The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-19

meeting Of the city council last night.
The galleries were filled to the last seat
and every utterance of announcement
from the military-statesman council
man brought forth a stamping of feet
and a roar of handclapping. 1t was
very evident last night that the people
who came to make the noise and the
council itself were down on the gas
company for not furnishing a supply
of gas during the famine Sunday but
the resolution to take away the fran
chise of the gas company was referred
to the committee on gas and lights.
The big fight came off per schedule.
Not a feature was missing-even the
checkered trousers and the mountain
Gus white vest and the sparkling
cigarettes were all there. The
fight started with a resolution from
Councilman J. J. Lannan who limited
that the gas company should be severe
ly punished for their failure to furnish
gas. But this was not quite fierce
enough and Acknowledgement Hughes
introduced a resolution with about
twice as much fire and accompanied by
about ten times as much fireworks
The whole matter ended with switch
to the gas and light committee and the
galleries filed out.
After Mr.. Lannan introduced ms
resolution a quiet and conservative dis
cussion followed concerning the price
of natural gas and artificial gas. The
whole fight of the evening seemed 10
buzz around the fact that the gas
company had an artificial gas plant but
did not use it. This discussion contin-
used for a few minutes-while Genera!
Hughes was looking through mass OF
books, papers, and ordinances In ms
corner of the council chamber the hight
over prices kept up-it looked as
though the preliminary was especially
constructed for the eye opener and the
curtain raiser of what was to come. II
was Just a little dust storm before the
I7tiV2 Ilah 60,
the papers were folded and rolling
neat cigarette allowing the tobacco TO
sprinkle down the snow Whlte BOSOM
of the lily vest and the stiff open
preparations and waiting for the pass
ing of the dust he turned in MS chalr.
There was silence in the galleries ana
a note of uneasiness in the councll
chamber Then gaining the floor the
battle was commenced and the nag OF
truce fell to the ground
General Hughes says that the price
of the gas Is another questlon-What
the people want now is gas. Ihen ne
told of the way the men of the mousse
holds took the shoes off their teet ana
the coats off their backs to put around
their wives and children Whlle the
meters of the gas company ran as Iast
as ever. CA councilman in the rear
asked in undertone how many chlldreh |
the generals shoes would accommo-
date) The warrior told of how the gas
company was robbing the people anu
how thew have never prepared for an |
and how they have never
intended to and how they will never IN
tend to. CAT this point the cantor was
called in the room and assisted by |
Kutz six windows were
raised in the council chamber-tWo OF
them directly behind the heated gen
eraIO The Sixth ward defender of the
neoDle then told of the coal gas plant
owned by the gas company-but no
coal OF the water gas plant-but no
oxide. He said they have torn away |
narts of their plant until it is useless
and If is used as a storehouse for OLD ,
stoves and iron. cit may cost S1,OOO,OOo
to get things in readiness. But what
do we care if it costs one hundred mil
lion doIlars-this bunch of Whelps mus
live no to their franchise, ended the
general. He sat down in his chair IN
a cloud of steam that issued from his
form. (Three more Wlnoo~s
were opened during the intermlsslon)- |
Stanley Is COnciliatory.
Councilman Stanley was the next |
man to take the floor. 1t was seen at |
once that the main fight would be be-
tween these two men, Mr.. Stanley is a 4
much ouieter and easier going tighter
and he talked slowly and with delibera-
ton This kind of language and this
mode of fighting worried the general
who sat in his chair propped up On the
ridge of the seat ready to spring to his
feet at any moment and correct a 1
expressed by the colleague
from the Sixth Mr.. Stanley said thai
II was all an accident. The gas COM
pauy could not help the break. He told
of the great benefits of gas and how the