The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-07
METERS FOR NATURAL GAS.
A Protest Against Making New Terms
of Payment for the Fuel.


To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal
notice that an afternoon paper. which
is presumed to keep its eyes on the best
interests of the people. neglected TO mention
that the Consumers Gas Trust had made n
very important application TO the City
Council in its Tuesday edition. The paper
in question has always maintained that the
Trust company was irretrievably committed
to the maintenance of ordinance rates for
gas, because the Trust was founded upon
that very ISSUE The Trust was organized
largely through the influence of the paper
alluded to- or its free advertisement of that
scheme in opposition to the Octopus, as 1t
was accustomed to term the Standard Oil
Company and other corporations which con-
templated operating here in natural gas.
/ have no criticism to offer ON the course
of that paper in the stand it took at that
time; but. knowing that it has smothered
every attempt to call attention to the mis-
deeds of that company for two or three years
past it seems a right smart Bit incon-
sistent with it's attitude of eternal vigilance
in the interests of the people. 1t may be
possible that it's stockholders hold, with the
banker president" a considerable amount
of stock of the Trust company, and, like
the banker president" act accordingly.
Certainly, the Trust is committed to the
maintenance of ordinance rates. This was
a profitable position to assume while the
stock belonged to thousands OF small own
ers, and while it was intended to get the
peoples money to pay for a great part of
the plant. But now, since a great number
of small shareholders have been frozen out.
and capitalists of the banker presidents"
ilk have obtained. at a great discount, =
greater portion of the stock. and much OF
the peoples money for mains laid at the
expense of property owners. and at great
profit upon the frontage to the company.
gas is said to be rapidly failing, so rapidly
that 1t will be exhausted within two. years,
and 1t Is absolutely necessary TO put III
meters to compel economy Of gas t.u..
is that any reason the poor should not be
permitted to continue 70 en5W the
it not passing strange that our
gas supply is failing while others-and those
suppiy-have Abundance? The writer has
personally examined the gauge of we'll
which has been furnishing gas TO several
hundred consumers for six years. and it
stands almost at the initial pressure He
has asked those connected with the gas
aver that the decrease in pressure Is very
little except in those wells which have
been damaged by overdraughts: But. grant
ing that the gas is being exhausted, and
that the City Council were foolish enough
to turn us over to the bloodsuckers, does
any one suppose lHdt The GAS supply Wouiu
last any longer? Would the grasping
banker president" the .pubiic,spirited
afternoon paper and the other dividend
loving SPECTATORS in Trust stock permit
the gas to remain in the earth any longer
than it would require to find purchasers
for it? If the gas supply was almost ex-
hausted--but 1t is Motive should still say,
in the words of the ancient jewellers, Dunn
vivimus vivamus.' 1t may not be amiss to
say that the people of indianapolis do not
fear that their Council is so asinine as to
deliver us to home octopi after providing
that we should not fall into the hands OF
that far-reaching and powerful foreign
'grasper," the Standard Oil Company. The
companies were permitted to begin business
by tearing up, our streets knowing Just
gas. They were glad enough to accept. the
|, terms We dc not intend to permit them
1 to make new terms with us now. When the
gas is really exhausted we shall all return.
with what grace we may. TO the use OF
coal: or, it may be that the banker pres
ident" can get control of some kind OF
patent-process gas to IKE out to US by
measure; but, may The gods forbid that
he should get a "c.nch" upon anything es-
sential to our being.
Indianapolis March 2.