The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-11
THE GAS HEARING
Goes Over [
Situation.
Marshall
Utilities Attorney Finds Affair
Tangled Skein.

Deploring the criminal waste of
natural gas in its being used for boiler
and other manufacturing purposes.
vet at the same time declaring that
the present plan of distribution is the
best as a revenue getter that could be
devised, Attorney John Marshall of the
public utilities commission offered lit
tie in solution of the problem con-
fronting the commission this morning.
Marshall declared ii to be his opin-
ion, and showed various facts and fig
ures upon which to base his judgment,
that the gas production in both Ok
lahoma and Kansas is on the decline,
and that in many places the gas prac-
tically is gone. However he declared
he could not see how an increase in
the rates to the distributing compan-
les. and the consequential increase on
the part of the distributing companies
to the consumers, would help either
the Kansas Natural or it's distribut-
ing concerns.
Only one method of conserving the
gas is possible, Marshall declared is
his opinion, and that would be for all
distributing companies to come under
one managenent-to form practical
trust in the handling of gas a situa-
ton that neither Kansas nor Okla
homa would tolerate. He declared he
did not see any other way to handle
the matter, and declared he does be-
lieve that any order of the commits
sion will have the desired effect.
He also declared that while scientifi-
cally natural gas may be much more
valuable for heating and cooking than
artificial gas. or coal comparatively,
that practically it does not hold true.
According to the reports of the re-
ceivers natural gas was estimated to
be worth $1.20 a thousand cubic feet
compared to artificial gas at so cents.
Marshall called attention to the fact
that only in specially prepared stoves
and furnaces could the heat units OF
the gas be utilized, and declared that
in the ordinary stoves that the waste
is enormous. This is particularly true,
he said, in combination stoves which
are used to burn coal part of the time.
The gas, burning in the open, goes up
the chimney, he says, some of it not
consumed at all. and much of the
heat value, the majority of it in fact,
is utterly wasted.
Marshall called attention to the fact
that. while immense amount of
gas has been wasted in southeastern
Kansas that it has produced the cities
of Independence, CoffeyvilIe and others,
and has been a great help in the
development of that part of the state.
He said the same thing is true of Ok
lahoma, which is now being developed
on the strength of the gas fields.
He declared also that in his tudg-
ment, without the use of boiler gas il
would have been impracticable to have
furnished gas for domestic purposes.
He said that any information may be
obtained in Oklahoma relative to the
gas supply, the man with gas to sell
declaring that there is almost an un-
limited supply, while owners of plants
that have had to quit using it as fuel
being ready to swear the supply prac-
tically is exhausted.
So far Mr.. Marshall has offered no
solution for the problem. One moment
from his argument one would believe
that a heavy increase in the price of
gas was inevitable. The next moment
ne would argue that the present MAN
of distribution must prove the best.
The hearing probably will last ALI
day today and perhaps all day tomor-
row.