The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-25
Residence Portion of TOpeka
May Be Undermined.
City Plumbing Inspector COnk-
lin Discovers Bad Leak.
KILL THE SHRUBBERY
Ground Grows Dry, Soil Crum-
bIes and All Roots Die.
Inspector Asks That Leaks Be
Reported at Once.

1t has now developed shat the gas
leaks in Topeka are not confined to the
business district of the city. 1t has de-
veloped that there are leaks-and
many of them-in the residence sec
ton as we'll as down town
William Conklin, city plumbing in
spector has been noticing all spring
that in several of the parkings and
yards in the city the soil wa hard and
dry and that the grass would not grow.
The suspicion of leaking natural gas
grew and last evening Mr. Conklin
took a bore with him and. drilling
down into the parking in front of the
residence at 917 Topeka avenue, he
found the earth in bad condition. Sud
denly his drill hit hollow hole and
on tapping this hole with gas pipe he
closed the space around the pipe,
lighted a match at the head of the
pipe and with a swish a fame of fire
shot up into the air.
The leak in the gas mains at this
one spot was sufficient to eat out the
moisture from the ground, kill all the
grass and threaten the trees in the vi
city. Not only had it done that but
it had worked out a hole in the ground
and here the gas had collected hunting
for an opening.
When Inspector Conklin tapped the
miniature gas we'll with his small gas
pipe and touched a match to the open
ing, the force of the escaping gas was
sufficient to throw a flame of fire sew
eral feet into the air Fearing that
fire in this vicinity would cause dam
age, Mr.. Conklin closed the opening of
the pipe, threw new dirt into the hole
and called the officials of the gas COM
pany at once.
He gave them orders TO repair the
leak. 1t was found that one of the
new mains-placed in the ground but
a few years ago-was leaking badly at
a house connection.
81 have no doubt but what these
conditions exist all over the city" said
Mr.. Conklin this afternoon. 81 have
noticed several places like this and I
will commence an investigation at
once. If the gas is leaking from the
new mains and causing this damage, I
have fear that the old mains are in
much worse shape.
Escaping gas of this kind will
eventually kill the grass and ruin the
roots of the nearby trees This is the
damage that can result from the gas
to the growing shrubbery and the like.
Naturally, there are leaks that will
finally creep to the cellar walls of the
homes and leak into these places. A
lighted match, a lantern or an open
light of any kind would cause an ex-
plosion that might result fatally"
Last winter was a hard winter on
grass and yard shrubbery, but there
are SOHlS SpOlS IOpeEd W0eTe the
grass and soil has been mysteriously
dried up and given a dead appearance.
Frequent watering has failed to revive
the growing plants. That escaping gas
IS running this shrubberv is the opin-
ion handed forth by Inspector Conklin
An unknown man telephoneC to Mr..
Conklin at the city hall today and said
that gas was leaking in his cellar. The
gas men had stated it was a leak
around the meter The plumbers
came-and went-and presented their
blll-but the gas still leaked. Finally
he ordered the cellar wall torn out
and the leak was traced t a nearby
gas pipe.
1t has always been known that the
business portion of the city was under
mined with leaking gas mains, but it
has never been limited that there was
danger in the residence portions In
spector Conklin will investigate the
matter thoroughly and asks that all
people who suspect leak in their vi
entity make known their suspicious to
his office at the city hall