The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-10
Half the Supply of indianapolis Com
pany Was Suddenly shut OF
at $500 p. m.
GREAT DANGER THREATENED
LARGE FORCE Of MEN SENT OUT TO
WARN THE PATRONS.
Contraction Caused Ten-Inch Main
Near EIwOOd to Snap-Repaired
in n Few Hours.

At $40 o'clock yesterday afternoon the
feeble gas supply in a majority Of homes in
Indianapolis suddenly died away until there
was scarcely a suggestion of a blue flame
across the burners In hundreds of homes
people went with uncooked suppers, and
added to this deprivation was the alarm lest
the gas die out entirely during the night,
and suddenly coming up in the morning
threaten all sorts of danger to life and
property. That there was great danger is
shown by the fact that the indianapolis Gas
Company, Immediately after 1t had ascer-
tanned there was a severe break in one of
its big mains, employed every man that 1t
could secure in the city to go about notify
ing people to watch their fires during the
night or shut them off entirely. Over sew
enty men, including the entire force en-
p.oyed in the artificial gas department,
were drawn on for this service. They were
sent about in hacks and other vehicles, and
on their trips found comparatively few fires
out as result of the low pressure.
John r. Pearson, manager of the Indian
dpolis Company, as soon as the break was
reported to him from the pumping station
at Strawtown, sent forces of men in all d.
rections over the main feeding line to dis
cover the trouble That it was a most serious
pressure at Brightwood suddenly dropped
off from twenty-three pounds to thirteen,
and at the Twenty-fourth street and Cen
tral-avenue station frcra twelve and one
half pounds to eight pounds. This indi-
Gated an immense loss of gas, nearly half
the supply brought to this city by the COM
pany, which has the largest patronage of
any of those supplying indianapolis.
MILLION IyIgEsT TJOI1R lost
The great decrease in suction at the
Strawtown pumping station showed that the
loss of gas was northeast of that point.
Gangs were sent in sleighs and wagons from
Strawtown, Elwood, Frakton Paramount
and other places. Mr.. Pearson offered
500 to the man who first found the break.
On account of the extremely low temper
allure the last few days, causing the pipes
to contract he was fearful that some diff
Guilty of this kind would arise and al the diff
ferent towns near the line he had repair
wagons stationed. In conversation with
Mayor Iaggart early yesterday afternoon
Mr.. Pearson expressed these fears which
proved only a short time afterwards to be
we'll founded. Shortly before o'clock the
Elwood gang found the break four and one
half miles south of that town, the new 10
inch main leading up to Paramount having
pulled apart three feet. the precious gas
pouring out into the air at the rate of 1,OJ9,-
0OO feet an hour. The extent of loss this may
be better understood By Mr. Pearson state
ment that the supply at the city limits of
of the men climbed telephone pole and
connected up an instrument he had carried,
telephoning Mr. Pearson the exact spot
where the gas was escaping. The man ad-
ded that the ground was frozen so hard 1t
was impossible to dig into it with picks
Tear up rail fences and build fire to
thaw out the ground" replied Mr.. Pearson.
If we do came the reply, lit will blow
us all up and furnish pretty big bonfire.
The men finally broke the ground with
crow-bars ana got at the big MAN. succeed
Ing, after several hours work, in putting on
sleeve, which Will act as a temporary eN-
ptdlent. BY II 80 o'clock last night the pres
sure in this city was in fairly good shape,
considering the cold weather.
DANGER FROM LOW PRESSURE.
Mr. Pearson was somewhat apprehensive
as to the danger in the event fires went
out from the low pressure, for upon the
pressure being restored there was a strong
probability that houses would fill with gas
which might become ignited from burning
artificial gas jets or lamps Some people
have permitted their burners to clog up and
in such cases as these there was danger Of
the gas in one burner going out with the
low pressure while a tiny flame might be
retained on some other burner in the house.
Nightwatchmen in all the DOWNTOWN dis
trictS were instructed to exercise unusual
Watchfulness over the stores in their dis
tricts. However at an early hour this morn
ing no accidents were reported. Particularly
in West Indianapolis and the suburbs was
the danger great
This is the first accident of it's kind to
one of the main lines of the indianapolis
Company during the eleven years it has
handled natural gas. In other fields not
many companies have used sleeves to pro-
vide for the contraction Of the mains by the
cold weather, but Mr.. Pearson says that
throughout the 554 miles of pipe of his COM
pany sleeves are placed every four miles.
The main line on which the break occurred
Yesterday connects siXty-seVen wells in
Grant county, most of which are new. There
was a sleeve near where the break occurred,
but at this point the lines run up a slight
hill and gravity assisted the contraction in
bringing about the rupture.
The Manufacturers Gas Company had a
slight break in it's main Wednesday night,
but the damage was quickly repaired, and
the patrons did not suffer much from this
accident. 1t was reported by employees of the
| company last night that there had been no
complaint from patrons, most of whom are
manufacturers, the company supplying but
a few private consumers.