The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-15
FOUND \ GAS FIGHT.
AIayOr BergundthaI Quite at Home i'm
indianapolis. p

Mayor Bergundthal. who is back
IN Indianapolis visiting his brother,
has run right into another cheap gas
fight. which is raging in Indianapolis
between the mayor and the gas COM
pany- It Is almost a parallel OF the
situation in Topeka. Mayor Hoffman
of Indianapolis, wants the gas COM
pany to reduce the gas rates; the gas
company won't do it; an ordinance
has been introduced by one Council
man Fishback cutting the rate from 80
TO 80 cents for fuel gas, and the cOun-
Gil does not seem to be very enthu-
siastic in support of the ordinance.
That is the situation in Indianapolis
Evidently the Hoosiers are doing all
IN their power to make things home
like for Mayor Bergundthal.
Mayor BergundthaI expects to call
on Mayor Hoffman while in Indian
which mayors have with gas COM
panies.
The following is the report of the
opening round of the indianapolis gas
fight, as reported in the Indianapolis
Mayor Holtzman's Iong-taIked-
about 5O-cent gas ordinance was in
troduced last night in the city coun-
ell II applies to fuel gas only, and
leaves the price of lighting gas at its
feet.
About the city offices yesterday
uOuDL was expressed
about the vigOr of the mayors war
Tor cheaper fuel gas. BY politicians
who quoted him without his authority
II was said that the mayor did not ex-
pect TO get 5O-cent gas for Indianapo-
lis, but is going to force the gas COM
pany to renew its present contract with
the city before his administration ex-
pires.
The gas ordinance introduced last
night provides:
Fuel gas shall be sold at so cents a
thousand feet.
The company shall put in a separate
meter to measure fuel gas on applica-
zion from any customer.
Councilman Fisnback, who intro
ouced the ordinance for the mayor. did
not seem as enthusiastic for 5O-cent gas
have been.
If the gas company can not furnish
gas at that rate he said. speaking of
the 5e-cent provision, it can come for
adjusted
The mayor made public yesterday
the results of tests of the citys illum-
mating gas. which show that instead
of furnishing is candle power gas The
company's lights average only 1913 can
die power
Tests of the lighting power of gas
sold to consumers were made by Wal
Ter Buehler. assistant city engineer.
from January to March ;. The first
Test made showed a candle power of
only l2-6. That day the newspapers re-
corded the fact that tests had begun.
and the next day the candle power in
creased to 17.6. But this did not last
long, and the light soon began to fail.
Prof +. ;. Ferry of Purdue UNIVERSE
~ made thirty-one readings. which
Showed an avera ge of 1872 candle power
The United States census report for
$500 contains statistics on the manu-
1aeture of gas in every state. The re-
port for 1ndi3na is based upon the gov
eminent investigation of the 80 plants
then existing in the state
These plants in the census year
sold a64.135.SS3 cubic feet of artificial
gas The aggregate cost to manufac-
ture this gas was S255. S64. The by
products were sold for 1922 GAL. leaving
the net cost of the gas 1872. 923
This makes the net cost of the man
ufacture of gas in Indiana II cents a
thousand feet. This includes returns