The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-20
THE GAS QUESTION.

Mr.. NJ S. Huey, prominent manufacturer
of the city, an earnest and untiring worker
in any e.. erprise in which he enlists, and to
whose efforts, probably more than to those of
any other one man, the success of the sub
scriptions to the Gas Trust is due, said yester-
day to the Journal that 'they" proposed to
drive the Indianapolis Natural-gas Company
out of the city; that it could not stay here,
and that the Trust would supply all the gas
that to be used by our people. We do
not for moment hold the managers of the
Consumers Trust responsible for Mr.. Hueys
statement; but it represents a spirit and
purpose destructive of the best interests and
prosperity of the city, as well as blind preju-
dice and passion that may stand in the way of
business-ike and candid consideration of
the gas ordinance and such action as will
inure to the benefit of all the people. Yet
the appeal and protest Of the Trust officially
signed by its president, seem to indicate its
purpose and desire to monopolize the supply
of gas to the whole city. The appeal says:
"The fact is demonstrated that we
have within our reach already a sup
ply sufficient to meet the demands
of the entire population of the city,"
while the protest to the gas committee says
"The contracts for the pipes to bring the gas
to the city and to pipe the streets 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 furthest. The
plans show that the system is to be COM
prehensive one, reaching every part of the
city" We say these expressions indicate that
it is the desire of the Trust to have the mo-
nopoly of supplying gas to Indianapolis. This,
of course, would be the dictate of any cold
blooded business man corporation; but the
Trust can have no such motive in it, for there
is to be no profit to any person in
whatever gas the Trust sells. The Trust is a
public corporation, and exists only for the
benefit of all the people. Therefore, it can
have no possible interest in excluding any
body any company from the business of
supplying gas The Trust mas settled the
question of price. 1t has been, and will be,
the absolute dictator OF rates, and in this
of the people to an extent that entities it to
universal thanks and good will. Therefore,
there can be no honest and just reason for the
Trust desiring to exclude or defer the gas sup
ply other than the public interest and benefit.
This leads to the simple question of the
propriety and justice of the proposed changes
asked in the ordinance. They do not and
cannot possibly affect the question of price.
Are the changes reasonable and proper2 The
Trust says of them:
1--WE protest in the name of the public
against any change whatever being made,
especially when the changes are asked in be-
half of those who seek to reap private profits
at the expense of the interests of the citizens
and the prosperity of the city. We have care
fully examined 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 interests of the CITY,"
This is question Of opinion. 1t is hardly
fair to seek to excite prejudice against any one
for trying to "reap private profits" out of
business Every man in Indianapolis is do
ing just that thing, only they not doing
il Eat the expense of the interests of the citi-
zens and the prosperity of the city" and it is
hard to tell how gas company can do that by
selling gas at the same rates the Trust will
sell it. Every one who has sense enough to
keep out of idiot asylum knows that no
company charge more for gas than the
Trust when the latter shall be in position
to supply it to every manufacturer and house,
holder in every quarter of the city,
the directors say they will be
soon. Now, as matter of fact great many
people who have just as muck of 'desireIto
promote the interests of the city" as the
directors of the Trust, believe that there are
Objectionable provisions. or at least one OBJ
jectionable provision, in the gas ordinance.
The Journal alluded to tho frank statement