The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-29
THE GAS SHORTAGE.
The Present Situation with COnsum-
crs In West indianapolis.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
/ would like to express my views to the
extent of my personal knowledge in refer
ence to the gas question. To begin with,
see quoted from Mr.. Pray, on the sd inst,
an intimation that gas will be. in his opin-
ion, as plentiful this winter as usual. This
l do not question, but the drift Of his mean
ing is misleading the public, SO 1 warn all
consumers west of the river to prepare for
coal or wood That same 'old gas song"
has been handed down from year to year.
AS mild it was on Wednesday the gas
inspectors were out in full force to see VINO
had their mixers off. They were at my
house. but the situation was not inviting.
They found the mixer off in the cooking
stove. with barely sufficient gas to ignite
the wood. Passing to the CRATE, they found
no blaze with the valve wide open and no
gas escaping; in fact the gas company
knew by the registers that we had scarcely
any gas before sending the inspectors out.
/ believe the stampede of inspectors upon
that day was prearranged to find as many
mixers off as possible, to make as good
showing possible for the purpose of work
ing the meter system upon the incoming Leg
islature; at least they are about due for
another move in that direction.
Mr.. Pray IS also quoted as saying that
ION last Tuesday everybody lighted their
stoves, with good supply of gas" which
statement I emphatically contradict for the
consumers west of the river. The false
statements the gas company has been giving
the consumers have been misleading for
years. When interviewed about the limited
glowing account Of forty or fifty new wells
and pipe lines, in addition to heavy outlay
of money for pumping wind, as we'll as gas.
for which we Will get a good supply of the
former, If they get the meter system through
the Legislature, which, If passed, will be
tnc greatest fraud ever perpetrated upon
the city. AS one of a committee appointed
to call upon the president of the gas COM
pany, John r. Pearson, few years ago,
of the river, l found him oVerZealous to make
our call as pleasant as possible, but l
quickly realized that he would give us but
little satisfaction. However, he gave a glow
ing account OF an abundance of gas in store
for US. He pointed out a diagram of every
thing he had under contemplation, giving me
the pressure of gas that he had at the head
of supplies, and he said they expected to
almost double that force. He proposed do
ing this by putting in force pump. But
] said, Mr. Pearson, your logic will not
work. unless you utilize air to almost double
the pressure which you propose to give
When | left him his answer was incomplete,
and his windmills have proven a complete
failure; in fact, the windmillS we're not in
tended to be used under the present system
CT furnishing gas. 1t was a bold stroke to
be ready for the meter system; then you will
have almost as much wind metered out to
prove q costly luxury Also, II memory
serves me right. the press of the city asked
what the probable cost would be to each
consumer for a meter The answer was
given by some member of the gas company,
anywhere from $40 to $27, and the meter to
be put in at the consumers expense. 1 i'm
mediately wrote to the Pittsburg City Coun-
Gil to learn what consumers had to pay for
the meters. The reply was that they cost
S., and they were put in at the expense Of
the gas company. Our City Council was
appraised of the fact at the time. Now,
wouldn't the city officials be a set Of dupes
to let that corporation bleed them for nearly
$l50,00O? l think 1 have rightly approx
sumers when 1 say we have in the last ten
years paid into the treasury of the gas COM
pany fully $75, 0G0 or 500 COO more than we
have received. which proceeds went into the
building of the Majestic. and 1, for one, am
in favor of entering suit for the above
amount. w. +. REID.
West Tndiananolis Nov 28