The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-20
STRICKEN FROM THE FILES
Council Decides Not to Impose q Tax
Upon N~atural-Gas Mains.
City in the Hole 500, 900 and Still Salaries
Are Raised-fo Investigate the
Bribery Charge.

Yesterday afternoon the finance commit
tee of the Council held a meeting in the city
clerks Office to consider the ordinance I'M
posing q tax of 8 cents per foot on gas
MAINS. The arguments presented by the
gas companies last Saturday evening had
had the effect of pointing ont to q majority
of the committee the s~hortsighted policy
Of passing the ordinance. and il was de-
cidedt to introduce a majority report recon-
mending the striking of the orainancefrom
the files. Last evening the majority report
was presented to the Council by Mr.. Rass-
mann. 1t was o sort of condensed state
ment Of the made By the gas
company representatives Saturday evening.
It went on TO reclte that o great deal
of attention ant consideration bad been
given to the matter, and the majority OF
the committee was of the opinion thatlt
would not be advisable to impose this adj
ditlonai burden on the companies at this
time. The fact was also brought ont that
the present general ordinance governing
the gas companies only requires . ,onr-
was levied and the present pressure of
eight ounces was reduced to four ounces.
some other kind Of fuel would have TO be
nsed. This report was signed By Messrs:
AeeT
and Costello.
Mr.. Ryan then introduced the following
minority report:
The undersigned. a minority gof your finance
placing q tax on naturalgas mains, begs leave
TO report that he is unable TO agree with the ma
jority, for the following reasons:
The natural-gas companies accepted the ordf
nance granting them their franchises. well I'M
Outstanding the provision empowering the city
TO tax specifically on their pipelines; therefore
It cannot be said that the ordinance now under
consideration Ia new to them or took them by
surprise. The undersigned believes 1t right and
using the streets OF the CITY should
pay O special tax for the privilege;
n mo 0 fos CONDUCTING MeH t San city ' be m nsee essiiy
or fairly obtained Inladdition to these reasons,
the undersixned would say that In putting down
age to the streets. the effects OF which are to be
seen at the present time. For these and other
good reasons 4 recommend that the ordinance
do pass
Mr.. Ryan had evidently made mp his
mind beforehand his action would be.
for he studiously avoided being present at
the committee meeting Saturday night,
formation about the conditions and cir-
cumstances surrounding the gas companies
that would have changed his mind had he
been inclined to listen TO argument.
After his report had been read, Mr.. Ryan
moved Its adoption ME-: Lau: moved to lay
this on the table, which was accomplished
by q vote of IA to 4 Mr.. White said the
Council should not be too quick TO act;
that only interested parties had been
heard The rate of 3 cents q foot was no
doubt too high, but q smaller tax might in
ell Justice be imposed. Mr.. Linn thought
the time had not come to impose . tax on
the mains 1t would be better to wait
until there are pipes In all the streets and
the houses are connected. Mr.. Costello,
who had heretofore held his peace, said he
thought some explanation was due from
him as having introduced the ordinance;
He had introduced it In good faith. but had
been convinced by the arguments brought
20 bear that 1t was not the proper thing to
do. IL was pretty hard for q father to dis
own his own child. he said, but he was
compelled to do it-and il was not pleas
ant, either.
Then ensued O raspy and acrimonious
discussion among Ryan and others. which
was but q waste of oratory on the janitor
until White moved that further considera-
tlon of the ordinance be discontinued for
the evening. Casper moved to lay that
motion on the table. which was done. and
he then move the adoption of she MAORI
to2. Ryan and White voting IN the mega
tive. As soon a. the vote had been an
nounced. Ryan changed his to the afirma-
tive. Next. on motion OF Laut. the ordi-
nance was stricken from the files. Hardly
had this action been taken when 1t tram
spired why Ryan changed his vote. He mott
fed the Council In writing that he would,
at the next meeting. move to reconsider the
vote by which the ordinance had been
stricken from the files. But he had count
ed without his host. He had changed his
vote on the vote to adopt the majority re-
port, and not on the one to strike from the
files. Last evenings proceedings effectual-
ly ends the matter.
The City 70. 600 In the Hole.
A communication was received by the
Council, last night, from Controller
Woollen. stating that the city will require
100000 in excess of the receipts before the
taxes from the duplicate of 1892 become
available. and asking authority to borrow
that amount In temporary loans at q rate
of not to exceed 6 per cent. interest. The
city of indianapolis is continually in the
position OF the man who borrowed of Peter
60 pay Paul And right on top of the fact
thai the revenues OF next year are being
anticipated to the extent of Sl00.0 600 two or
dinances were passed by the Council. last
night, increasing the expenses of the city
about $50 q day. An appropriation ordi-
nanoo was introduced by Mr.. Rassmann au-
thorizing the loan. the rules were suspended
and Ii was rushed through.
Increasing Salaries.
Rom Mr.. Halloran. chairman of the fees
and salary committee, came q report last
evening recommending. with immaterial
amendments. the passage of the ordinance
increasing the paw Of f~irenien. The ordI-
nance was later called up and passed. The
same COMMITTEES also recommended the
passage of the ordinance increasing the sal
arr of the superintendent of the City Hos
pital from $1,000 to $4,000 q year. This
ordinance was also passed. Mr.. Allen voted
against il for the reason that the city has
no source of revenue to meet the additional
expense.
Switch Ordinance Obstructed.
Last evening the Board Of Public Works
referred to the Council the contract grant
ing s. n. Greer & Co. the righs to locate q
switch &C Sixth street. connecting with the
Big Four road. ard an ordinance was intro
duced by Mr.. Ryan covering the point.
The Council refused to suspend the rules
and pass the ordinance. Laut objecting,
Gvp|ands
s ~!