The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-06
GAS MEN WILL ENJOIN
STEPS TO PROTECT THEIR INTER-
ESTs IN ALEXANDRIA OIL FIELD.
Meeting with Supervisor Leach and
Prosecutor Seaman of Madison
County Held i'm This City.

A meeting of gas men and attorneys was
held at o'clock yesterday afternoon in the
office of Judge Lamb, president of the Con-
sumers' Gas Trust Company to see if ways
and means could not be devised by " hich
the wholesale waste of gas IN the Alexan-
dria district could be stopped. State
Gas Supervisor Leach and Prosecutor
Seaman, of Madison county, were present
and they explained to the assembly the
steps they had taken to prevent the oil
prospectors from wasting the gas while
searching for oil. Among those in attend
ance upon the meeting were the attorney
general, representing the State; Judge
Lamb and Bement Lyman, representing the
Consumers Trust; Ferdinand Winter, rep
resenting the Indianapolis Gas Company;
Hugh Landon and c. w. Moores, represent
ing the Manufacturers Gas Company and
j. w. Lovett of Anderson. representing a
number of Alexandria manufacturers. In
the general talk it was made pretty plain
that it next to impossible to drill for
oil in high pressure gas territory and pre-
vent the flow of gas from the wells. The
fact also came out that while there is plen-
ty of excitement and a great scramble
for leases in the territory, there has been
but one well drilled down to the oil reser-
voir and two more started, so that within a
week or more there will be large number
of wells.
1t was decided that all parties in interest
should join in a general injunction suit
asking the court to restrain the drilling
and wasting of gas, This will be brought
by bill in equity filed in the Madison Cir
cult Court Messrs. Lyman Lovett and
Landon were made a committee to COM
municate with the manufacturers and gas
men or that vicinity concerning arrange
ments for bringing the suit.
Before the meeting was held Messrs.
Leach and Seaman held a consultation with
the attorney general. 1t was found that
the State could not bring an injunction
suit, nor could the county SO that all they,
as officers of the law could do, was to
bring suit to enforce the penalties provided
by law for the willful waste of gas This
VIII be done at once against the owners of
the Carver well.
Gas Supervisor Leach declared that it
was impracticable to take oil from high
pressure territory and so construct the
wells that the gas will not escape. almost
invariably, said he latter drilling through
the gas stratum, they shoot the we'll and
this breaks to pieces the thin stratum lying
between the gas rock and oil rock. This
makes 1t impossible to lodge a rubber pack
er at the bottom of the gas rock. If the
drill were used all the way down it might
be possible to pack the well at the top and
at the bottom of the gas rock, and after
casing the well through the Trenton, get
oil without wasting gas, but this is rarely
done n, j, for even in boring If for gas they in
tors, by which the gas and oil can be sep
arated at the mouth of the well, just as
the oil and water can be separated, but this
is an expensive process and they would not
know what to do with the gas after they
got it,"
burg gas field in Pike county practically
the same reports that have been published
The operator who tested the new well at
Petersburg is one of the most reliable in
the belt and has beeen instructed by the
state supervisor to keep accurate records
of the second well. now being drilled. The
records in the geological department do
not show anything in this territory that
resembles gas rock any nearer than shaIe.
feet below the bottom of the Petersburg
we'll
Future of Consumers Trust.
Robert N Lamb director and the attor-
ney of the Consumers Gas Trust Com
pany. said yesterday that he had never
heard anything of a proposition to refund
the company's bonds and pay off its stock.
Such a report has been heard since the ex-
element over the new gas and oil fields
He says that there are over 1000 stock
holders who will be paid for their stock
out of the earnings of the company. AS a
matter of fact, he said, there are no bonds
OF the company and that its liability is the
unpaid balance of stock. After the stock is
paid for it will be held by the board of
trustees for the benefit of consumers and
gas will be supplied at it's actual cost. Mr.
Lamb said that ne did not see how the
price could be reduced. Last year $500 900
was spent in extending the plant. What
will have to be spent in the future is a
matter of conjecture.
John P. Frenzel says that according to
the articles of association. after all debts
have been paid and stockholders have been
repaid for their holdings with per cent
interest, the price of gas is to be reduced
to its actual cost. There is still outstand-
ing $500, 900 of stock which will have to be
repaid with 8 per cent interest before the
price of gas can be reduced.