The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-18
ELwooD UP IN ARMS.

Plan to Down the indianapolis and Chicago
Gas Pipeline Companies.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journai.
ELwOoD, Ind, Jan. lit is useless to
longer conceal the fact that the home gas
companies nave made arrangements to
fight the INDIANAPOLIS and Chicago natural
gas syndicates to the bitter end. All the
necessary preliminar5es have been made
and the battle Is on IN earnest 1t Will be
war to a finish. The gas companies at
home will not be alone In the
matter. Citizens have Joined the movement
and IL will become general. Committees
have been appointed to go into the field and
secure all possible territory and to prevent.
If possible. the leasing of any gas land to
foreign companies There is no doubt but
what the local institutions have the long
end of the argument and they will use it
for allit Is worth. A plan OF action has been
adopted and o line of argument which IS
very convincing will be used. 1t is framed
as follows:
Our supply Of natural gas is our main stock in
trade. It Is the grandesE OF all inducements
we can offer to any factory wishing a location.
1t is priceless in a measure. 1t is a God-given
luxury. and we are duty bound TO protect and
foster IL. This no one VIII dispute. But the
question which next comes Is. how shall we pro-
tect I'll There Is but one way. We must use 1t
where 1t benefits our own city and surrounding
country. SolI-pre6erVatlOn ana 6eiE protection
one and same thing-is the first law of nature.
We now have "a city OF nearly eight thousand
souls. We have great industries In all portions
of our city. These concerns were induced
to locate here because we have the best
gas supply In the Indiana belt. Upon the
strength of natural advantages. combined with
energy. we have grown from an obscure village
10 one of the most widely advertised cities in
the country. DO we want to move Backward
We We answer answer Ai no. do Then Ss Wa s6sre TO is s'AP but 't one
course TO p~ursue-we must march onward.
To do this We must retain our inducements to
oner those seeking locations. But while we are
IN the glory OF our prosperity another Richmond
appears in the field. The new warrior ia the for
elgn monopolist. He comes with fatterins
tongue and silver. Outside of that he brings no
Inducements. Farmers. stop a moment and con-
slider the two opportunities placed before you. On
tie one hand comes the Chicago and indianapolis
gas people. They wantyour gas land. They Of
fer you so much for 1t and no more. They sink a
well and pipe away the fuel and sell IL at enor-
NOUS prices and make a fortune for themselves
and give you in return a mere pittance. When
the fuel is exhausted they want nothing further
have ho 40 TAKEN Sann wSb ou oh pbev yOu Want ian and ih Isft
you your old farms Slapped AID
sucked dry of the priceless fund beneath the soil.
panies dol In the first place. they will give you
as much for the leases as the foreign companies
mart OF what fhav vii al a. u" Tba nun rS !
that Is accomplished is the location OF
N factory III your midst. This brings several
people must have the products OF the farm.
Therefore a home market Ia established for
the farmer at once. Still greater bene-
fits come. for every factory located makes
the farms that much more valuable
than they were before; Farmers. you
you are aware that your farm Is worth q great
deal more to-day than it was n decade ago. Ev-
erything the farmer raises Is bringing a higher
price to-day, while the necessities he has to buy
are lower. because Elwood has grown to a city,
and home competition has c~heapened prices.
1t 10 figured that il will not taxi long for
the intelligent farmer to decide not TO lease
territory to any foreign corporation or com.
pany. He can readily see that the home
company is the only one that builds MP the
community in which he resides and expects
to make his living.