The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-01-05
A FREEZING SHAME
WHOLE CITY IN GRIP OF THE
ICE KING, SO-CALLED.
SHIYERED IN Their HOMES
Men, Women and Children Hungered
for Breakfast-Schools Dismissed
Hospitals and Sanitariums as Ice
Boxes-Citizens Indignant in Words.
The City Fathers-A Broken Main

The City Fathers-A Broken Main
1t is impossible to estimate how many
good citizens "lost their religion" yester.
day over the "gas condition" as called
1t may be remarked incidentally that
even some of Samaritans, most piously
inclined, could not refrain from theii
explosion in words which are not in
Chestcrfeld's Treatise on Etiquette and
Good Behavior.
In other words, the Shreveport Gas,
Electric Light and Power Company was
the subject Of the most severe criticism
and condemnation, and if it could have
heard the half that was said, its ears
would tingle and burn for a term untin-
tied
Men. even earthly saints without
wings, will become dispossessed of their
angelic temperament when they are
freezing and with them, their wives and
children, and this discomfort is exagger
ated by the persistent demand of the
children for something to cat.
People who are cold and hungry do
not reason, nor do they turn the other
check.
Unfortunately men are wanting in the
proverbial patience Of Job and The meek
ness Of moses. Instead they protested
to the city fathers, who in their help
1essness could not relieve the gas situa-
ton, except in words The people, as
Moses and as Job. should have exhibited
the philosophic fortitude OF waiting for
the gas supply and taken comfort in the
realization that in July and August there
would be no need Of gas for heating as
it would then be hot enough for one and
all to go about without an oyercoat and
furs
But men are unreasonable and SO I'M
gracious when cold and freezing and
hungry that they will abuse and "cuss.
out a sou1less corporation regardless OF
hereafter
1t may be said that the Caucasian did
not suffer nor experience discomfort
from the failure of the gas supply. When
the gas was first introduced, the artificial
being replaced by the natural, and not
then having placed much reliance in the
natural, the cook stove, one of the best
and almost new, was held in reserve,
and alongside of It was installed the
4highfdlntin gas consumer. And for
the house, in the sleeping rooms, every
winter there is installed the bid drum
which when filled with old chunks is
soon as hot as heat can be, and in the
workshop there is the old fashioned
stand-up stove, which when filled up
with coal, is soon as a hot furnace. Had
we not taken these visionary precautions
there would have been freezing 1--WE do
not cussl as was experienced by the in
dividuals in good and robust health, by
women and children in their homes, by
the sick in hospitals and sanitariums,
by the law-breaker in jail and by the
poor, who freeze more. or less every win
ter when the Ice King is about, but
who this year on January 4, 1911,
"freezed" colder than usual until they
warmed up in the sunshine, which is
about one Of the few essentials to men S.
comfort which has not been grabbed and
controlled by some combine or trust
Seriously, the situation should not be
rninimized, and some authority must be
held to account, not individuals or any
Of the directors, but the company itself
which is authorized to distribute the
gas; the company which collects month
" the amount of gas used by each in
dividual.
AS the Caucasian has frequently said
and reiterates, a corporation should re-
ceiYe the same generous consideration
and the same kind treatment as is ac-
corded the individual, and therefore
viewed as an individual, the Shreve-
port Gas, Electric Light and POWER
Company, can NOT escape fair criticism,
and as an individual it must be held to
accountability.
Il will not be denied that trouble
has been experienced heretofore BY con-
sumers of gas. Indeed, at the first cold
snap of the winter, Of recent date,
scores of people, for instance in the
Qaeensborough Annex, had to remain
in their beds until noon for want Of gas
for fuel In answer TO protests there
was given the promise that the trouble
would receive prompt attention and such
complaints in the future would be made
Impossible.
During the years past there have beer
complaints Of trouble with renewed
promises, but the gas condition was
|aogxavafed "a the extreme when the gas