The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-11
Ordinance Providing for Meter System
at Twenty-Five Cents Per Thou
sand to BE Considered.
TALK WITH JOHN R. PEARSON
HE SAYS THE COMPANY WILL NOT
ACCEPT THE ORDINANCE.
1t Has Not a Sufficient supply of Fuel
Hunting n PesthOuse-Munic-
ipal Affairs.


committee on public health, announces
that this committee will meet Thursday
night to consider the ordinance providing
for the sale of natural gas by meter sys-
TEN at % cents per 1000 cubic feet. This
ordinance has been in a precarious state
since its introduction last March. 1t first
went to the committee on contracts and
franchises, of which Councilman Negley
is chairman. 1t was reaching a state of
senile decay when il was suddenly re-
vived by Mr.. Mcfarland, who moved its
withdrawal from that committee and ref
erence to a committee that would re-
port" President Haldeman sent ii to
McFarland's committee. The contracts
committee could not make a report be-
cause there were three for the ordinance,
three against 1t, including Mr.. Negley, and
one Mr.. Grail, who was undecided. The
public health committee has three men,
bers-McF arland. Grail and Warweg. Mr..
Mcfarland is for" Mr.. Warweg against
and Mr.. Grail has been undecided. Three
weeks ago the Council directed the COM
mittee to report at the meeting, Nov. q.
Mr.. Grail has now made up his mind to
sign the favorable report and thus bring
the ordinance before the Council for
action.
There is no certain prediction as to what
the Council will do next Monday night
when the ordinance is called up. Council
men Wynne, Cooper, Mcfarland, Holiday
and others are in favor Of the ordinance
The Democrats. eight in number, are re-
garded as against it. Councilmen Negley
and Sourbier have been against it and are
counted against it still. 1t will require
eleven votes to pass It. Should il pass
then it will have to meet with unfavorable
| action by Mayor Bookwalter, who has re-
peatedly said he would not sign a meter
ordinance. 1t is not believed the ordinance
could be passed over his veto, as this
would require fourteen votes.
| MIGHT HAVE LITTLE EFFECT
Even If the ordinance passed and was
signed. it would still be a question as to
what effect it would have on the fuel con-
ditions of Indianapolis, as the gas COM
panies protest that the adoption of the
meter system at this late day vii! conserve
little or no gas. They contend that gas is
becoming exhausted in the field and that
all the supply they could procure would be
inadequate, perhaps insufficient in artificial
| pressure TO operate the meters. The COM
| panies say the alterations necessary to in
| stan meters ana tnelr cost would be q
| dangerous investment in the apparent ex-
| haustion of the supply.
| Councilman Wynne has expressed himself
in favor of an ordinance even If a 50-cent
| rate must be established to make the prop
| osition inviting to the gas companies His
| theory is that gas must be preserved for
use here at the lowest price possible.
John X. Pearson, assistant to President
Hastings, of the Indianapolis Gas Com
pany, was asked last night what the com
pany would do If the ordinance was passed
I'VE Will not accept it," he answered.
Even at so cents per thousand?"
THE Council can do as 1t pleases about
passing ordinances, but ii cannot compe
the company to accept them. The Indian
apolis company has repeatedly made pro
posals TO put the gas conditions here on q
different and better basis Our last effor
was made last spring. Now the introduc
ton of the meter system, at this time OF
year, is quite impracticable and the com
pany will not accept the ordinance"
The Indianapolis companies bring to thu
| particular uses or confined TO special ter
ritory, would give service for long time
according to estimates. The companies
now have a large number of subscriber
who get practically no gas They hav,
another large number who get a fair sup
ply.
THE FIRST PRESSURE.
The reason is that those at the northern
end of the city receive their supply at it
first pressure, while those at the southern
end receive what has escaped the inle
pipes of the north end consumers. If tn
ordinance now in Council was amended s
that any company could supply gas I
consumers at the rate of rs cents per loo
feet, at the option of the company, the
: the company could measure its servic
: field by its daily supply of gas and begi
an adequate supply of the district selected
In this way alone Ii is believed that eithe
of the companies could profitably under
take to substitute the meter system. Tn
proposal to restrict the use of gas [
culinary and water heating purposes
not inviting to the company because of til
= large expense for meters. The number c
subscribers would not be reduced, praC
tically, while the opportunity for incom
: | would be. Gas experts. viewing the ur
r certain life of gas, regard an investmer
of $4,000 or S175,000 for meters and inc
:. dental alterations. added expense for fiel
] | work, as showing absolute loss during
' period of three years IL the use of ga
| was restricted to culinary and water hea
: ing purposes.
d In brief. the companies have some Ga
I | TO sell. 1t is not enough, those connecte
!, | with them say, to half supply one-half
: the present consumers. If the Council wi
r fix the maximum rate high enough to jul
y tify IL the companies may supply man
q customers as IL is possible for them
: and maintain a pressure that will insul
G sufficiency. That is understood to mea
: gas at a rate of from % 10 30 cents ar
o the option of service being left with II
!: companies.