The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-06
Doran Says Higher Rate or
Poor Gas Pressure.
Why Not Adequate Pressure
and Then Higher Rate?
TRIES TO DEFEND INCREASE
Principal Reason, Company
Thinks 1t Can sect 1t By"
Attorney Maintains Gas Would
Still Be Cheapest Fuel.

Defending the rights of the local
gas company to hike the rates, t r.
Doran, attorney for the Consumers
Light, Heat and Power Co, admitted
this morning that the gas service last
winter was of no value, but declared
that the service next winter would be
Just as bad unless the rates were ele-
waited.
He denied that the local company
was in any way affiliated with the
United Gas and Improvement Co. of
New York. a corporation said to con-
SSol the Kansas City Gas Co. and al
legged to have received much of their
profits
Announcements of the new rates
were published this morning for the
first time in all the cities in which
the raise is scheduled to take effect,
but indications are that the proposed
action of the distributing companies
will be fought to q finish by the NUM-
Sspal governments.
Doran Defends Raise.
at has been asserted" said MI.
Doran, that the distributing COM
panies are trying to evade the decrees
of the federal court on technical
grounds There is no decree of the
federal court fixing so cents as the
maximum natural gas rate to be
charged and collected by the distribut-
Ing companies. There is no decree
forbidding or denying them the right
20 fix higher rates for gas. On the
contrary, the very order of the federal
court fixing the so cent rate author
ICES them to do so and the state SUI
preme court has held that when an ex-
listing rate is enjoined the companies
may fix their own rates.
THE distributing companies are
therefore not trying to evade the de-
cree of any court for any reason. A
statement by Mr.. Doherty that the
maximum profits for gas are derived
II ON a 35 or 40 cent rate assumes a
supply of gas equal to the demand.
The supply here has not been equal to
the demand. The demand therefore
must be limited by a rate to the most
ESSENTIAL uses-cooking and lighting
and the rate must be such as to earn
some return on the gas sold.
Cites Old. Old Story.
However much the distributing
companies would like to make up then
deferred dividends in the gas business
they cannot do so on any rate tha'
may be established for the presen
supply. Their only hope is to reduce
the use of the gas to such purposes a;
will enable them to give adequate
service and at the same time yield 6
small future return on the invest
ment''
Mr.. Doran pointed out that there 4
an abundance of gas in the summer
time when the sun does the heating
out lnal the pressure IN the winter u
always low because of the increased
demand. If the winter use could b,
reduced to cooking and lighting, h,
declared, the gas company would b.
able to give reasonably good service
for those purposes.
"A poor service is of little value,
he continued. "A service like we hac
last winter is of no value and tht
service we will have next winter will
be like that of last unless we ca!
do something to limit the use. Ga
for use for all purposes has failed
The people are entitled to good serv
ice and for such service must pa,
what ii is worth. Evidence has shown
that there is gas enough only fo
cooking and lighting purposes and ga
for such services at the propose
rates is the cheapest fuel to be had.
Artificial Plant Unwise.
Mr.. Doran expressed the belief tina
1t would be very unwise for the city t
erect an artificial gas plant at tn,
present time. declaring that the pro
duction would be from two to tire
times as great as in normal times an
that, altho natural gas possessed s.
per cent more heat units it would cos
much more than the proposed new
rates to rOanIfa pt11re artificial