The Prescott daily news., 1909-02-02
PRICE OF GAS
 GREATLY REDUCED
Texarkana Citizens Get Natural Gas
 From CaddO Field in Louisiana.

TeXarkana, Jan 31.-Residents or TeXarkana are how being sup piled with gas both for hea ting and lighting purposes, at just one- fifth the price that they have been compelled topay in the past. This great reduction in cost is the result Of the piping of hatur- ak lgas to this city from the Caddo gas field of Louisiana. With what is regarded as, a practically un- limited supply of natural gas TeXarkana is now itl a position so far as cheap fuel and illumin- ant is concerned to compete with Fort Smith, the only othertcity in Arkansas with the exception of one or two mining towns in Se- baStian county, which is burning natural gas.
 The chief difference between TeXarkana and Fort Smith is that the former is compelled to secure it's suppl y at a considerable distance. while the latter has the gas field at heryery door. 1t is claimed, however that this does not result in many disadvantages to TeXarkana as the pipe line which has already been construct ed will give Texarkana an am- pie supply of gas fOr>all purposes TeXarkana secures her supply of
 gas from wellslin the Caddo field about 50 miles from this city. The total cost of the pipe line which has been constructed was about S25O,OOO, the gas being con
 veyed through heavy 1O-inch steel pipe which costs about %2. 50 per foot.
 The preliminary steps toward the piping of gas to TeXarkana were taken about two years ago when franchises were secured from both Texarkana, Ark, and TeXarkana, Tex, by the CaddO Gas and Oil Company The act ual work of construction was, de- layed from various causes and the gas has only recently been turned into the mains in this city.
 It was not necessary to con- struct new mains in the city as the natural gas proposition was backed by the Dawes interests, already owned the local gas plant and which own the gas plant at Little Rock. As soon as the pipe line was completed therefore the natural gas was turned into the old gas mains.
 Before the advent pf the mat ural gas the price of artificial gas in Texarkana was S1.5O per thousand feet. When natural gas was substituted, the price was reduced to 30 cents per thous- and feet for domestic purposes and 10 cents per thousand for misunderstanding purposes. \ dis count at 10 per cent is allowed on domestic bills if paid before a certain date reducing the ac- tual cost of gas to the private consumer to 27 cents. The ef- feet of this reduction inlprice can DP UpS | mus { Niltti NoiiNA NtN example. One consumer who has Il heaters in his house in addi- tion to all the openings necessary for lighting his entire house received a bill for S1.Oo for the three weeks of last month during which the gas was turned on. This may be an exceptional case, but it at least shows the difference between the cost of heat and light at the present prices as compared with the high lrates that have been in effect in the past.
 While natural gas is not in use now throughout the city 1t is not because it is not wanted, but because the necessary equipment cannot be put in last enough to meet the demand4 A dOzen plumb ing firms are busy making, the ne cessary connections and install ing the gas heaters, but theyare flooded with orders.