The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-01

with the remark that the Trust had just rs many
friends as any company.
different basis from all the other companies Ii
was organized for furnishing gas at cost as soon
Is il could afford it, the other companies were
organized for the purpose of making money
Mr.. Fletchers proposition come into the
he pleased. 1. was fair to suppose
of the field. The field the Trust proposed to
occupy, would necesstate the laying Of twenty
FIVE miles Of low-pressure pipe alone. He said
that every day for week he had noted letters
and editorials In papers complaining because gas
was not brought into the city. Under the plan
of the companies demanding amendments it
would require ten years TO pipe the city, and as
the manufacturers are on the outskirts, they
would still be without gas. Have the gentle
men of the Indianapolis company indicated
what territory they are going to occupy SAID
he. IF they are going to lay but twenty-five
miles of pipe the first year. they should let the
Council know what part of The city they are
going to pre-empt.n
''Tne ordinance provides that they shall do
that before they shall come in" said Attorney
Hawkins.
II know that, said Judge Lamb, .but before
the Council amends the ordinance you should
be compelled to indicate what part OF the city
You are going TO occupy" Continuing. the Judge
said there was a time. a year ago. when gas
should have been let into the city at any price.
There was a boom, and If the city had then had
gas the boom would have gone on. The boom has
passed. and there was no need of being In a hur-
ry now In concluding he thought a removal of
the restrictions meant that gas would be
brought in where it would pay best.
In answer TO Mr.. Fishback and Judge Lamb,
MIR. Peele said their weak opposition uutsn-
able. 1t was a self-evident fact that all COM
panies would lay mains as rapidly as
they could supply gas. He asked the gem
tlemen of the Trust to answer the question
to whether not it ould be an injustice to
weak companies to be compelled TO lay twenty
five miles of mains, and requested them TO show
how any one would be harmed by the amend
ments. You did not give any reasons why the
amendments should not be made and you can
not" he continued lit is perfectly natural for
all companies to hunt for the cream of the city.
The Trust will do it. IL is not communicable for
it to come in here and impede the bringing of
gas into the city by other companies because it
is not ready to come in. say, gentlemen, that
your effort to defeat these amendments is keep
ing gas out of the city. It IL selfishness that
inspires you to oppose the amendments asked by
the Capital City and the Indianapolis COM
pany The Trust claims that it has gas to
supply one hundred miles. That is a greater
reason that you should allow small companies
to come in under the conditions ask. The
secret OF it is you want to keep all other COM
panies out and usurp the fuel"
ut is you who want to get in and usurp the
fuel" Judge Lamb retorted.
THAT may be-" replied Mr.. Peele. LAS said
before, selfshness is at the bottom of all this
opposition to the amendments desired"
Mr.. Hawkins then said the city was not going
to suffer for According to the Trust it was
going to supply half the city in one year. The
directors Of that company by their acknowledg-
ment killed their own argument about it taking
ten years to get gas to all the man
ufacturers il the ordinance was amended,
With three or four other companies in the field
it would not take long to have gas in all parts
of the city. There would be no trouble in get
ting mains extended if people want gas. Judge
Lambs great objection to the amendments was
that it would give the companies ready to come
in a chance to get the cream of the patronage
Suppose the ordinance was not changed and the
com panies complained Of all came it, would not
the first one that came in take the cream of the
The gentlemen who were opposing
the amendments had furnished argument, and
they could furnish none They simply wanted
to keep all companies out until all were ready to
come in.
At tho conclusion of the discussion Chairman
Thalman announced that the committee would
have another meeting some tune this week. to
agree upon a report, to be submitted to Council
next Monday night
Mr.. Maus, treasurer of the Broad Ripple COM
pany, was present at the meeting, and, after the
adjournment, Journal reporter asked him
what he thought of the proposed amendments.
Il am for them," said he. 1.-THE Broad Ripple |
company has accepted the ordinance and we
shallktake no part in the fight. but the amend |
ments would be ADVANTAGEOUS to us IN many |
ways. and l. cannot see how they be detri- |
mental to any company They Certainly viii
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