The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-29
JOHNS0N'S PREDICAMENT.
The City Controller and His Troubles
Over Natural Gas Bills.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal
If you were ever in predicament, dear
editor, you are prepared to say with me
that it is a very unenjoyable experience,
and to sympathize with Controller John
son, who just is wrestling with one.
Webster says a predicament is IAN unfor-
tunate and trying position" and that is
Controller Johnsons condition, with an
emphasis on the matter of paying that bill
for gas at the engine houses. 1t seems that
the gas furnished those very coolest days
last winter was not sufficient TO keep the
houses comfortable, and the city had to
buy coal to supplement the gas, and he
wants the gas company to deduct the
amount paid for coal. Evidently he wants
to do the right thing in the case, at least
the polite thing, not the political, in any
offensive sense. but to do what will most
inure to the cityS benefit in the long run.
Whether he is considering the rights and
the good of the party of the second part
is not so manifest, though no good can
come to any party through any transaction
that works wrong to the other party:
OF course l do not propose any ex cathe-
Ora decision of a case that is likely TO be
left with the courts, yet / would like to
suggest thing or two from the stand
point of layman. Evidently, as | see it,
CINE houses comfortably warm in all
weathers it should pay for the coal used.
But If il did il certainly did not agree TO
Keep them more than comfortably warm
al any time, or, In other words, no more
gas was TO be used at any time than
enough 70 meet the contract; yet, as q
matter of fact. every engine house in the
city has kept the gas at full pressure IN
moderate weather, keeping doors and WIN
dows open to let the surplus heat escape,
and, for that matter, this is the uniform
custom of the army of opponents TO sell
ing gas by measure. 1t occurs to me- simply
as a matter of equity, even If the CONTRACT
was to furnish heat for the coolest days
well as the warmer, it is hardly the fair
thing to exact the pound OF flesh in such
a case without taking into account the
willful waste which the company has at
present no means to prevent. Rights In
such cases cannot all be OH one side, and
consumers who keep their fires burning
day and night, summer and. winter. as they
would never think of doing ii they paid
by measurement, are certainly not in con-
dition TO exact the cost OF coal used on the
few extremely cold days. What cold law,
as administered by the courts, may say
do not know; / am speaking only of the
equity in the case, not to mention the
cheek required to make such a demand
from such consumers.
|. But IL Is not the engine houses alone
that try the controller; behind them lie
the schoolhouSeS and other city properties
and then comes the army of private con-
sumers, whose rebates, In some cases,
would be more than the gas bills for the
whole year, bringing the company in debt.
That strikes me as unfair, yet ii Is the
logic of the controllers contention.
Obviously the proper remedy for this i'll
is to buy and sell natural gas by measure.
do the artificial, but that is clearly an
impossibility while the matter rests with
the consumers, who have so soft a snap
under the present ordinances. The candi-
date for the Council who would propose
meters would not get corporals guard in
any ward. What then? The case is not
hopeless, by any means, either as to the
citys houses or private residences I think
that one of our local courts, IL not the Su-
preme Court also, has decided that you
cannot compel the company to furnish gas
when II has none to furnish. What then?
The companies last winter made a fair
proposition to all complainers: ''Discon-
meet and Will refund the money not yet
earned Not one accepted the offer. They
were like the tired man in the fable, who
laid off his burden and called for death.
When death came and asked what he
wanted the tired man answered: ITO help
me take UP this burden again. Every
man knows that, compared with any other
fuel, counting convenience and ALL at the
present prices of gas, il does not, for do
nestle use, cost half what any other fuel
would cost, even If for a week or a month
OF even three months in the winter, il has
to be supplemented with coal There is no
comparison during the mild weather of
winter or the spring and autumn months.
and even when low in extremely cold
weather, from inevitable and natural
causes, in addition TO wasteful consump-
ton, any given amount of heat is cheaper
than the corresponding amount from any
other fuel. This is why those who COM
planned of the lack of sufficient gas to meet
the unusual emergencies of a few winter
days would not accept the offer of the COM
panies and diSconnect.
Let me, as a peacemaker, suggest a way
out of the unfortunate and trying posi-
ton" of our controller. His legal adviser
suggests the payment OF the bill without
houses will follow Well. let them follow;
pay both bills and then disconnect and take
| the coal We private consumers had TO pay
in advance or get no gas. and We were SO
We'll pleased with our contract, although
| we had to buy coal 10 help out, that we
would not take back our money and discon-
meet, and notice that we have been walk
| ing up TO the captains Office asking to take
| the same chances for another winter.
| AS TO meters, that is an impossibility al
present; il may come later on. in answer 70
| the logic OF events; meanwhile, We con-
sumerS are not dependent on the COM
| panies; we can disconnect whenever We
want TO and let the gas magnates whistle
| That will be better than TO pay for gas we
| think ought to have and growl because
we do not get all we want Meanwhile,
| am not sure but the companies already
have the means at hand TO prevent the
| willful waste of what belongs 10 everybody
| IL the honesty OF those who do the wasting
will not restrain them. IL they have not
L am sure the Councli OF the Legislature
will give that power whenever asked, il a
| feasible method of detection is presented
/ The Legislature has already, in two OIL
three cases, so restricted the waste OF gas
| as TO reduce IL TO a minimum except the
waste in domestic use, not I'm indianapolis
only. but everywhere. While man aspir.
| ing 10 the Council or the Legislature will
| pledge opposition TO meters. no one viii
| agree 10 protect the species of thievery
| that is thinly concealed by the common
analogy OF using more gas than Is pald for
Indianapolis. Oct. "a. T. L. SEE.