The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-11
THE RIVAL GAS COMPANIES
Indications of Bitter Struggle for Pat
ronage Which the Trust Asks.
Developments Concerning Propositions toCon-
solidate the Two Plants Under One Man.
acknowledgement Purchase Declined

With streets torn open, trenches extending
for squares east and west, high and .ow-press-
urs mains distributed along their line. and the
many other evidences of work on the part Of our
natural-eas companies, il would appear that
each intended TO confne itself to is own affairs
and let fighting for advantage severely alone.
It was expressed. yesterday, by stakeholder
in the Trust, that the city had suffered from the
long agitation, and had il been settled sooner
the benefits from cheap fuel would have been
more apparent. But within the past few weeks
. proposition to buy made by one Of the
large companies to the others The latter, the
Indianapolis, willing TO sell IL it could get
IFS price, but it IL understood that some Of the
directors OF the Trust considered the amount
paid By the Indianapolis company to the Stand
ard-Gufsy people too large. although other
directors favored closing the trade on that basis
Out of this grew more propositions, but nothing
definite was accomplished. although q consum-
nation Of an offer TO merge the two companies,
IL is said, could have been reached had the law
opened clear way to that end. The principal
feature Of the proposed deal rested only upon
good faith. and while the gentleman on either
side had the fullest confidence that every detail
served. tho law proposed no remedy if by some
chance the agreement should be violated. This
related. it is understood. to the trustees of the
Trust being able to elect the directors in
cordance with the conditions Of the consolida-
ton. AS the law was not clear this point
the negotiations ceased and the two companies
have been attending TO their individual con-
Germs a. II all chance Of reaching . conclusion
in advancing mutual interests had gone by.
But the situation. quiet as t has been, is
likely 70 be disturbed oy renewal OF energetic
! efforts to secure consumers on the part OF both
companies The Indianapolis company, through
It's miles of pipe already laid and its ability TO
begin work earlier than the Trust. is supplying
o number of customers. The Trust Is applying
all IT'S en- ergies to overtake its rival and It's d.
rectors say that within few days the trunk
hre will be completed to the city
limits The contractor, it is said. will begin his
the pipemen had reached Malott Park. Three
of tie largest wells In the territory have been
connected with the line which now. tested.
Is fifteen and half miles long. Work in the
streets viii begin next week. and bids for IL will
be opened in day or two. The nearness Of
the time when the company will be able 80 sup
ply consumers has awakened an interest IN tie
part of the directors as to means whereby q
large share OF patronage can DO secusct oy
them For this purpose a meeting was held by
= friends Of the Trust at the New Denson Ioose
night before last, from which every body was ex
cluded who could not be vouched for as being in
sympathy with the object to be attained About
forty gentlemen were present and the evening
was used in an Interchange OF
views on what should be done.
After the meeting, W. p Fishback.
Hugh Hanna, Julius F. Pratt, John p. Frenzel
and others we're Intercepted by Journal re-
porter. but TO each question either answer
was returned OF the reply. Eve cannot tell what
was done was given. One gentleman ex-
planned that his refusal to tell anything con-
cernsne the proceedings was due solely to his
having pledged himself, as all others did. not to
say anything about them. An officer Of the
Trust said yesterday that he knew nothing Of
the meeting until late in the afternoon, and de-
{ clared shat what was done did not have any Of
fetal Significance. as only q few of the gentle
men participating had any such connection with
the company. All of them, though, wero stock
holders OF the company. A stockholders. when
' asked what be knew Of the meeting. replied that
/, he had no knowledge of any being called. as he
WAS out OF the city, He had however, since his
return, learned Of its being held. That was nj.
!, s. Huey, who showed the reporter . cir
cular signed by citizens who have stock in the
TO patronize the Trust to the exclusion OF the
Indianapolis company, and detained against
monopolies aud the efforts of such companies 10
control the natural gas business. 1t was stated
thAs through the organization Of the Trust the
people had been benefited and saved from high
prices of fuel Mr. Huey did not express any
enthusiasm over this circular. 81 have 81. 200
in the Trust" he continued. 1.-The company
can have every dollar of it aud ST. 200 more If it
| will only meet competition oy reducing the
price of gas It Is only by cheap gas at this
time that the city can be benefited. But some
OF our people do not see how they can raise suf-
hciens revenue TO meet the Of the So 000, 900
plant IL gas is sold under ordinance rates be-
Iievs, though, the people can and would raise
the money for this purpose il the price Of gas is
reduced
At the Wednssday-nieht meeting several
speeches were made on propositions to secure
customers, and what action was taken contain
plates . thorough canvass Of the city by
csmmittess to ask the citizens TO give the Trust
the preference over all other companies. TWAS
declared that the Indianapolis company, having
refused to accept the PROPOSITIONS on the part of
che Trust TO buy. and after having accepted the
offer to consolidate, the two companies declined
to carry ont the plan proposed, it was time to
apply heroic remedies. After this the CON-
mittess were formed and yesterday they were
working in several parts Of the city. calling mp
on citizens not only to wait for the Trust but to
sever connections they had made with the In
dianspols company.
SoUaefhinR Abouf