The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-10
Weather Moderate and Still
There's Only a Flicker.
What Will Happen When Real
! Winter Comes On?
NO IMPROVEMENT PROMISE
Little Fuel Available Thru
Mains of Kansas Natural.
Shortage of Coal Means Suffer-
ing in This District.

With the shortage of coal gas con-
sumers in Topeka and other Kansas
towns are registering their complaints
concerning the supply for the coming
winter. While John M. Landon, re-
ceiver for the Kansas Natural Gas
company, has declared that the com
pany is turning all available gas into
the mains, there is an inadequate sup
ply. Because of existing conditions,
there is little probability that condi-
tions will be improved during the win
ter.
After several years of expensive liti-
cation, the Kansas Natural is just
coming thru its receivership and long
months of interference by the state
public utilities commission. The com
mission blames the gas company for
the present situation. The gas COM
pany blames the commission. To the
consumer the result is less gas, higher
prices and a heavy tax assessment to
! meet the states efficiency and econ
/ omy in the gas matter which resulted
| only in the present situation.
One authority today declared that
the available supply of sixty million
| cubic feet of gas in 1912 had now
| been reduced to eight million cubic
| feet While new gas fields have been
| opened in the Kansas and Oklahoma
districts, very little of this fuel is
available for supply thru the Kansas
| Natural mains The gas company
does not own the wells and it was
denied authority by the state COM
mission to extend its pipes to the new
fields and to spend money necessary
to get an adequate gas supply. OF
| course these facts do not keep gas
patrons warm during the winter
months They may arouse a high
| temperature for short time, but the
/ ha Inv nd of
the gas controversy, insists On removal
of cracked ice from its milk
state Turned 1t Down.
/ Nearly two years ago the gas com
pany sought compromise with the
utilities commission when it proposed
to Governor Capper and the commits
| sion that gas would be supplied at 81
cents instead of 2S cents, as ordered
by the commission. But the offer was
rejected by the state. Now the rate
is so cents with no gas and an in
! creased expense account to the state
for the litigation of the last two years
Shortage of coal in many localities
has driven people to rely on gas in
all districts supplied by the natural
fuel. Statements issued by the gas
company, though, declare that none
of the towns supplied by its pipe lines
will be able to use gas for furnace
purposes. In the big oil and gas dis
tricts of southern Kansas. a suffici-
: ent gas supply is available for fuel
This condition will relieve the de-
mand for fuel in portions of the state
But in the Kansas Natural pipe line
!, district, there may be gas for limited
cooking and lighting, but no gas fol
| heating purposes.
Rates to consumers are nearly 10C
t per cent greater than those proposed
in peace offering of the gas company
in the winter of 1856. And with
no gas and only heavy litigation bill
to pay, the gas consumer in the
Kansas City district sees little com
fort and no warmth in the fuel stu
> alton for the coming winter