The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-19
in the Board o, Aldermen to stand By the ordi-

Supplemental 20 the foregoing address. Presi-
/ dent Lamb ssnt the following protest to mem
bers of the Common Council and Board of Alder
men:
Natural Gas. and a to the common Council and
Board of Aldermen of the city of Indianapolis:
Gentlemen--The newspapers disclose the
| fact that effort is being made to procure
| changes iE the existing city ordinance on the
/ subject of natural gas. We need hardly remind
/ you OF the manner in which the ordinance was
/ prepared and the circumstances under which it
| was passed. You will remember that the city
attorney and MON bers of the Council and Board
OF Aldermen were authorized to proceed to
Pittsburg and else where TO ascertain such facts
| would enable them frame ordinance
! which would carefully guard the interests of the
/ city of Indianapolis. and of all her people. AT
that time, it will be remembered, efforts
/ being made by powerful combinations of capital
to seize and control the supply of natural gas in
| the vicinity of indianapolis, and to compel her
| citizens to submit to ruinous extortion in the
matter of rates, and the terms and conditions
upon which to be supplied Before that
| ordinance was reported to the Council for pass
| age they gave audience TO committees
| pointed by public meetings held at Tomlinson
| Hall and elsewhere, and other representative
citizens of the city, with the view of ascertain
| ing what would be fair to those who
| proposed to invest their capital in the
| enterprise, and at the same time guard all
| the citizens against any attempt that might be
| made to impose upon them. After all these
| committees and others were heard. the ord-
nance was reported to the Council for passage
| IN substantially the same FORM If not exactly,
| as it now exists.
| 1t was soon announced by the representatives
| of some of the capitalists who had formed cor
porations for the purpose OF making profit out
| of the business, that the supply of gas
| limited, and the of bringing it to the city
great, that it would be impossible for the city
| to be supplied with gas while the ordinances
stood in its present shape. Foreign capitalists,
| by their representatives, appeared before the
| Council or the gas committee and insisted or
asked that certain changes, which would have
| greatly increased the cost of gas to the con-
| sumers should be made, and that certain safe
| guards in the ordinance. which had been placed
there for the protection of the people, should be
annulled or repealed. This effort was
cessful, and it stated publicly that the for
eign capitalists who had made these requests or
| demands had abandoned the field and all pur-
| pose of attempting to carry out the enterprise.
So matters remained for short time. Then
| an effort was made which looked to the complete
| and absolute repeal of the existing ordinance,
and the substitution in its place of an ordinance
which proposed to give to one company Inc ex-
elusive right for period of five years to use the
| streets and alleys for supplying the city with
| natural gas: which also provided for large in
crease in rates to consumers. and which did not
contain many of the provisions which are in the
existing ordinance that were put there to secure
| the safety, person and property of the citizens
| and to guard them against imposition and ex-
tortion. The people took alarm, and the organi-
| cation of the Consumers Gas Trust Company
was the capitalization of popular and almost
universal demand on the part of all our citizens
that the ordinance framed in their interest and
for their protection should not be destroyed in
U0OS0
nous profits at the sacrifice Of the city's pros
perity. The Trust was born of this demand of
the people. It is composed of 700 stockholders
who represent every class of our people; capital
lists, bankers merchants. manufacturers. trades
men of all sorts, mechanics day laborers, clerks.
widows-in fact every imaginable class OF our
people are interested.
The public spirit of the enterprise is shown in
the fact that by the very terms of the articles of
incorporation and the subscription of stock, the
enterprise is not looked to as a source OF profit,
but means of benefiting every citizen and
property holder in the whole city.
The undersigned, the directors of the Con-
sumers Gas Trust Company, recognizing the re-
sponsibility placed upon them, desiring that the
objects for which the Trust was formed may be
realized, and knowing that the ordinance as i6
exists with all it's safeguards and provisions,
was framed for the purpose of protecting the
public and advancing the prosperity OF the city,
feel called upon, now that open attempt is
sbeiug made 30 destroy or impair the efficiency of
the ordinance, to protest in the name OF the
public against anv change Whatever being made.
especially when the changes are asked in behalf
or those who seek TO reap private pronts at the
expense of the interests of the citizens and the
prosperity of the city. We have carefully ex-
amined the ordinance as it stands, and do not
find single provision that can be objected to by
any one who has desire to promote the
Sv
the city for all the people. and there can be no
good reason given for changing It In any par
ticular. The Consumers Gas Trust Company,
in good faith and with perfect willingness to
stand by it. has filed its written acceptance of
the terms of the ordinance with the city clerk.
It has also executed it's bond required by the
ordinance. 1t is collecting from it's 4. 700 stock
holders, or subscribers. the half million dollars
of money which has been pledged to the success
of this enterprise, and although but two months
have elapsed since the stock was subscribed the
company has secured 5000 acres of the best gas
lara in Hamilton county. upon which 1t has al
ready eight complete wells. giving daily output
of 70, 000 900 cubic feet of gas, while sevea more
are being drilled. which will be completed by the
23d of the present month. The company have
NJ hoo 0JtN of eh1rrO
perintendent, who is recommended as one of the
most okillful and experienced men in
the business, snd under his direction the
work of laying the mains from the wells to the
city will soon be under way. The contracts for
the pipes to bring the gas to the city and to pipe
the streets according to the plan published in
the News of last Saturday, will soon be made,
and we confidently expect to have an abundant
supply of gas at the city limits by the LIST of
april next, at the farthest The plans published
in the News show that the system is to be a
comprehensive ono. reaching every part of the
city, that manufacturers and householders,
rich and poor, can all be supplied without pre-
ference being given to any particular locality.
At least 1000 contracts have been made, by
which nearly one-third of the househoders of
the entire city have agreed toJtake gas from the
Trust company at the ordinance rates, and these
contracts have been made with the understand
ing that the ordinance should remain undis-
turbed. and that none of its wise safeguards
should be removed at the request or dictation of
anv person or corporation.
We call your attention to the fact. which APP
pears in the articles of association of the Trust,
with which you doubtless familiar. that we
pledge ourselves to furnish gas to the people at
ordinance rates or less, and that in the contracts
we have made with manufacturers we have
already agreed to furnish gas to them at less
than the ordinance rates. It is the purpose to
reduce these rates as fast as practicable until
the ultima object of the Trust shall be attained,
which is to furnish fuel to all our people, manu-
facturers and citizens, at cost. Occupying this
position, and formed for such purpose. the Trust.
representing the people, appeals to you. in be-
half of the interests of all and the prosperity of
our city, stand by the ordinance as il now
exists. By order of the board of directors.
ROBERT n. LAMB
President Consumers Gas Trust Company
The bond of the Trust has been filed and APP
proved by the city officers. 1t is for the sum of
$50 600. The liability of each of the sureties is