The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-03
THE GAS TRUSTS PLEA
1T PETITIONS THE COUNCIL TO
ADOPT THE SYSTEM OF METERS.
Wants to Charge Twenty Cents N
Thousand and Pay No Tax on
Its Gas Mains.

night:
The undersigned trustees and directors
or the Consumers Gas Trust Company
nave accepted their respective offices and
undertaken the duties of the NOM
inally for the company, in truth, for the
Deneht or all the people of this community.
Through much tribulation the company
has risen to its fullest usefulness, meeting
the most sanguine expectations of its gen.
number of patrons-nOw thirteen thousand
win fuel for six years at a lower rate
than ever furnished TO the people of any
city removed from the Immediate vicinity
or the gas fields and in paying off the
large debt incurred for the construction of
its great plant. All this is a special source
or satisfaction TO those generous and pub
Hc-splrlted citizens who have so Loyalty
given their money and patronage to es-
taOllSn ana maintain to successful develop
ment a corporation built by and for the
people.
hvering to the people of Indianapolis the
greatest physical blessing ever brought TO
community the company is approaching
a crisis so serious, in the judgment of the
management, as TO call for thoughtful
consideration on the part of every we'll
meaning citizen: To preserve a full sup
ply or fuel gas TO its patrons the company
mas been obliged every year TO reach out
to remoter fields. drilling many wells and
e eae. 1 great pipe plants at very heavy
reached. Many Of the wells are wet; near
~ all show moisture when drawn heavily
upon and must be held back or risk the
or our wells have reached this stage; they
are Hooded and valucless. The average
ne i pressure has slowly but surely fallen
OH and now stands reduced from 500
pounds, original pressure, to 249 pounds
average pressure over the field.
The gravity of the situation can only be
understood when il is known that 225
pounds pressure at the head of the main
lines is absolutely necessary to force the
sure to distribute it through the low pres
sure city lines 10 the patrons; and this, too,
when all the reducing stations district
valves are wide open and every facility af-
forded for free circulation. There remains
now but an average of twenty-four pounds
margin above the limit of low pressure.
Al the present annual rate of pressure re-
duction and by a continuance of the pres
ent eXtraVagant and wasteful method of
consumption this margin of twenty-four
pounds VIII be spent or exhausted in two
years The use of pumps for artificial
pressure is fraught with most serious risk
or reducing the gas pressure below the
water pressure, and so destroying the
wells. 1t is the plain duty of every good
citizen TO cooperate to the fullest extent
TO preserve the supply of gas so long as it
is possible to do so. 1t is the plain duty of
the trustees and directors TO sound the note
OF alarm and to point out the way by
when the how OF gas can be prolonged
ana this great source of comfort and con-
Venlence continued over the longest possible
period.
The present consumption of gas is with
out douot fully nifty per cent. in excess of
actual necessity. This profigate waste of
such valuable fuel is inexcusable If il is
possible TO check this extravaganza the
management believes the endurance of the
supply may be extended several years
There is but one way to stop this reckless
wastefulness, and that is to require each
patron 10 pay Tor just what the patron
uses-no more no less. This can only be
zone by the use of meter. Experience
has shown that this is the only just and
equitable way of selling natural gas The
price per thousand feet should be approxi-
mately the same as charged in cities where
conditions are similar. The following are
the net meter rates per thousand feet
charged in other cities: Detroit, Lima,
Piqua, Springfield, Toledo and Buffalo %
cents; Pittsburg, Allegheny and Erie, 221b
cents; jamestown and Cory, q 6-10 cents;
Fostoria, Columbus and Logansport, 20
cents.
There are still $500 of our citizens hold
Ing the stock of the company, the money
for which went toward the building of this
companys plant for the benefit of them
selves and neghbors. They have never
asked, nor received, nor expected nor can
they receive a cent of profit; in fact, they
nave not received the full payment for the
interest due them on the money they have
virtually loaned for the good of the general
public. The time has come when the trus-
tees and directors realize that their duty
calls for protection to all concerned. The
shareholders must be protected as we'll as
the patrons, and IL is the intention of the
management to apply the first available
funds in payment on the interest and prin-
cipal Of the debt due the shareholders. The
heavy annual expense for maintaining the
supply of gas has SO far prevented the re-
turn of any of the capital While the share
holder is only to receive his principal money
with per cent. interest per annum, he is
in all honesty entitled to that much and it
is part of the duty of the nagement to
make provision for that before the supply
of gas fails, if it is possible to do SO, and
IL is believed that every good citizen will
approve of this effort. The signers of this
appeal have no personal gain in view; they
are endeavoring to place before the public,
in plain language, the truth of the situa-
ton. The trustees and directors have given
their services at much sacrifice all these
years, without compensation, except for the
president, who for the past three and a half
years has acted as attorney for the COM
pany in all its litigation, and has only been
willing to continue the care Of this prop
erty if chosen by the trustees to do So but
they are unwilling to go further without
making known TO all concerned the danger
now imminent.
''Tyhe trustees and directors feel that, in
view of the fact that the affairs OF this
company are no longer in the ascendency,
the continuance of the supply of gas Is
threatened, that no artificial fuel gas has
been discovered that would serve as
substitute at living prices when the nat
ural gas fails, every effort should now be
made, first, TO prolong the life of gas
supply by every possible restriction of
waste, and, second to settle with the share
holders who generously advanced the mon
ey with which to bring this fuel to the
homes of the people. To this end we ur-
Council: First. that no special burden of
taxation on the pipe lines be assessed
against the company, for the reason that
at this time the general public has had
all the benefits and only the few have borne
the burden of investment; second, that the
natural gas ordinance be so amended that
all natural gas sold in the city be charged
for by meter measurement at the rate of
20 cents a thousand feet for domestic con-
sumption and 10 cents a thousand feet for
manufacturing purposes; that the patrons
shall pay for the meters selected by the
company; that the meters shall be under
. h. ,f,.Cl of ha nd x-,oy,
necessary, repaired at the expense of the
consumer.
I'm anticipation Of the discussion of this
statement the signers have only to say
that this appeal is correct and truthful so
far as their knowledge and judgment en-
ables them TO understand the situation, and
they cordially invite the most thorough and
critical examination thereof. and respect
fully leave the result in the hands of the
City Council and the people, confidently
counting upon their intelligent investiga-
ton and cooperation"
This was signed by +. A. Morris, John
W. Murphy. John III. Holiday, John NJ
Lilly, Fred Fahnley. j.. +. Pratt II. III.
Hanna, G. w. Fairbanks, j. p. Frenzel,
Henry Coburn and A. y. Barnes, directors.
THE THREE-CENT TAN
A communication was also received from
the city attorney. in which he sets forth
that he thought it advisable to enact sep
arate ordinances and not include the taxes
upon the various corporations using the
streets in one omnibus ordinance. The or
dinance providing for tax upon the nat
ural-gas mains was introduced. 1t pro-