The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-26
CALL TO GAS COMPANIES
THE CITY AUTHORITIES WILL ASK
FOR MORE FUEL THIS WINTER.
A Letter Is Addressed to Both Compa-
MES Asking for a Conference
the Contract Conditions.

during the meeting OF the Board or
Works yesterday morning Mayor Taggart
and City Attorney Kern brought up the dis
cussion of ways and means for securing
more gas for the use Of the people of In
dianapolis than has been given them for
several years past by the gas companies.
The mayor said he had received advice from
the city attorney which made it plain to
him that the city could compel the gas COM
panies to furnish the amount of gas re-
quired by the contract between them and
the city or refund proportionate amount
of the money exacted. AS result Of the
consultation, the board prepared the follow
Ing letter, addressed to each of the two To-
cal companies:
"On the 18th Of February. 1887, your COM
visions, conditions and requirements of an
ordnance. approved Jan. q. 1887. entitled
an ordinance authorizing corporations;
maintain pipes in the streets, alleys, ave-
nues. lanes and public grounds in the city
OF indianapolis for the purpose OF supply
ing said city and its inhabitants with nat
ural gas for heating and Illuminating pur-
poses entered into contract with the
city which is still in force.
BY the terms of that contract, in con-
sideration of a grant by the city to your
company OF the privilege of entering upon,
digging into, using and occupying its streets
and placing therein the pipes, mains and
other apparatus necessary for the opera
ton Of natural gas plant, your said COM
pany contracted and agreed:
II. That IL would furnish natural gas to
all persons in said city applying for the
same at a schedule of prices therein fixed.
which rates, for domestic purposes, were
expressly agreed to be based upon a pres
sure of four ounces per square inch at the
point of consumption.
- That your company should be COM
PEELED to furnish gas to all applicants for
any purpose along your lines whenever APP
piled for.
cit is to these two provisions of your
contract that we now desire to especially
call your attention.
THAT your company has, for more than
a year past. ignored the first provision re-
ferred to and Violated it openly, is so clear
ly apparent that your officers will not pre-
tend otherwise.
your company has failed, in cold wealth.
er, to supply natural gas to consumers with
a pressure of four ounces a square inch at
the point of consumption, or with any pres
sure sufficient to furnish heat for any pur-
pose
Notwithstanding the provision in your
contract that the rates to be charged your
patrons are based upon four-ounce pres
sure. you have steadily maintained those
rates and compelled the people to pay for
natural gas which they never received.
1T is no response to this to say that you
have invited your patrons to return their
mixers and receive a refund of their money,
for the reason that you are under contract
to furnish them fuel, and 1t is fuel to which
they are entitled under the contract.
I'VE call your attention to the fact that
the contract also provides that the mu n1
June q, 1890 revise and refix the rates
and prices designated in the contract, and
which you are now charging.
I'VE are aware of your claim that the
supply of natural gas in the field has so de-
creased that it is impossible for your com.
pany to comply with your contract by fur
ADEQUATE supply of that fuel.
I'VE do not concede this, but II II is
force Of cireums e YOU are compelea
to admit that your company cannot COM
ply. with its contract to furnish gas with
four-ounce pressure to the people. it is
manfestly unjust that you should hold
formance of their Side of the contract by
compelling them to pay the schedule rate
for the gas they do not receive.
'It is freely stated that your company
has abundant natural gas In its leased ter
ritory to supply the people of this city
ties for domestic purposes, and that by
sinking more wells and laying an add.
| be. overcome. 1t is also urged that your
| only real excuse for not bringing the gas
| here Is that you do not care to incur the
and laying the additional line. but that
| the money necessary for that purpose has
| been and is being disbursed in the form Of
| holders.
GAS to the second alleged breach of your
contract, we beg to say that notwith
/ itively engaged to furnish gas to all ap
| plicants for any purpose you have refused
| during the past several months to allow
| the new houses built on your lines to b,
connected Herewith.
These people who have invested thei
money in new houses were advised of your
contract to supply gas to them and all othe
applicants, and had a right to rely conf
IDENTIFY upon the proposition that your com
pany would not repudiate that contract
TO repudiate their contracts. and they ha'
no right to believe that great corporation
would make such claim.
| I'VE submit that the growth of this cit.
ought not to be retarded by reason of con
tract violations, unless there is some in
superable barrier standing in the way o
These are grave questions and affec
vitality the comfort of the people and tn
prosperity of the city. They must be me
promptly, and we hope they may be set
tied amicably. To that end. we ask the OF
fcers of your company having its affair
in charge, to meet this board on Friday
a. m, that the whole situation may be can
vassed and. IL possible, an agreemen
reached which will result in benefit to a
BOARD MEMBERS TALK.
In discussing the matter the members Q
the board intimated that they expected tina
the companies would attempt to show ha
it would be futile to enlarge the mains ow
ing to the improper methods of consumr
ton in vogue here and that the universe
! custom of boring mixers and the improv
| dent use of the gas have been chiefly II
sponsible for the failure of the supply
| the last few years.
Colonel Downing, in speaking of the ma
ter, said that If the gas companies wer
unable to comply with their contracts tn
city would be justified In applying for tn
appointment of receivers for them. TIL
contract with the city provides for a pre-,
/ ho crrl0 rn rr1nf 2
the point of consumption and the boar
feels that unless the companies keep U
this pressure they should be deprived
whatever portion of their revenue was NJ
earned by reason of a lighter pressure.
A New Appraiser Named.