The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-08
MAYOR UNDER FIRE.
CONTINUED From Page one.l

Continued From Page One.l
On the other hand Manager Treleaven
of the gas company is brushing back
his blonde hair with ore hand and
reading the newspap ers with the other.
His office chair is tipped back and he
is taking Inns, much needed breaths.
Fo- few days at least his troubles
have been shifted to the office of the
mayor
Mayor Wants to Know.
A reporter slipped into the Office of
the mayor this afternoon and sat
down in his visitors chair. The mayor
was swering a telephone CALL When
he had finished, without looking up
from his note writing, he sighed:
And now what was your gas bill
for January? Did you think it I'M
reasonable? Was it larger than your
heavy month last year2 Has your
meter been tested? Did you leave
your gas burning all night? Did you
burn other fuel-and-"
lust a minute!" exclaimed the re-
porter, Il only came in here to"
DO you think there is a leak in
your pipes % the mayor fired on pay
ing no attention to the interruption.
do you burn gas stoves or furnace?
Did you try to keep all of your house
open in the below zero weather? Can
you give me an estimate of the cost of
your gas for the winter months a year
ago? Do you feel that -
The reporter placed his hands over
his ears and left the room. When he
returned a few minutes later the
mayor was repeating his One-Sided
conversation over the telephone.
do I find many high gas bills?
answered the mayor after the news
paper man had proved his identity and
mission DO L? Do I? Well you
sit around here a few minutes and
listen. I have found that scores of
gas consumers in Topeka had bills
amounting to $50 the month Of Janu-
airy. And they used gas only to heat
their homes. 1t is not uncommon to
find a bill of $35. Any number of $40
bills are shown to me. And when I
see a SIS bill I feel like asking a men
to take up his troubles with some one
else-possibly policeman.
Il find that the better class of peo-
pie in Topeka are kicking on their gas
bills. I have very few complaints on
bills below SO or SIS. The man with
the small house seems to have taken
his medicine without a chirp.
He Can't Adjust Bills.
Some way or other people have git
It into their heads that I will adjust
their bill Immediately. That isn't the
case. What I will do is to take writ
ten statement Of the conditions and file
them with the state board of public
utilities. In that statement I want how
much fuel was burned outside of the
gas. Also the bills for last year at this
time and the bills that have been paid
fore the state commission with a bare
list of gas bills and no evidence.
THE complaints began to come in as
soon as the State Journal was on the
street last evening.
II do not promise the gas consumers
any relief. We can't do that. But we
will DO Ill i'll our power to investigate
the trouble. We will try to see if gas
registers just as much at low pressure
as high pressure and if the meters are
working correctly"
Gas Company welcomes Move.
Manager Treleaven, Of the gas com
pany. seems pleased with the action
taken by the city.
1--WE will welcome 4 thorough in
vestigation,' the manager assured. IF
an investigation giving all the facts In
this gas proposition was explained to
the consumers it would stop this con-
tfnual wrangling and haggling.
Il am anxious that everyone learns
the truth about gas meters and gas
pressure. 1t would be a great relief to
us-and it would bear out all the state
Yuerts and explanations we have given -