The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-09
Kansas Natural Company Will
Spend Million and a Half.
VIII Remove Deficiencies in the
Supply During Cold Weather.
TO ENLARGE CAPACITY
Recent Criticism on the Part of
Consumers Responsible.
A New Pipe Line From the Fields
to Kansas City Likely.

Pittsburg, Pa, March s.-The Kansas
Natural Gas company, which supple.
Kansas City, is preparing to spend IL
million dollars to better the service in
Kansas. The directors Of the company
at meeting to be held next Friday
will consider pipe line extensions. II
was said at the offices of the company
this morning that there was no doubt
of the acceptance by the stockholders
OF the plan worked out by company Of
f1cials looking to the betterment OF the
service to Kansas City consumers.
Spend Million and a Half.
c. S. James. secretary and treasurer
of the company, said this morning e
that the company was ready to spend
~ million dollars to overcome the diff
fculties presented.
For about three weeks in the year.
he said, there are weather conditions
which render the service to our con-
sumerS Inadequate in Kansas City, To-
peka and other towns. Plans have been
prepared for extensions of pipe lines
and other improvements calling for an
expenditure estimated at 11S million
dollars. In other words, to improve the
service for about three weeks in the
year the company is ready to spend IL
million dollars. We supply gas to local
companies. We're charged with re-
SponSi bilitieS for any deficiencies in SER
vice, after we deliver gas to local COM
panies in Kansas City and other towns.
To better this service is the idea Of the
company, and the directors at their
meeting Friday will very likely ap-|
prove the estimates and plans SUBJ
mitted."
The capacity of the Kansas Natural
Gas company at present is approxi-
mately $500 million cubic feet a day.
Its pipe line reaches practically all the
important cities in Kansas and the an
nual report read at the stockholders
meeting showed that hundreds of new
wells were drilled in 1908.
1t is believed, though not officially
announced, that new pipe line will be
laid to Kansas City from the Kansas
field. If the directors ratify plans con-
tracts for the pipe will be awarded at
once. Most of these will go to Pitts
burg manufacturers The National
Tube company probably will receive
the largest share of these contracts.
Consumers Criticised Too Much.
From an official of the Kansas Nat
ural Gas company. who desired that
his name be withheld, it was learned
that criticism by consumers in the
different towns Of the local service was
responsible for the plans for extensions
and improvements.
This official said that the last year
had been prosperous as shown by the
increase OF 10 per cent in the number |
of consumers. Much OF this increase
has been in Kansas City. Much of the /
complaint from consumers is ascribed |
to the failure of Subcompanies in l
towns supplied by the Kansas Natural |
Gas company to furnish adequate ser |
vice. To make further complaints of |
this character impossible so far as the /
Kansas Natural Gas company was con-
cerned, the officials determined upon |
extensions.
]. c. Mcdowell, general manager, de-
clined this morning to make known the |
precise character Of the proposed inn
provements. 1
''We4l be glad to let our consumers
know what we are about to do for
their benefit as soon as the directors
have passed upon and approved our I
plans,'' he said. ST have no doubt that
such approval will be given without |
hesitation. There are so many things
TO consider that an off-hand statement /
is impossible. But a portion OF the |
Improvement is especially contem- 1
plated for the benefit Of the Kansas
City district
The report of the president. T. N.
submitted at the annual
meeting February %, showed that in |.
the preceding year the company laid
thirty-three miles of sixteen-inch main
lines and twenty-four miles of field
lines, constructed a new 3,300-horse
power compressor plant at Grabham,
Kan, added 3,300-horse power to the
compressor plant at Soipio, Kan, LOO
horse power at Petrolia, Kan. -Four