The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-03
OF METERS.
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PACE

have been accused OF faVOrlng meters De-
cause it has been said L have sufficient
means 10 pay for gas, and that poor people
could not do so under q meter rate. My
honest opinion is that the only way poor
people can hope to get gas is by the meter
system. l should think that a rate OF 10
cents for manufactures and Is cents for
residences would be the proper thing"
Councilman SOurbier said at this point
that he thought manufacturers should be
charged more than residences. Il would
have them chcarged from One-third TO one
half more he said.
oscar F. Sherman declared heatedly that
he is opposed to meters at any rate. Il used
a gas meter at Toledo" he said, and l
want 10 say TO you that / could not make
enough money to pay my gas bills. so long
as we have gas we should burn II by the
contract system. TIL people want the con-
tract system, even if the newspapers of the
cities are 'cappers' for the gas companies.
You know that when a buncO man has a
game to work on the public he gets cappers
to practice it on his victims. Well, that's
what the newspapers are doing. They are
cappers for the gas companies. / don't
think there is any use for this committee
to go to Columbus, O., as has been suggest
ed. to find out about the gas situation. Why
doesn't it go over to NoblesvilIe, Ind. They
are burning gas there by meter at 12t2 cents
per LOCO feet, and in one case l know Of a
gas bill amounted to $40 in a month. AT
Frankfort they are burning it at 20 cents
per 1000 feet and bills over there run some
ing like 1913 per month from my personal
knowledge
A1ECftlSED 81 COONCl1MAN.
Councilman Meyer interrupted to inquire
if people in Toledo had ever wanted to nave
the meter ordinance repealed. Mr.. Sher-
man said: 81 don't know. 1 have not lived
there for seven years" Another question
caused Mr.. Sherman to state that he
thought the meter rate in Toledo had been
increased instead of lessened. Mr.. Sourbier
inquired what sort of appliance had been
used by the speaker in burning gas. "Oh,
the same kind that are used here common
~ was the reply.
MY dear sir, said Sourbier, don't you
know that no one can burn gas econom-
ically unless he has economical apph-
Sourbier asked Sherman if he were not
aware of the fact that there are twice as
many people in Toledo burning gas to-day
man replied that he did not know about
that, He thought the natural increase in
population might account for it.
1T seems queer TO me-" said Charles Is.
Stltz, who spoke next, that everybody
who has a good word to say for meters 10
accused OF being a 'capper' for the gas
companies. l want gas. and L believe that
with the proper sort of appliances the
meter system is the only sane way to Use
II. l want gas rather than coal, and since
the companies have declared that they will
quit business here if the meter ordinance is
not passed l say let US have meters. [
would favor the suggestion of Mr.. Negley
NAAnN NHN - VI 6ao ~ ICClllClt0 " COOA
stoves. / also favor a rate Of Is cents if
we can get II; if not, why, 20 cents. IL we
cannot get that L say take the 25-cent rate.
/ would like to see the question argued i'm
who attended the meeting in Mr.. Negley's
ward, and L saw that any one wearing a
white collar who tried TO speak got ii IN
the neck for the reason that the assump-
ton was that because he was neat in dress
he was a friend of the gas companies"
An infammatoTy speech against meters
of fools and cranks." he said, If we give
up this contract at the behest of a corpora
ton that has a motive in asking it. If the
committee wants 10 know VIVA the people
think let the members stand on the street
corners where they can hear the people
talk. They will hear from persons who are
not 'cappers' for anybody. If the COM
panies can't give us gas let the courts ap-
point a receiver for them and have them
run for a month on trial by order of the
court. Then we would find out whether
there is anything in all this talk made by
the companies"
r. w. Cathcart. in giving the reasons
why he favors the Introduction of the COM
pulsory meter system, said: Il have
burned gas for twelve years and have had
plenty of IL for the most part. If there is
any place that can afford to pay a reason
able price for gas now ii is Indianapolis.
because we have burned ii for practically
nothing for many years. One reason why
some folks do not want the meter system
is because they are using bored mixers and
pipes straight into their stoves, thereby
d%efrauding their neishbors of their share
Of the supply"
A. E. Amer, also speaking for meters.
said: There is too much gas being wasted
here in Indianapolis, and ii is the faul Of
the contract system. IL people had to pay
for gas by the foot and inch they would be
careful how much they used. over in
GAINESVILLE, o., where they use the meter
system. there is plenty of gas the year
satisfied with meters. AS poor a man as L
am, / am unalterably in favor of the intro
of meters. l voted the Republican
ticket last fall after being a Democrat for
years. because 1 hoped that Mr.. Bookwalter
would not find himself bound to keep the
promise he made against meters"
MR.. PATTERSON EXCITED.
The next speaker. William Patterson, an
old man, spoke under the influence of great
excitement, and something like a scene was
created during the course Of his heated
remarks. Mr.. Negley, who presided. sue
ceeded in quelling the murmurs until the
speech was finished. Mr.. Patterson de-
nounced fercely everything and anything
which leaned toward meters. 1.-THE Lord
gave me spiritual insight" he said, "to
read the spiritual inwardnesS of men, and
/ have seen in this gas question that those
who favor the meter are either profoundly
ignorant or else devilishly wicked" When
Mr.. Negley asked him to refrain from per-
sOnalitieS and OpprObriOuS epithetS he re-
ceived il as an evidence that the commit
tee was prejudiced against him and his
cause. Leaning forward, he shook his fist
in the faces of the members of the COM
mittee and declared that they were betray-
ing the cause of the people. why don't
YOU call a meeting i'm Tomlinson Hail. he
said. where all the people can come in
stead of in this place, where there are only
a few 'cappers' and a few newspaper rep
resentatives who are paid by the gas COM
panies?"
A speech hardly less free from temper
was made by T. n. Bunnell. What q tam
gled wen we weave when we practice to de-
ceive," he Quoted.
THE gas companies are deceiving and de-
ludirg the people," he said. This ordi-
nance is a trap to catch the people and to
get their money"
The next speaker, Charles Remster, as
serted that if the gas companies would
give 200 meters a trial in this city instead
letters TO their consumers it would show 4
better and more sincere spirit on their part.
Il would suggest, he said, that the com
mittee appoint an inspector, whom the gas
companies shall not know anything about,
TO visit the wells and the stations"
THAT was done last year by a Council
committee" interDosed Chairman Negley.
1T was found then that the pressure was
decreasing"
George ]. Caddle. who came here from
Wheeling. w. Va, informed the committee
that he had been a councilman in Wheeling
when the meter question came UP there.
investigation at that time. he said, demon
strated that meters are the only sensible
system by which TO burn gas. He said that
a seven-rOom house ought to be heated fo-
from $3.50 TO $3.50 per month.
The meeting was more satisfactory in
some ways. the members of the committee
believe. than any that have yet been held,