh
ing 400 pounds was thrown IT'S feet.
The telegraph and telephone wires
which pass over the place We're de-
stroyed No one was hurt. Officials
of the Kansas Natural Gas. Co. state
that repairs will be made and gas sup
piy resumed before daylight Monday
morning