The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-20
OBJECTION
RAISED
SOME
COUNCILMEy WHO THINK PRESENT
ORDINANCE Is SUFFICIENT.
John VI. Higgins Present at the Meet
ing-The Board of Works
Municipal Affairs.

rates and prices charged for natural gas
fuel in indianapolis. The ordinance is
voluminous document containing many
pages of the rates that were submitted
with the ordinance brought before the
Council last winter. The ordinance intro
duced year ago provided for a pressure
of three ounces at the point of consump-
ton, but 1t was found this could not be
supplied by the gas companies. In the or
dinance introduced last night the pressure
is fixed at two ounces, and there are pro-
visions and amendments to the former or
dinance whereby consumers will not be
charged in case the pressure is below a
certain point; in other words, the new or
dinance provides for people to pay for what
they get, without the gas being measured
by meters.
The preamble to the ordinance introduced
last night is as follows: Whereas, 1t is
provided in Section IL of an ordinance
passed by the Common Council and Board
OF Alderman of the city of indianapolis.
and approved by the mayor on June q,
1857, entitled An ordinance authorizing
corporations. firms. companies individ-
uals to lay and maintain pipes in the
streets, alleys, avenues. lanes and public
purpose Of supplying said city and its in
babitants with natural gas for heating
and Illuminating purposes that the Com
mon Council and Board of Aldermen here
by expressly reserve the right to revise
and refix the rates and prices herein desig-
mated at any time after the expiration OF
ten years from the date of the passage of
this ordinance;' and
Whereas, More than ten years have
elapsed since the date of the passage of
said ordinance. and it being deemed advis-
able to revise and reix the said rates and
prices designated in said ordinance; there
fore
Section /. Be 1t ordained by the Com
mon Council of the city of Idianapolis, Ind,
that all corporations, companies, firms or
individuals who have heretofore accepted
or may hereafter accept the provisions,
restrictions, requirements and regulations
OF the said ordinance, approved as afore-
said on June q, 1887, entitled shall
from and after the taking effect of this
ordinance be authorized to charge and
receive from customers in said city for
NATURAL gas furnished, the following and
no greater prices:
REVISED RATES
Domestic use, two-ounce pressure.-For
natural gas fuel supplied in sufficient vol
ume to make continuous pressure of two
ounces or more per square inch at the point
of consumption between the hours of 6
o'clock a. m. and 8 o'clock D. m. of each
day.
For Cooking-Monthly charges from
Nov. 1 to May /: Cooking stoves and
ranges, No. and under, each per month,
Is cents; cooking stoves and ranges, Nos
Z and s. each per month, $1.25; cooking
stoves and ranges, No. . and over, each
per month. $3.50.
For Cooking-Monthly charges from
May l to Nov. /: Cooking stoves and
ranges, No. and under, each per month
so cents; cooking stoves and ranges, Nos.
and 8, each per month, 81; cooking stoves
and ranges, No. and over, each per
month, 81. %.
For Cooking-Annual charges: Cooking
stoves and ranges, No. 6 and under, each
per annum, Sc; cooking stoves and ranges,
Nos. and 8, each per annum. S12; cooking
stoves and ranges, No. 8 and over, each
per annum, SIS.
For cooking: Gas and gasoline stoves,
each per month, rs cents gas and gasoline
stoves, each per annum, S..
The rates in the new ordinance then con-
tinue the same as in the new ordinance in
troduced in the Council last winter. with
the exception that October is not included
as one of the winter months. For domes-
tic use, less than two-ounce pressure, the
new ordinance says:
For natural gas fuel supplied in suffi-
cient volume to make or cause average
pressure of less than two ounces per
square inch at the point of consumption
between the hours of 6 o'clock a. m. and
O'Clock D. m. Of each day such corpora
tions, firms. companies or individuals who
have heretofore accepted, or may hereafter
ont Of al fro
entitled as aforesaid and approved June
%, 1887, shall be authorized to charge and
receive 70 per cent. of the rates set forth
in the foregoing schedule. item by item.
charged or received for any such pressure:
Provided, that in case such pressure is so
low for any period of four hours as not to
be sufficient for cooking or heating pur-
poses, then no charge shall be made for
any natural gas so furnished on any such
day, but the proper deduction shall be
made for such shortage, as provided in
Section of this ordinance.
BASED ON CONTINUOUS SUPPLY.
THE above schedule of rates (given in
ordnance is based upon continuous sup
ply of natural gas fuel throughout the
twenty-four hours of each day during the
year. The requirement of pressure. herein
before provided for, between the hours of
5 a. m. and p. m, shall not be construed
as in any wise interfering with the obli-
cation of said corporations, companies
firms and individuals engaged in supplying
natural gas in said city To furnish to the
consumers on their respective lines such
continuous supply.
1.-THE point of consumption as used and
referred 10 in this ordinance. shall be
deemed and held to mean that point where
the natural gas passes out of the supply
pipe of the corporation, company, firm or
individual furnishing the same, and enters
such pipes of the consumer as are known
as house connections"
The remaining sections of the ordinance
are the same as I'm the ordinance brought
before the Council last winter President
Grail referred the ordinance 10 the commit
tee on Judiciary, consisting of Harry Neg
ley. chairman. and George III. Evans and
Edward E Bernauer.
The councilmen at the meeting last night
took a great interest in the new ordinance.
but some expressed themselves as failing
10 see the necessity of passing a new ordi-
nance when the ordinance now I'm vogue.
If enforced, would protect the consumers
against the gas companies when the latter
failed 10 furnish the required amount OF
gas
OTHER BUSINESS.
The Council transacted considerable other
business and on some OF the questions
voted on members of both sides Of the
Council Insisted on explaining their votes.
This was especially true of the report of
the committee on contracts and franchises
or the ordinance 10 ratify the contracts
made by the Board OF Public Works with