The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-12
UPON THE COST OF GAS
INDIANAPOLIS COMPANY GIVES IN
TERESTING INFORMATION.
Manufacture and Distribution Costs
6s Cents Per ThOusand-Injunc-
ton Asked of the City.

The petition for an injunction against the
| enforcement of the new gas ordinance fix
| ing the maximum price of artificial gas at
IS cents per thousand feet described in the
Journal yesterday, was fled in the United
States Circuit Court yesterday afternoon
by Mr. Winter attorney for the company,
who took copy of the complaint to Judge
Baker at Goshen. Both the city attorney
and his deputy are out of the city enjoy
ing their vacations, and the city has no
body just now to look alter its end of the
case. The city is lnprepared just as it
was in the street-car case.
The first paragraph of the bill describes
the plaintiff as a regularly organized cor
poration and sets out the original gas ordi
nance under which Robert Dickson and
his associates were given the right to lay
mains and furnish gas at a rate not to eX-
ceed 81 thousand feet. The company
shows that at various periods it reduced
the price of gas to $3.50, $3.50 and finally
to $l.25 a thousand This last reduction was
made when natural gas was introduced.
1t AYERS that the use of natural gas great
ly reduced the consumption of its product,
which had heretofore been used to some
extent as fuel and declares that the later
AiAtIOOuCl4On Oh electric uSuIlIS lOI the
| streets had still further reduced it's bust
ness, practically confining its use to illu-
minadng purposes in private residences.
The bill shows that the actual cost of
gas making is over 6S cents thousand
feet. The bill then goes into a discussion
OF the expenses of the company in manu-
featuring and distributing gas that is in
teresting. 1t says
Your orator. the Indianapolis Gas Com
pany, brings this, its bill of complaint,
apoIls and thereupon complains and says:
i. mat your orator is Il corporation or
gained under the statute of the State of
INDIANA providing for the incorporation of
manufacturing and mining companies, and
Is citizen OF said State of Indiana; that
TIE eIeIuAht is a nunlclpaI corporation
ORGANIZED under statute OF the State of
Indlana entitled An act concerning the in
corporation and government of cities hav-
ing more than one hundred thousand pOpu-
lat1on, according to the last preceding
United States census, and matters connect
ed herewith, and declaring an emergency
(approVed March G, 1885, and is a citizen Of
the State of Indiana; that your orators
cause of action, as hereinafter shown,
arises under the Constitution of the United
states, ana the matter IN dispute therein
exceeds, exclusive of interest and costs, the
sum or value of $4,000
z. That heretofore, to wit, on the Sd
day of April, 1876, at which time said de-
fendant was Incorporated under the stat
ute of the State of Indiana entitled An act
TO repeal all general laws now in force for
the Incorporation of cities and to provide
Tor the incorporation of cities, prescribing
their powers and rights and the manner
IN which they shall exercise the same, and
to regulate such other matters as properly
pertain thereto approved March a. 1861
The Common Council of said defendant
adopted an ordinance, which was approved
py the mayor of said city, entitled An or
dinance investing Robert Dickson and his
associates and their assigns with the priv-
lege of furnishing gas to the city of In
dlanapolis and Inhabitants thereof upon
certain conditions therein named, in and
by which said ordinance it was provided
among other things, that Robert Dickson
MS associates and their assigns were in
vested with the privilege of using the
streets, lanes alleys and public grounds of
said city of Indianapolis for the purpose of
laying down in the streets etc pines foI,
the conveyance of gas in and throueh fbe
sad city for the use of said city and it's
inhabitants, provided that said Robert
DICKSON and his associates should within
thirty days thereafter, organize themselves
INTO Joint stock company under the laws
or I the state OF Indiana with sufficient cap
ltdl stock mot less than 100000, subscribed
ana secured) to fully carry out the intent
and meaning of said ordinance. which was
declared TO be to supply the entire city and
the inhabitants thereof with gas to the
extent, and as fully and completely as was
then, or should thereafter be done by the
Indianapolis Gas Light and Coke COMPANY
and that said company so to be organized
should, by its board of directors on its rec
city, agree and bond itself within thirty
days after the adoption of said ordinance
to accept the condition set forth in said or
dinance. 5Tode -. ~
ORIGINAL PRICE 50.
ut was further provided in and nv
section of said ordinance that the price
at which said company should furnish the
city and inhabitants with gas should not
exceed 81 for each thousand cubic feet ex-
elusive Of government use It is further
provided in said ordinance that said COM
pany should. within sixty days, commence
the erection of necessary buildings and
works of capacity sufficient to supply the
city and Inhabitants with gas and proceed
Wlthout delay to carry out in good faith
the tulI intent of said grant, and that
it should have laid ten miles of pine in
said city by the first day of October
1877. and should, whenever guaranteed as
many as fifteen burners on n square ~. IN
any building or buildings or anV souare
adjacent to mains already laid Law mains
and furnish gas to. the persons so guar
said company should not be required TO law
more than three miles of mains in any one
year after the first ten miles were laid
Fhereupon, and within thirty DAYS after
the adoption of said ordinance said Robert
Dickson and his associates caused to be
incorporated your, orator under the afore-
said statutes of the State of Indiana pro
Viding for the Incorporation Of manufacture
ing and mining companies. under the name
of the Citizens Gas Company with a capi-
tai stock in excess of 800 000 actually sub
scribed and secured and within said period
your orator, by resolution duly adoDted bv
its board of directors and certified under
the seal Of your orator to the mayor of
said city, accepted the terms and provisions
OF SAID ordinance. In and by the articles
Of association Of your orator it is provided
that 1t was incorporated for the purpose
of constructing and otherwise acquiring and
owning and operating in said city of In
dianapolis a plant for the manufacture and
sale and distribution to said city and its
inhabitants of artificial gas for light and
heat, and your orator Immediately there
after proceeded with great diligence and at
great expense to acquire in said city suit
able real estate for the erection of gas
accommodating plant and laid in the
streets and alleys of said city prior to the
first day of October 1877. more than ten
miles of pipe for the distribution of supply
TO said city and its inhabitants of such arti-
1clal gas, and thencefOrWard continuously
until now has been engaged in said city
IN tho manufacture of such Sas and in sup
plying and distributing the same to said
city and its inhabitants. and for that pur-
pose is now, and ever since has been the
owner of gas works situated on Pennsyl-
Vania street, between Louisiana and South
streets; on Pratt street near the canal
and at the intersection of Sixteenth street
fully equipped with machinery appurte-
nances and appliances required and suitable
for the manufacture of such gas: also of a
parcel of real estate in said city at the
corner of PENNSYLVANIA and Maryland
streets, upon which is situated the build
is located and it's business operations car
ried on. and also of a complete system of
mains and pipes laid in the streets alleys
and public places of said city, and con
nected by service pipes with the public
lamps, residences, business houses and