The Topeka state journal., 1916-11-18
IN WAY
Topeka Could Now Be Using
Thirty Cent Gas.
Utilities Chairman Would Not
Agree to Proposition.
IT'S NOW A GAME OF POLITICS
Even Governor Capper Favored
the Original Plan.
City Pays so Cents Now and
Pressure Has Been Low.
IT'S NOW A GAME OF POLITICS

Joseph L. BristoW, chairman OF the
pubIic utilities commission. blocked a
3O-cent gas rate agreement in Kansas
This claim was made by the State
Journal several months ago. Now it
is reaffirmed in a statement by Sena-
tor John F. Overfield of Montgomery
county. for twenty years representa-
tive of the Cudahy inter ests and re-
ceiver for the Kansas City Pipe Line
company. Senator Overfield confirms
the former report to the effect that
Kansas gas consumers would have re-
ceived a 30-cent rate had Br1stoW en-
dorsed a proposed agreement
Since the failure of the gas repre-
sentatfveS to reach an agreement with
Bristow and the public utilities COM
mission, it has been frequently charged
that Bristow and the utilities commits
sion have played politics with the gas
question Governor Capper is also
held responsible for some of the poll
tics injected into the gas controversy
A statement by Senator Overfield is to
the effect that a proposition to Gov
ernor Capper and Bristow providing
for 30-cent gas, was rejected
1T was a year ago last Septem Der, -
said Senator Overfield. that the
proposition was made, by the Cudahy
people of Chicago. to the Kansas COM
mission and Governor Capper- The
proposition would have given Kansas
all the gas it needed at 80 cents. The
supply would have been available for
last winter.
The Proposal
''The Cudahy people agreed to build
sixty-five miles of 16-inch pipe line
from the end of the Kansas Natural
lines down thru the OkmuIgee field
It would have tapped that supply
which is now tied up by smelters and
can not be obtained here. Tt would
have given the Kansas Natural access
to 400, 100000 cubic feet of gas a day
The Kansas Natural had options
on leases thruout the fields to be
tapped by the new Cudahy line. The
Cudahy people were to charge the
Kansas Natural 8 cents per 1 900 cubic
feet for the delivery Of the gas and in
addition the Cudahy interests were to
supply some of their own gas for 3
cents per 1000 cubic feet plus cents
for delivery
Proposed to Open Untouched Fields.
In other words. the Cudahy inter-
ests were to open untouched Kansas
Natural fields for 3 cents a 1000, and
also supply quantities of their own gas
at cents per 1000.
The Cudahy pipeline would have
cost s7OO, 900. The best feature of the
proposition was that when the carry
ing charges of gas paid by the Kansas
Natural had amounted to $500. 900
and 6 per cent interest, the Cudahy
company would reIinquish all claims
to the new pipeline and it would be-
come the property of the Kansas Nat
ura1.
Governor Capper told me it was
the best proposition and the only So
luton to the problem But Bristow
couldn't If that WaV
Many influential men and officials
pleaded with Governor Capper to ac-
cept the proposition But the gov
ernor stood behind Bristow.
The pipe for the line had been
contracted for and 1 have the maps of
the route which had been surveyed
and prepared It was the biggest op-
portunity that this city ever had-and
it's gone now"