Pipes Completed

From the Hugoton gasfield of Kansas and from the neighboring Amarillo field of the Texas Panhandle to Rockville, Ind. is about 805 miles as the plane flies. In 1928 a young promoter by the name of Frank Preston Parish formed Missouri-Kansas Pipe Line Co. to run a natural gas line over this distance. In June 1930, it became apparent that Mr. Parish needed more funds. Three months later potent Morgan-affiliated Columbia Gas & Electric Corp., in order to avert a rapid descent of the entire gas balloon, and to avert what might have turned out to be unwelcome competition, bought a half interest in Mr. Parish's company (TIME, Sept. 26). Work went ahead; last week the final sections of pipe were joined, tests begun. Within the fortnight the line is expected to be in actual operation and within three months the link to Columbia Gas's big eastern network will be completed. This will mark the completion of the longest natural gas "super-system," furnishing fuel from many sources. Feasible in theory, the project is not favored by many natural gas men who devoutly wish Mr. Parish had never started his line.

Last week tests were still being made on the 24-inch pipe running from the Texas Panhandle field to Chicago, covering 950 miles, expected to be in operation by the end of the year. Backed by the strong Insull interests together with Texas Corp., Cities Service Co., Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey and other big companies, this line is thought to have an auspicious future, especially since the gas will be sold on heat units instead of cubic feet (natural gas has nearly twice as many B. T.U. as manufactured gas). Apparently most sure of its success is Continental Construction Corp., the builder, for last week this concern announced that by the end of 1932 it will build a parallel line with 30-inch pipe, shoot natural gas from the South past Chicago, into New England.

Last fortnight the first gasoline flowed from several big Oklahoma refineries directly into St. Paul-Minneapolis. This line is backed by Barnsdall Corp., Continental Oil Co., Mid-Continent Petroleum Corp., Skelly Oil Co., Pure Oil Co.. and Phillips Petroleum Co., is the longest gasoline pipeline (1,500 mi.).

Despite these culminations of the great pipe dreams of 1929 and early 1930, last week there was by no means the same interest in pipelines. The public seemed inclined to await results before it increases its stakes in the industry. And no more was heard about such wondrous projects as a pipeline to carry grain, another to transport pulverized coal, a third to gush milk into big cities.

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