The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-07-27
Statement Made by c. w.
Hooven of Anderson, Ind,
Who Today Purchased the
Stock of Local Company.
HOOvEN REFUSES TO
ANNOUNCE HIS PLANS
Disposition of Pipe Lines and
Plant of Local Concern Not
Disclosed "A Statement Is
Expected Soon.

After September 1, Richmond will
not be furnished with natural gas.
This statement was made today by c.
w. Hooven of Anderson who pur-
chased the property of the Richmond
Natural Gas company at public sale
this morning.
Mr.. Hooven was president of the
| company which bought the stock OF
the company for a consideration of
S210OCO in June. This company
bought the stock for the purpose of
piping West Virginia gas here and 10
a number of other Indiana cities. 1t
was announced the West Virginia
proposition had fallen through In a
statement made by Mr.. Hooven this
afternoon he said the Richmond Gas
/ company had been a heavy loser dur
ing the past year and that many pa
irons had put artificial gas into their
houses to take the place of natural
gas.
What he intends to do with the pipe
lines and other property of the COM
pany in Richmond Mr.. Hooven refuses
to say.
hSruScS 10 Answer.
When asked il artificial gas would
be put into the pipes Mr.. Hooven only
smiled, and said, 'Oh, can't say as TO
that" "Will you turn the property
over to the Light, Heat and Power
company" was asked Mr.. Hooven. but
he refused to make a statement. He
said he had large gas company hold
ings in southern Indiana and parts of
Ohio, but he declared the Richmond
equipment would be of no value to
him in connection with the other lines
He, however, intimated that he had a
definite purpose in taking over the
holdings of the local company and
that he would be ready to make a
statement in few days.
The meeting in which the sale of
the company's holdings was effected
was held at the local office of the
Richmond company on North Eighth
street at II o'clock this morning. The
members of the company which
bought the stock of the old company
were present including Henry c. Starr,
of Chicago, James p. and w. w.
Goodrich and Calvin Diggs, of Win
chester and C. w. Hooven of Ander-
son.
It was recently reported that Rich
mond, Anderson. Winchester, New
Castle, Muncie, Elwood and Rushville
we're to be supplied with West Virgin
ia gas. AS members of the company
purchasing the plant in June had con-
siderable holdings in Indiana gas
lines and equipment, monopoly
would have been effected if the West
Virginia gas proposition had gone
through.
No Reason Assigned.
Mr.. Hooven would not state why the
West Virginia gas could not be
brought to Indiana. 1t is understood,
however, that members of the COM
pany decided that it might fail at any
time and therefore it would be too
risky proposition. 1t would have re-
quired an investment of a large sum
of money.
In addition to property in Richmond
the Richmond Natural Gas company
had a number of pipe lines which ex-
tended near New Castle and New Lis
bon, and also Chesterfield. near An
derson. These two fields re-connected
with a number of Indiana cities and it
was stated it would be an easy matter
to force gas through these mains and
supply all large cities of Eastern IN
diana. When asked if consideration
was given of forcing artificial gas to
cities of the section of the state from
a large central power house, Mr. Hoov-