The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-04
WILL NOT BACK UP
Application of Receivers Is De-
MED by Judge Pollock.
Slightly Modified Order Only
Balm for Consumers,

Kansas City, Jan. 4.-Judge Pollock
of the federal court in Kansas City,
Kansas, today refused to rescind his
order of December 80 approving a raise
in the price of gas by the Kansas Nat
rescinding of the order was made by
C. F. Holmes and George Sharitt,
receivers for the gas company.
AS a concession to officials of Kan
sas and Missouri towns effected by the
gas order Judge Pollock slightly modi-
fled his original mandate by forbid
ding the Kansas Natural to shut off the
supply to distributing companies if they
failed to meet the advance at the end
of ten days, which provision was made
in the original order of December 80.
The court set the first Monday in
February as the date upon which all
those interested might appear in court
and thoroughly thrash out the gas
question.
The order is intended to conserve
the interest of consumers as far as
possible. The previous order of the
Kansas federal court forced the dis
tributing companies to decide in ten
days whether they would or would
not accept the higher price of 81
cents. If they refused they would
have been cut off from the Kansas
forces the Kansas Natural receivers to
allow distributing companies to re-
ceive gas, despite their possible re-
fusal of the new price.
Buys Gas at Old Price.
Settlements with the Kansas Natural
are made on the 18th of each month.
January settlements will be made for
gas bought at the old price. If
they refuse at that time to pay the
higher price, the order of Judge Pollock
forces the Kansas Natural to continue
to supply the gas anyway.
The action of Judge Pollock was
taken in spite of the request of the
company that the court order be re-
cinded. Instead Judge Pollock mod
flied the order at the request of pub
lie officials of Kansas cities to allow
them more time to consider it. The
court ordered the receivers of the
Kansas Natural not to cut off the gas
supply of any distributing companies
till further orders.
Monday, February 8, was set by
Judge Pollock for a hearing on the
question. He invited all persons inter-
eSted in the situation, either as petit
TONERS, interveners or advisers, to ap-
pear before him with their arguments
on that date.
A statement with the assurance that
the receivers of the Kansas City Gas
would do everything possible
to keep the people of Kansas City from
receiving any unjust treatment. was is
sued by Major VIM. Warner, the third |
receiver of the Kansas City Gas COM |
oany, who has been in Washington fol- |
owing his arrival in Kansas City to- |
lay.
The mass meeting in Convention hall
tonight to discuss the gas situation is |
to indicate to the city off, |
cials the sentiment of the people as |
to a course of action to remedy the |
conditions. That is one object the /
mayor and council had in calling the |,
meeting. The action of the federal |
court will not have any effect on the |
plans for the meeting. So far as the |
city government is concerned the big |
grievance remains in the fact that |
-wo big public utility corporations con-
rolling heat and light by gas and |
he street transportation facilities are |
n the hands of receivers where the |
,ity cannot reach them to enforce con-
.ract obligations.
The city officials want to hear from the
people The gas situation of course Is
but the mayor and aldermen
zee in it an analogy to the conditions gov
.rning the other privately owned utilities
md it looms up to them one big ques-