Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-01-15
WAR is STARTED
ON GAS COMPANY
cONrINuFp FRoM pAor oNr

'oNTlNUkD FROM PAGE ONE
lated In all the block In which / live,
at 6l6 South Boston.
"one family telephoned me today
th"t during the cold spell on one, OF
the coldesi days they had 10 put the
children 10 bed To Keep them from
crying and freezing they aid not
nave the means TO buy an oil stoyC
! or coal OF wood"
n The commissioner said he called ur
| tofficials OF the gas company and
, aIeod whut they intended to do and
they told him they could do nothing
that there was Just low pressure
asked toro Mr.. Painter, and In
quired OF HIN IL his company intended
TO force the people OF Tulsa who had
contracted with his company for heat
10 40 out and buy wood and coal lie
! said he dldG't know
II told him | didn't think II was
right for the people OF this city "a
have to suffer this fraud and that
Intended 20 prefer charges against the
company with the state corporation
commission unless he gave me posi-
tive assurance that we would get re-
lief
MIR. Painter told me II wouldn't 10
any good 10 file charges, ! replied that
II would do me some good, and that
me that the corporation 'uufnmission
was familiaS with the situation In
Tulsa and knew thai his company was
doing the best II could do lie said
mat no company could do any more
II replied that ] did not believe the
COMMISSION knew the situation here
ana that | Intended To inform them
lie finally said he would send a man
out to make an Investigation. and this
a the sfst ! have hoard from him."
This was last Fridayelwhen the tenn
perature was below ztso the entire
day.
law Passed In 1919.
The laws under which Judge Will
kins will proceed are an order issued
BY the state corporation conisaion.
march y. 1919. lust after Tulsa and
other cities had filed complaints
against the Eas companies because OF
the gas shortage, which ordered every
ms company. frs. fndieiduni cor
poratlon. association. their trustees or
i'""' vrrs, supplying natural gas for
domestic consumption, or furnishins
heat or light with gus, To construct
eQtp and maintain it's pipe lines and
distri hutnE systems SO as to be able
''st all times, IN furnish an adedua te
supply Of gas fnr domestic cqnsnm D.
ton" And II further ordered that a
sufficient amount should be supplied
at all times for heating and cooking
and lighting purposes for domestic
consumption.
State statute it92 provides penal
ties Nrr any companies, persons or
firms violating orders of the corporn-
tion com mission. They may he fmod
by the come llAsion any amount not
exceeding sS00 and this fine may be
assessed for each and every day the
violation continues after the service
OF notice.
The next section provides that any
citizen may Institute proceedings by
filinE an affidavit with the commls-
sion setting forth the acts OF onls-
sion or failure to comply with its
orders
when such affidavit is filed II be-
comes the duty of the com m ission IA
notify the gas company and cite II 30
answer al n time to be fiNed In the
same citation. and which shaft be not
less than ten nor more than twenty
days from date ~ service Of same
Judge wilkins said he had been In
formed that when the Chamber OF
Commerce took hold OF the Rns sltua-
tion Il employed mn attorney who n
retained counsel OF the Ras compaSy
to represent the clty's Interests and
he had despaired of any relief ex-
cept by direct appeal OF the people to
the corporation commission.
He has determined TO lead the
for this relief.