The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-27

The first natural gas brought to this
city was piped from Hamilton county,
about twenty miles distant. AS the supply
decreased the companies had to push fur
Their and further into the gas field until
There is still large store of natural gas
in Indiana, but this city is not likely to
get any more for fuel purposes. unless 1t
Is piped In surreptitiously and furnished
under the name and at the price of arti-
fetal gas. 1t has been demonstrated that
either natural or artificial gas at 81 per
thousand feet. meter measurement. is
cheap fuel for cooking purposes, and it can
be manufactured and sold at profit for
much less than 81 per thousand. Artificial
gas for cooking and heating purposes or
for cooking purposes alone at so cents per
thousand. meter measurement, would be a
great boon to the people. Fuel gas at
80 cents per thousand would result in
a large saving in fuel bills for cooking
the year round. and would place Indian
apolis in the front rank of cities possess
ing special advantages. 1t would be a
strong inducement for persons seeking a
new home to come here.
The articles of association of the Con-
sumers' Gas Trust Company say:
The objects of the formation of such cor
poration are to drill and mine for natural
/ gas. petroleum and other minerals, and to
/ purchase, lease and otherwise acquire gas
| and petroleum wells and products thereof.
and manufacturing to convert the same
/ into gas for fuel and Illuminating purposes
and the sale of its product to patrons.
! Under this provision and the designation
of "other minerals the Consumers Com
pany can bore or dig for petroleum or coal
and manufacture gas from the same. Thus
far it has only bored for gas, though some
of its wells produce oil. 1t is doubtful If
under its articles of association the COM
pany has a right to sell oil or to use it
for any other purpose but conversion into
gas for the benefit of it's patrons. It's
| charter provides that when the stockhold-
ers shall have received back the full
amount of their original subscriptions with
interest thereon at the rate of 8 per cent.
per annum, lit shall be the duty of the
! directors of said company to reduce the
price of gas so that the same shall there
after be supplied to consumers at cost
This discloses the real object of the asso-
citation, viz. to supply fuel gas, either
natural or artificial, to consumers at cost
not merely to stockholders, but to all con-
sumers, and not for any specified time, but.
If possible, perpetually. There Is not a
! word in the charter to Indicate that the
company was to suspend operations or be
i
should fail. On the contrary. provision is
made for it's permanency by the section
authorizing it to manufacture gas, either
from petroleum or coal, and to furnish the
same 10 its patrons at cost.
Here, then, we have the machinery for a
to hand. There is a corporation, every
dollar of whose stock has been paid back
to the subscribers, with per cent interest
thereon There are extensive leases, a
large number of wells producing more OF
less gas and oil, many miles Of pipe lines
etc., to the value of several million dollars
all dedicated by the charter Of the company
to the single purpose of furnishing the peo
pie fuel gas at cost. There is not WORD
in the charter that can be construed as
authorizing the conversion of the public
utility into private property and the turn
ing Of what was intended to be a promoter
of the general welfare into machine fol
personal gain. Any attempt of this kline
would be contrary to the spirit and letter
of the charter under which alone the com
pany has right to exist and operate. TIL,
community has right to expect that tn,
trustees of the company will see that it IL
held strictly to its original purpose of fur
nishing the people with fuel gas at cost, i
not natural gas then artificial