The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-05
Mayor House Will Oppose Hike
in Gas Rates.
DOran Defends Announcement
of Distributing Company.
DECLARES new ORDER LEGAL
Declares Court Order Affects
Only Kansas Natural Company.
Thinks Local Plant May, There
fore, Do as 1t PleaseS.

That there will be something stir
ring if the Consumers Light. Heat
& Power company attempts to put the
proposed new gas rate into effect Aug
ust 1, was intimated this morning by
Mayor J. E. House. Action of some
kind will be taken, the mayor asserts
if it is possible for the city to do so.
The gas company intends to hike the
rates to so cents a thousand cubic feet
for gas, with a flat rate of so cents
month for the reading and mainte
nance for the meters, making total
of $3.50 for the first thousand cubic
feet of gas burned. The consumer will
have to pay so cents month whether
any gas is burned or not.
Mayor Will Fight 1t.
eff the gas company can override
a decree of the federal court, we would
have a right to take over their prop
erty and burn it up said Mayor
House.
1t is evident that the mayor is going
to see that the gas rates remain where
they are if it lies within the power of
the city to keep them there. He an
nounced that he is not yet sure just
what legal or other steps will be taken
in the matter. :
T. F. Doran, attorney for the Con-
sumers' Light, Heat and Power COM
pany, declares that Mr.. House has
been misled in the belief that that an
order had been handed down by the
federal court fixing rate for the dis
tributing companies.
Doran Says It's Legal.
THE distributing companies were
not party to the foreclosure case in
which the 60 cent gas rate was estab-
lfshed by the federal court he de-
clared this morning. The court did
not enter an order prohibiting the dis
tributing companies from establishing
any rate Y hatever. The distributing
companies, at the recent hearing. tried
to intervene in the case and become
parties thereto. All the federal court
did was to refuse to allow the dis
tributing companies to become parties
to the case and to deny them a hear
ing on the merits of the proposed in
crease of rates.
THE distributing companies, not
being parties to the case. the court had
no Jurisdiction over them-in fact re-
fused to take the Jurisdiction over
them which they rendered"
Says 60 Cents Minimum.
Mr.. Doran then quoted section of
the order establishing the sixty cent
rate in the foreclosure case. which
reads: The foregoing ct rates (mean-
d
mum rates and are authorized with
out prejudice to the rights of the dis
tr1buting companies to establish, COL
lect and receive any greater or more
compensatory rates than those herein
mentioned, if same can be done by
agreement with the city or otherwise -
The only party bound to the sixty
cent rate" continued Mr.. Doran, sis
the receiver of the Kansas Natural
Gas Co. who is authorized by the
courts order to charge only 571z per
cent OF the sixty per cent rate for gas
sold thru the distributing companies.
The Kansas Natural cannot increase
its charge without another order from
the court. The distributing companies
as they construe the order are, on the
contrary, authorized to establish, coll
lect and receive, at any time, any
greater or more compensatory rate by
agreement with the city-or other
WISE
Otherwise Means Something Else?
| The word otherwise" Mr.. Doran in
terpreted as mea ming 'by any means -
Mr.. Doran points out that the pro-
! posed new rate would serve two pur-
| poses. First, he said, it would con-
serve gas for cooking and lighting,
which would give the consumers rea-
sonably good service for such pur-
poses. Second. he asserted, it will
furnish the distributing companies a
SIndil return Tor services rendered
| Which, he declared, none of them had
enjoyed for many years.
! 1t has been asserted" he continued
that an effort will be made to turn the
company over to the government or tc
the city. We have no doubt that the
owners of the distributing companies
would welcome government control
| as the government would no more
operate gas company at a continual
loss than it would the railroad COM
panies. And every one knows what
the government has done with refer
ence to railroad rates.
Quotes President Wilson.
In justifying the proposed action OF
the company Mr.. Doran quoted Presi-
dent Wilson in his letter to Secretary
| McAdoo: IT hope that all state and
| local authorities, who have not al
| ready done so, will, when the facts
are properly laid before them. re
spond promptly to the necessities Of
the situation"
Secretary McAdoo has said that the
public utilities should be maintained
at maximum efficiency" said Mr.
Doran, land that they have a right tc
live and not become weakened by in.
adequate returns in war time. We sub
NIT the question. Would it not be bet.
ter to temporarily consider the merit!
of the proposed action than to blindl,
condemn it and threaten in the public
press to resort to force and violence? -