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

just how much Indianapolis has lost by tie
non-introduction of natural gas cannot be GER
| tainly known. 1t is one of those conjectural
| questions, in regard to which opinions may
| differ, and which is not susceptible of exact
| demonstration. The measure of damage or loss
| is the difference between its actual growth and
| acquisition of new enterprises during the last
six or eight months, and what might have
| been with cheap natural gas. That it is very
| considerable cannot be doubted Within that
| period number Of large manufacturing es-
Adjustments from other States have located at
different towns in the natural-gas region, sew
| eral very recently, and more are looking for
a location. The advantages of the gas region
for manufacturing purposes are becoming
more widely known and better recognized
| every day. and the influx of outside capital
and new manufacturing enterprises is likely
to continue and increase. The Journal is
glad to record the prosperity of other towns
in the gas belt, as Muncie, Marion, Kokomo.
Anderson, Noblesville, etc. They are part
and parcel of the State, and whatever contrib
utes to their prosperity contributes to that
of the State at large, and of Indianapo-
fine towns, and nothing is too good
for them in the way of added prosperity.
Nature seems to have distributed the gas in
such way that they are all reaping very
substantial benefits from it, and we rejoice
that such is the fact. But we shall rejoice
still more when it can be announced to the
world that indianapolis has, not the promise,
the prospect, or the assurance of natural gas,
but the thing itself, in abundance and at very
cheap rates. Manufacturing enterprises
not attracted by the prospect of gas, they
want the reality. The announcement that
some company is getting ready to advertise
for bids preparatory to contracting for pipe.
or is positively making arrangements to raise
money for the purpose of introducing gas,
does not fetch them. They want the thing
itself. 1t has been pretty tiresome, during
all these months, to see factory after factory
passing by Indianapolis because it had not
gas and locating at other towns They did
not care to wait till the problem was solved
already solved. The same thing is happening
every day, and will continue to happen until
we get abundant supply of gas at ordinance
rates or below. Every day that this consum-
nation is delayed adds to the
injury the city has already suf-
fered. Every day that it can be forwarded
will hasten the time when Indianapolis will
begin to share in the prosperity now enjoyed
by other natural gas cities. AS business
proposition it would seem to be the duty of
the Councils to do whatever may properly be
done in this direction. The price of gas is
already fixed. Now what the city needs is an
abundant supply as soon as possible. No one
company can pipe or supply the entire city.
Probably two cannot. Perhaps three cannot.
But two companies can furnish more than
one and three more than two. We want COM
petition as well as gas, and we want both as
soon as possible. The Broad Ripple company
has already entered the city and will COM
mence operations under the ordinance it
stands, reserving the right to ask for any
needed changes in the future. The Indian
apolis company, with vastly larger sup
ply than the Broad Ripple, and with
gas at the city limits, asks for two
changes in the ordinance which it thinks
important for the protection of its own
interests, and which certainly would not
imperil those of the city. The Capital City
company asks for three amendments, which
are printed in another column, together with
the reasons fairly and fully set forth for them
1t is nothing to the purpose to say that the
Broad Ripple company and the Trust COM
pany do not ask for any changes in the ordi-
nance at present. Their business is their
own. The point is that other companies,
viewing the matter somewhat differently, do
ask for certain changes not affecting the price
nor any material matter AS a business
proposition, it would seem to be the duty of
the Council to consider the requests of these
companies on their merits, and if the desired
changes are fair and reasonable, to make them.
Business is business and should be free from
sentiment or prejudice. The plain fact is
that the city is losing business, losing money,
losing prestige and losing character every day
for the want of gas. This condition of. af
fairs should be ended as soon as possible.
JUROR MESSICK'S TELEGRAM