The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-17
END OF INVESTIGATION
COUNCIL COMMITTEE SATISFIED
WITH TRIP TO GAS FIELDS.
No Evidence of Consumers Company
Holding Back SUPPLEMENTARY
Talks About Resolution.

The councimanic investigating commit
tee returned last evening from its TIVE
days trip into the gas field to inspect the
pumping station and gas fields of the Con-
sumers Gas Trust Company. Councilman
Grail and Bernauer joined the party Tues
day night in Anderson and made the trip
with the committee into the gas fields
yesterday again. making the party COM
posed of thirteen people. The trip yester-
day was anything but pleasant as the cold
westerly wind blew gale and most of
the roads were very heavy and muddy.
The party left Anderson in the morning
for Summitville where carriages were Sc
cured and the thirteen men were driven
into the gas territory. Last week the COM
mittee visited the worst section of the
Consumers companys territory and Tues
day the wells producing but a medium
supply of gas were visited. Yesterday the
best section of the Indiana gas belt was
inspected and many of the wells were
tested. State Gas Inspector Leach was
again with the party and he applied his
testing gauge TO a number of wells The
tests showed 126 to 132 pounds pressure
in the pipes and a we'll pressure OF AS TO 15S
pounds. The wells in that district feed on
the average about % pounds to the pipe
| lines.
These wells are located in the northern
part of Madison county and in Delaware
and Grant counties, which is the best gas
producing territory in the State, accord
ing TO Mr.. Lyman and Mr.. Leach. The
wells along the line running north through
Madison county were tested and these wells
showed the best pressure in the State. Go
ing eastward and westward from this line
the pressure decreases. Nearly all of these
wells have been recently drilled.
The members OF the committee and other
councilmen who were in the party ex-
pressed themselves being perfectly salts
fed with the trip and they said they be-
lieved the Consumers company Is doing
all in its power to supply gas for Indian
apolis.
MoRIARITY TALKS ABOUT REsoLU-
TON.
Councilman Moriarity, who introduced the
resolution in the Council providing for the
investigation of the gas company, acknowl-
edged yesterday that he had been used as
tool by Mott and Kingston. Mr.. Moriarity
said that Mott never approached him, but
Kingston called on him early last fall and
told him several stories such as the one re-
lating to Jasper n. Clary having his stock
seized by the gas company officials, and
persuaded him TO Introduce the resolution.
He said Kingston brought the copy of
the resolution to him several days before
II was introduced in the Council and he
had several men to pass their opinion re-
garding il. among them being Deputy City
Attorney Bell. They told him to Introduce
the resolution which he did, Mr.. Moriarity
said he shortly afterward realized that
there was something back of the resolution
which was not prompted by public spirit.
but the committee decided to carry on a
thorough investigation and satisfy the
people.
ANlAUXILIARY STATION.
Secretary Lyman. of the Consumers COM
pany. again called attention yesterday to
the action of the Big Four company grant
ing right of way to lay pipe lines and
| drill wells to a private concern in Alex
andria to secure gas between that place
and Paramount. Mr.. Lyman said IL the
company failed to secure recourse in the
courts 1t will probably decide to build an
auxiliary pumping station near the railroad
| property between Alexandria and Fair
mount, so as to protect its own interest
| against those of the private concern. He
| said a short line in that territory would
greatly reduce the gas pressure, but with
such a station the Consumers company
| would be able to prevent the private con-
Germ from securing all the gas.
The committee will hold a meeting the
latter part of this week to discuss the re-
| port to be made to the Council next Mon
| day night.