The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-22
NEXT YEAR In ST. LOUIS
WESTERN GAS ASSOCIATION CON-
yENTION ADJOURNs.
Two Papers on Interesting Topics
Read During the Day-SmOker at
the German House. A.

business sessions of its convention at the
Claypool yesterday afternoon. Last night
the members were entertained at sup
per and smoker at the German House, and
to-day they will inspect the Indianapolis
gas works.
At the session yesterday forenoon the
first matter taken UP was the report of the
committee on the next place of meeting.
The committee recommended st. Louis, and
the exposition city was selected without
opposition. The gas men will have an espe-
cially fine exhibit at the exposition. and it
was but natural that they should want to
take their convention there.
Two papers were read at the morning
session, one of purely technical nature
on 'Naphthalene," by DR.. w. H. Birch
more, of Brooklyn, and one on Increasing
Sales of Gas TO Existing Customers" by
Bell w. Perkins. of South Bend The pith
of Mr.. Perkins's suggestion was that In
creased sales could be brought about by
catering TO the consumers needs. The gas
men should foster a feeling of confidence
between their customers and themselves;
they should advertise. and should endeavor
to gain the good will of the public, press
and the city government. In closing he
said:
THE good opinion of the press Is also
very necessary. Public opinion is nodded
by the press of the country. and If your
local newspaper says nice things about you,
the readers will say the same. and it is GER
tainly better to have them say nice things
about you than to have them to tell their
readers that you are gang of highway
men, always ready to hold them up; that
your meters are wrong, that your prices
are too high, etc. Newspaper men, as a
rule, are intelligent people who are open
n confidence
to a certain extent, and they will be your
friends. If you have satisfied customers
you will very likely have good friends in
the newspapers. IT is a kicking, discon-
tented public that usually makes kicking
newspaper.
recommended. They have it in their power
to cause many annoyances, and people are
as ready to believe their acts right as they
are to believe the newspaper, and as a gen.
eral proposition one is backed up by the
other"
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
A. F. Boar'man, of Detroit, opened the
afternoon session with a paper on "Munic-
ipal Ownership AS might be expected,
Mr.. Boardman is not an advocate of munic-
ipal ownership of public utilities in gen.
eral and of gas works in particular. He
said that the subject was one that had
aroused acrimonious discussion, since the
point OF view was such a controlling factor,
and that naturally the public and the stock
holders of the private corporations could
not see the proposition in the same light.
THE most appealing argument for munic-
ipal ownership" he said, sis that of re-
ducing prices to consumers and in getting
the public supply free. This is based upon
a fallacy, but the contention is difficult to
disprove because the accounts of municipal
tiles owning public utilities generally
so involved that ii would require weeks of
expert accounting to properly classify the
items of expense chargeable to the utility
plants. Interest on the plant investment
is one large item which is seldom consid-
cred In this respect and in this only, is
the city at an advantage over a private
corporation. 1t can generally borrow money
at a lower rate. but this advantage is off
set many times by wastefulness in munic-
ipal management. That municipal manage
ment is less economical than private man.
agement is fact beyond dispute. That it
should not be so may be admitted, that IL
is so must be admitted. 1t will hardly be
gainsaid that any public work, even to
street cleaning and sewer flushing, be
more thoroughly and economically done I'M
der private than under municipal manage
ment Intelligent self-interest will compel
the employment of tools and machines of
highest efficiency, while only the necessary
number of men will be employed and all
of them will be required to give full value
received for their wages. The city admin
istration is chary about spending the peo-
Piles money upon improved machinery but
lavish in expendfng ii upon men who vote
and can enhance the power and perma-
hence of the said administration. This
should not be so, but ii is and cannot be
changed, even by changing the party in
power.
reports from muncipally-owned works may
appear, the absolute cost to the community
is greater than in a well-managed private
works.
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
1.-The matter may be summed up by say
tiles is safe and profitable only in that city
whose streets are kept perfectly clean and
in good condition; whose public buildings,
parks and other city property are kept in
thorough order and repair; whose excise
laws and all city ordinances are enforced
without fear or favor: whose police and fire
departments are conducted in the most eff
fcient and honest manner: whose sanitary
department is prompt and fearless: and
whose finances are managed as economic
ally and accurately as in its large business
houses. Where there is room or need for
improvements in any of these matters that
city had best refrain from municipal owner
ship of public utility plants"
Editor w. f. Steinwedel. OF the wrinkle
department explained the latest devices of
interest 10 gas men and TO consumers. One
of the devices is burner for lighting fires
| i'm wood or coal stoves and furnaces. Ii is
made OF three-eighths-inch pipe, perforated
attached by hose 20 a gas jet 1t is put
into the stove near the CRATE and the gas
turned on and lighted, supplying a very
satisfactory kindling.
H. a Wheeler closed the session with
discussion of the relative heat conductivity
of clays.