The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-08
Reelected Members Manage to Side
track Propositions offered In In
terests of the People.
A. A. BARNES MADE PRESIDENT
TIE VOTE ON TREASURER BETWEEN
j. w. LILLY AND FRED FAHNLEY.
w. j. Richards Is Vice President and
Bement Lyman Secretary Next
Meeting Tuesday Afternoon.

1t took but a very few minutes, after the
new directors of the Consumers Gas Trust
Company convened in their first meeting
yesterday afternoon, to show the lay of the
land in the new directorate. Almost from
the outset the old directors drew apart in
opposition to the new members, which are In
the minority. For this reason the outlook
is not encouraging from the point of view
of the public. for the old members of the
board stand for the rights and interests of
the stockholders before those Of the public.
The meeting was one of heated discus
sions and hot arguments. The new men,
bers of the board assumed the initiative.
but all motions made by them looking to
the continuance of the company and the
manufacture of gas were by the time of
passage materially curtailed or amended
MAJOR RICHARDS'S ACTION.
The fight of the afternoon centered
around set of resolutions presented by w.
]. Richards on behalf of the new members.
The resolutions provided for the selection
of three former judges of this city, an ex-
Supreme Court and the other two ex-Su-
perior Court judges, who should ascertain.
from legal point of view, the rights and
powers OF the company to furnish the city
with artificial gas.
When Mr.. Richards presented the resolu-
tion it was understood that it should have
the support of a ma jority as il was under
stood that A. A. Barnes had indorsed the
plan. When 1t came to a vote, the resolu-
tion fell short, as It was opposed by Mr.
Barnes. After the resolution was defeated
an amendment was offered by the opposition
that the attorneys to investigate the legal
problem of manufacturing gas be selected
from outside the city, and the resolution
was passed.
President Barnes was instructed to ap-
point committee to choose attorneys and
appointed John E. Scott, w. ]. Richards
and II. c. Atkins, son-in-law of Ferdinand
Winter, one of the counsel for the COM
pany. Although two of the members of the
committee are new members Of the board, II
mittee favors the opposition. The opinion
of men who have been following the fight
closely is that the outcome clearly points
to the position of the old members of the
board. Why else. il is asked, should they
object to the selection of judges, known to
be of the highest quality, who live in the
closely in touch with the question. The
committee Is to report back to the board
within a few days.
TO SELECT AN EXPERT.
A motion, presented by one of the new
members, was passed to the effect that an
expert engineer in the manufacture of gas
be employed to aid the board in ascertain
ing the approximate cost of the plan pro-
posed. A motion was also passed to have
the books of the company gone through and
the exact condition ascertained by the
American Audit Company, OF Chicago. I'm
der the bylaws the trustees are TO do the
auditing, but the resolution requests by an
unanimous vote the trustees to employ
the company. Whether they will comply or
not is a matter of speculation.
In the election OF officers the clash came
in the election of a treasurer. James w
Lilly and Fred Fahnley were the two nomi-
nees, but the balloting resulted in tie
vote. In view of the fact that Mr. FahnIcy
was unable to be present at the meeting
ii is certain that ne will be elected when
he is able to attend the next meeting
A. A. Barnes, president Of the Columbia
National Bank, was elected president OF
the board with w. j. Richards vice presi-
dent, and Bement Lyman, secretary The
treasurer will be elected at the next meet
ing of the board, which will be Tuesday
afternoon.
Mr. Richards eft a sick bed Yesterday
| to attend the meeting of the board. He
was very weak and exhausted when he re-
turned from the session at almost O'Clock,
/ for il was not until then that 1t adjourned
/ and was unable TO talk much on the action
OF the board.
THE outlook Is not encouraging to me. :"
| ne said when seen last night, because
I the majority-that Is to say, all the old
members of the board-believe in the inter-
! against any legal rights of the public
| There Is an evident working majority
AGAINST the new members.