The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-05-21
TURNED INTO SALT.
Gas Well at Fair Grounds Is Dead"
Who Is Observation-Disclosures
siOns Unfortunately Verified.

coming intensified, without neccs
sity.
| What to do with the gas we'll was
the all-absorbing issue with the peo-
pie. 1t had been suggested that the
city should sell it to the Gas Com
pany or some individuals from
which a revenue could be obtained
with which to improve the streets.
The suggestion that the gas should
be offered free to factories was met
On the part of the representatives
of the city and the Council that the
| city had nothing to give away.
There followed unnecessary fric-
ton which was aggravated when II
was announced on the part of the
city that the Fair Association had
| not damn thing to do with it.
On the other hand Agurs & Josey
complained that they were being
| meddled with by the city officials
| and gas men; their their contract
was for soft and salt wafer wells,
| but that when they had struck gas
they had Immediately advised the
| city.
1t is claimed that the gas we'll
should have receive immediate at
tention, but delays followed, due. as
stated, to the fact that the necessary
| material could not be obtained al
| once.
When an emergency had been
reached Saturday and Sunday
morning E. X Smith, vice president
| of the Commercial National Bank.
interpOsed as a citizen and advised
the Mayor on immediate and neccs
sary atcion. Hold the Well Va
the injunction of Mr.. Smith to the
Mayor, and then when $1,000 was
needed to secure the necessary cas-
ing to hold the gas, Mr.. Smith vol
unteered and pledged himself per
sonally responsible for this amount
and he so advised the Mayor.
1t would seem that there was {
| considerable and unnecessary jaw
ing about the we'll, between the
drilling contractors, some represen
tatives of the city and representa-
tives of the State Fair Association,
and especially as to what are we
going to do with the gas" but as the
! gas we'll has ''petered out" further
discussion or feeling as to what We,
| are going to do with the we'll be
| comes senseless.
It would see mthat there was {
| lack of good common sense IN thu
gas we'll proposition, and unless tlh
we'll is controlled and held in chec
it may precipitate calamity.
At this time there should be sOm'
self-assertion by the authorize
charged with the general Interests
and welafre of all the people.
It would be senseless to drop croc-
odile tears over this collapsing OF
the gas we'll, nor will the Caucasian
at this time hold any one to ac
countability but it will not refrain
from the statement that somebody
has blundered and somebody is re
sponsible for what has happened.
In the collapsing of this gas well
the fact remains nevertheless thai
gas in sufficient quantity for com
mercial purposes can be obtained
anywhere on the Fair Grounds fiele
and the fields adjacent.
In the development of this gas
we'll at the Fair Grounds the antici
|pation that was entertained that
Shreveport, that is, the people, th,
men and women and the children
would have received the benefits
which would come from the supply
of cheap gas by the municipalitl
but this anticipation has simp',
been deferred.
| The people, that is, the men an
the women and the children O.
Shreveport, may now realize Wha
they are 'up against" but it will no
take them long to adjust and solN'
the trouble.
/ For the present the gas question
may be laid aside, and we may tak'
up the proposition of water.
!, 'By the way is there not forth
T coming a report from the commits
sion form of government of the cit
of Shreveport on the conclusions o
| the expert employed by the com
mission to tell the people all abou
, water and the water supply and hoV
, water plant could be or could no
| be operated by the municipality,
operated at all, besides the presen
monopoly?
Possibly the Commissioner Of Puf
lie Utilities has filed away this re
T port of this expert, which ma
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