The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-08
METER MEASUREMENT OR NO
NATURAL GAS.

buineSS point of view. IL Is perhaps 10
be expected that a party organ. anxious
above everything else TO make political
capital should treat the question in a pas
sionate and prejudiced way, but it is sur
prising that men who can discuss ordinary
affairs OF life in a temperate and reason
able manner should fly iTpo a passion and
resort to epithets the moment it is proposed
TO adopt meter measurement for natural
gas. 1t must be either because i'm the
lack of correct information they propose
to substitute vituperation for knowledge,
or else. suspecting that they have weak
case, they hope to fortify it by strong Ian
guage. Declaring respectable business men
to be 'as INSCRIPTIONS as any wretches
that every picked pockets or robbed hen
rOosts" is neither a good way to get con-
oessions nor to compel people to continue
doing business against their will. Persons
who use such language and papers that
indorse it practically confess their inability
OF unwillingness to discuss a business prop
csition from a business point of view.
The present situation presents the alter
native whether we shall have natural gas
at meter measurement or not at all
whether we shall pay 20 or % cents per
thousand for gas or use coal and wood ex
clusively. However, even If the natural
gas service is discontinued entirely great
many persons will prefer to use artificial
gas at meter measurement for cooking
purposes. because of is cleanliness and
md At nd
it is cheaper for cooking purposes than
coal or wood. Those who have never tried
it and who consequently have no informa-
ton on the subject may enter a passionate
and Yituperative denial of this statement,
but those who have tried il know ii TO
be true. Natural gas at % cents per thou
sand. meter measurement, is cheaper fuel
for cooking than coal or wood will ever be
in this city again. Hundreds of thousands
Of people in various cities East and West
using artificial gas for cooking pur-
poses at 10 cents to 81 per thousand, meter
measurement and could not be persuaded
TO exchange it for any other fuel. except
perhaps natural gas at a lower rate. One
thing, however, must be admitted. When
il comes to keeping a cook stove hot day
and night, with natural gas passing
through bored mixers. thereby heating sew
eral rooms for 81 per month. natural gas
at ordinance rates is the cheapest fuel in
the world. When it is asserted that nat
ural gas at % cents per thousand meter
measurement is cheaper fuel for cooking
purposes than coal or wood, it is not in
tended to cover the dishonest appropria-
ton and wastefuI use of gas for heating
purposes.
1t is undoubtedly true that our limited
supply Of natural gas at ordinance rates
would be far prefera BILE TO a moderate sup
ply at meter measurement, but that is not
the alternative presented. The alternative
is gas at meter measurement or none at
all. In putting it this way the Journal
simply recognizes the situation as it exists
and admits that if the companies choose
to adhere to their present position they
can discontinue the service and cannot be
compelled by law to resume it. An in
dividual firm or corporation that has a
commodity to sell. whether it be wheat,
pork, iron. copper, COAL oil or gas, gen.
orally desires to realize profit, and if they
cannot do so i'm one market they will seek
another. The companies say the time has
PASSED when they can make any profit
supplying gas in this city at ordinance
rates, and that il they are not allowed to
put in meters they will discontinue the
local service and sell their gas where they
can make something on it, Any company
would do the same unless it were prevented
by contract from doing so. especially if.
as in this case, the stockholders were
Kicking because of the stoppage of divi-
dends and the bOndholders were threaten
ing to interfere if the present methods are
continued. Any business man would do
the same and would sell his product where
he could sell it at a profit. 1t is not a
matter of sentiment but of business. AS
to the right of the companies to discon-
tinue the service the president of the In
cianapolis company said recently: 1--WE
have been advised by such legal talent
as Mr.. Winter, of Indianapolis; Grover
Cleveland and John G. Carlisle that we
have a perfect right to discontinue the
be based on the ground that the company's
acceptance of the provisions of the ordi-
nance of 1887 did not constitute a contract
for any specific period, but only one that
might be terminated az any time by the
cOmpany's withdrawal of it's acceptance;
or it might be based on the ground that
the contract had been persistently vio-
lated by many consumers it was no longer
binding the companies. Anyhow, it is
entitled 10 weight. Possibly persons who
have paid for gas in advance at annual
rates might have a claim for refundment.
but that is another question. fair view
or the situation indicates that the question
is between gas at meter measurement and
no gas at all. and it is up to" the Council
TO decide.
THE PROPER INVESTIGATION
Nour bot oil tho r,crohore % H.