The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-28
SAVING THE GAS SUPPLY
PRESENT STRENUOUS EFFORTS ARE
LATE, SAYS MIR. BLATCHLEY.
state GeoIogist Expects Howl of Pro-
test from Persons That Have Used
the Fuel in Pumps.

az expect in a short time a renewal of
the bowls about natural gas" said State
Geologist BlatchIey yesterday. las soon
as the opinion of the attorney general, rem
dered a few days ago. TO the effect that gas
cannot be used in its raw state TO propel
machinery, is put into effect, why, Of
course. all the men that have been using
gas that way will lift up their voices in in
dignant protest. They are a considerable
number, too You see, gas is used without
burning TO work pumps, to move engines
and TO clean out wells. These fellows will
declare that the law is being too strictly
enforced.
''As published last week. 1 have di-
rected Gas Inspector Leach to strictly en-
force the hambeau law. Formerly we did
allow farmers and factory men that used
fiambeaus to work by to continue their
use moderately-that is. with small fam
beaus. But after while the thing was
abused. larger fambeaus were used and in
many instances they were not used to work
by at all. We were condemned because of
this, and now we will be condemned be-
cause we are tightening up in the other di-
Tection 1t is just a case of you'll be
damned if you do and you'll be damned if
you don't.
las a matter of fact, it is little late to
begin conserving the supply of natural gas.
l have no doubt that if the precious COM
modify had been used carefully from the
beginning it would have lasted ten years
longer than it will. People were told in the
beginning that natural gas was bound 10
come to an end some day. but they pooh
pOohed the idea. Why. L remember in 1883
l was teaching summer school a few
miles from where there were some big gas
wells, and one day i went over TO the
wells. Nobody knew who j was, but when
| told the gas men what / was after they
opened up gusher and let ii roar away for
more than an hour just for my delectation.
The noise made by that we'll could have
been heard five miles, and L have no doubt
that half a million cubic feet of gas es-
capped While L was being entertained. Now,
if they would open a we'll for anybody that
came along, you lima CINE that the
waste was something fearful to contem-
plate
Il do not want to be understood as being
Indifferent TO waste of natural gas. how
ever, for 1 am not. j believe in doing ev-
erything possible TO save what little there
| is left. i understand. of course, that the
| oil men want il wasted so that they can
| utilize the oil that lies below the gas, but
| the oil can wait. 1t Will keep, and gas will
not so long as there are vent holes allowing
| it TO escape"
Professor Blatchey was asked if he knew
anything about alleged waste of gas by
| the Consumers Gas Trust Company 81
| have had information on that subject
except that some of the cOmpany'S en-
| plOyes have been taken into court on
| charges OF wasting gas, he replied.
Have you heard the report that the
| Consumers company has found that its eX-
| hausted gas wells over what seems to
| be a lake of ofl?'' the geologist was asked.
| Il had not heard such a report he an
| swered. but | should not be surprised if il
were true. AS "A matter of fact. for the last
| six years the geological reports of Indiana
| have asserted that when gas should give
! out in the fields of this State oil would be
found in the ma jOrity of the wells. ANY
| scientific man that has studied the subject
| much knows that natural gas is simply the
| volatile part of the oil that is in the earth
escaping into the higher and porous strata
/ OF course, when the gas is drawn off the
/ oil will rise in the bores or wells after it."
| Professor Blatchley's attention was di-
( rected to the report that for several wears
| men have been buying i'm the stock of the
| Consumers company as rapidly they
/ could get it.
They have acted wisely" said the
| scientist. ''for the Consumers company
| owns large amount of gas territory. and
/ these men know that if oil should be found
II would be found in great quantities. II
| the cOmpanys holdings had been small
/ imagine the stock would have deprecated
| with the fading away of the gas.
| Professor Blatchley was asked if any
| tests have been made recently to discover
| whether or not the companies piping nat
| ural gas out of Indiana are using a greater
| pressure than the law allows 300 pounds
| I'VE have not made such tests lately "
| he replied, nor have there been any com
| plants that the pressure is above the law
full figure Last winter Mr.. Leach put in
| an entire week making such tests and he
| tapped the Chicago pipe lines at many
| points but failed to find even 600 pounds
| pressure"
| 1t was learned yesterday that John p
| Kelly. of the Kelly AK Manufacturing Com.
| pany, of Alexandria. will come to Indian.
apolis this week TO have a conference with
the Governor on the subject of waste OF
| natural gas.