The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-27

Prospects that there will be a suf-
ficient supply of natural gas in To-
peka at all times this winter to LOiI
eggs and cook coffee are encourag ing,
indeed. That's more than can be said
of the adequacy of the supply on all
| occasions during the winter of a year
ago. And going breakfastless to work
| is not an experience that many folk
enjoy repeating any oftener than is
absolutely necessary.
But the announcement that there
will be a larger gas supply for Topeka
and other Kansas towns in the near
future is likely to encourage too many
people to place too much reliance on
this tickle fuel. That is just what
altogether too many of them are sp-
parentIy doing now. Natural gas is
so convenient and easy to handle that
everybody who has tasted of its joys
as a fuel is reluctant to give it up.
The result is that as soon as the
weather gets the least bit chilly. and
considerable heat is demanded to
warm the houses, the supply of gas
begins to flicker down to almost moth
ingness. There is scarcely enough for
cooking, and the lights grow dim.
in these conditions later on when the
additional supply in sight is ready to
be turned into the pipe lines and
mains. The weather will then be
much colder. And if the same num-
Der of people continue to rely at all
on natural gas for heating purposes,
there won't be nearly enough to go
around for lighting and cooking.
III g
folk playing the Foxy Grandpa act and
figuring that so many others will give
up all idea of using gas for fuel that
there will be plenty for them for
heating. But when the real cold
weather comes they'll be caught like
rats in an ice house, and loud will be
the imprecations they will deliver
against the gas company in particular
and everybody else in general.
Regardless of the small increased
supply of gas that is promised for this
winter, there is only one safe same
for the consumers in Topeka and else
where to play if they hope to keep
warm when real winter weather comes
along. They must forget natural gas
as a fuel, and make other arrange
ments accordingly to heat their
houses. Natural gas for cooking and
lighting is a sufficient luxury at it's
present price or even at a little larger
one, without demanding that it carry
a burden which it can not bear. Ex-
perts state that there is a sufficient
quantity of gas in the fields to sup
ply all present consumers with enough
gas for such purposes for many, many
years yet to come.
Isn't this of tremendously greater
advantage to all consumers than for
them to dissipate the supply in a year
or two by attempting to use it for fuel
purposes? This is especially true, be-
cause such an endeavor is so utterly
futile. That's been demonstrated win
ter after winter. Why are so many
people apparently bent on trying it
again? Not only won't they succeed,
and freeze, their shins in the bargain,
but they'll also deny themselves and
their neighbors enough gas for cook
ing and lighting.
Maybe the gas company or the util-
tiles commission or some other agency
household consumers to use gas in
furnaces, at least. But the good sense
of the natural gas consumers should
make any such action unnecessary.
Let us take the steps to conserve the
gas for cooking and lighting for many
years, and make up our minds to split
the wood for and shovel the coal into
those omniverous stoves and furnaces
that are necessary to keep the houses
warm.