The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-03
GAS ORDINANCE PASSED
MIR. WOLCOTT's MEASURE AXE UP
BY THE CITY COUNCIL
City Controller Asks for $4,000 for
Street RepairS-Board of
Works Routine.


If the courts uphold the ordinance passed
by the Council last night the price of arti-
fetal Illuminating gas viii be rs cents a
thousand cubic feet hereafter instead of
$1.25, providing Mayor Taggart approves
the ordinance. He announced it would
give him pleasure to siga the ordinance.
Mr.. Wolcott's ordinance was passed after
it was amended to make the price IS cents
instead OF 30 cents, as provided in his
original ordinance. Mr.. Dewar offered an
amendment requiring gas companies TO fur
nish cards to consumers on which the state
Of the meter Is TO be noted by inspectors
so that it will be possible at any time to
ascertain how much gas has been con-
sumed. 1t was adopted. The amended
ordinance was adopted by a unanimous
vote, the seventeen councilmen present vot-
ing for it. Messrs. Cooper, Murphy, O'Con-
nor and Payne were absent. Mr.. Payne is
away from the city and Mr.. Cooper could
not be present owing to a death in his
family.
Mr.. Woody offered an amendment fixing
the price of gas at SO cents q thousand Gu
bic feet. He said that from he
had received he was led to believe that the
SdS COHlpdiiJ CJulQ 1uIulSA 6do dL w SClIo
and still make a profit of over 80 per cent.
He asserted that if the present company
Will not furnish gas at the price he mas in
formation to the effect that other COM
panies are willing to undertake it. On the
motion of Mr.. Golfer, Mr.. Woody's amend
1nent was voted down by a vote Of II to 5,
Messrs. Allen, Montgomery, Puryear, Shat
fer and Woody favoring 60-cent gas. Mr..
Montgomery was in favor of having the
ordinance, with all amendments, published
SO that councilmen might know on what
they were voting, but his point was rot
sustained, Mr.. Allen, in voting for Mr..
Wolcotts ordinance, said that on the same
night it was introduced, fixing the price of
gas at 80 cents, he had introduced one fix
ing the price at 10 cents. Subsequently he
had received information that gas could be
manufactured at 80 cents with d profit of
over so per cent, and he was in favor of
securing the best price possible for the peo-
pie, but inasmuch as 75-cent gas seemed the
best that could be secured at this time he
would vote for Mr.. Wolcott's ordinance.
WHEN r TAKES EFFECT.
The 75-cent gas ordinance is TO take effect
in two weeks after its passage and ap-
prevail by the mayor.
"A majority report of the finance commit
tCt On ne OIQlildnc6 TSSlIlCAInS SdIOOnS
from the First, Second, Third and Fourth
wards, signed by Messrs. Wolcott, Dewar.
Kirkhoff, Clark. Ohleyer and Cooper. was
presented, recommending that the ordi-
nance be stricken from the files. Mr.. Allen
presented a minority report Recommending
that the ordinance be passed. Both reports
were accepted by the Council, but no action
was taken on them. Mr.. Wolcott explained
when 1t came to ordinances on second read
ing that the saloon ordinance would not be
called up, owing to the absence of Mr..
Payne, who introduced it. He said thai
Mr.. Payne was out of town and had sent
him a message requesting that no action be
taken on it. Mr.. Wolcott said that in
courtesy to Mr.. Payne, he would not call
up the ordinance for further action.
Woodburn Mason, a member of the COM
mlttee that preparedIthe ordinance, was a
spectator and left soon after Mr.. Wolcott
announced that nothing would be done
with it.
People who read in the Journal last week
that the expenses of the foreman of street
repairs office were greatly augmented just
before the late Democratic city convention
will not be surprised to hear that the Board
of Public Works has found it necessary to
ask a transfer of $40, 900 for that depart
ment, along with other additional appro-
priations and transfers asked of the Council
last night, The board wrote Controller
Johnson a letter yesterday asking that he
the appropriations, Mr.. John
son complied by sending q communication
to the Council last night with the necessary
ordinances. The board asks so, 600 for re-
pairs on Pogue's run; $500 for bridges,
divided as followst For the Barth-avenue
bridge, $1,000; McCauley-street bridge, 81, 900;
Oriental-street bridge, $500; New Jersey
street bridge, $4,000, and a pier under the
lndiana-aVenue bridge, 81, eco; a transfer of
$4,000 from the carriage collection fund to
the Street-repair fund is asked, the board
stating that the latter fund has been de-
pleted by the foreman of street repairs to
that extent, In excuse it is said that this
has been necessary on account of repairs
in the suburbs. Those on the inside know
better, and are not slow in saying that the
depletion of the fund ought to be charged
up to the mayor as part of his ante-cam-
paign expenses; that is to say, to the eX-
penses of packing the convention. The
request of the Board of Works and con-
troller were sent to the finance committee.
Mr.. Montgomery introduced a resolution.
the purpose of which is to require the ad-
ministration to have printing done only by
union printers. The resolution went to the
on printing. He also introduced,
by request, a petition signed by the public
eXpressmen of the city asking the Council
to regulate the solicitation Of business by
expressmen where two or more of them
stand on the market square or other parts
Of the city. The ordinance accompanying
the petition provides that expressmen UNI
der such conditions shall only solicit patron
age when on their wagons or within a
space extending from the rear of the wagon
ten feet and not wider than the body of the
vehicle. The petition was sent to the COM
mittee on ordinances.
Nothing else of Importance was done in
the half-hour session of the Council, and
on motion of Mr.. Golfer an adjournment
was had.