The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-26
"A SYNDICATE OWNS
NATURAL GAS BELT
Higher Cost for Consumer
Assured Artificial Gas
Supplants Natural.

MUNCIE. Ind. Aug. 26.-The pass
ing OF the Indiana natural gas belt, at
one time the biggest gas field in the
world outside that Of Pennsylvania,
has resulted In the purchase by the
Heat. Light and Power company OF
Muncie, soon to be known as the Gen.
trail Indiana Gas company. of the gas
franchise Of the cities and towns OF
! the gas belt and the preparation OF the
company to install an artificial gas
service throughout the former gas belt.
From the standpoint of Muncie resi-
dents at least, there seems to be no
good reason for the complete abandon
E1ment Of natural gas. Except on rare
occasions there has been no shortage
y0f natural gas for domestice purposes
Nm Muncie for several years. Usual
NY when there has been such a short
!age It has been due to break In the
tmains or some other accident. There
was q shortage last spring. For two
Tor three days In mild weather, after
THE gas supply had been satisfactory
Iall the time during the severe weather,
1.-THE supply nearly failed. Housewives
were disconnected. not having enough
Egas with which to do their cooking
I and lights were dim or failed alto
;gether. The newspapers which de-
pend upon natural gas to heat the
!melting pots on their linotype ma
chimes were forced to remain idle for
hours at q time. The gas company
representatives said II showed there
really is not enough gas to supply the
scity.
4. Plenty Of Natural Gas Now.
. After that furry, however, there
was plenty of natural gas and there
has been enough for all purposes
since. Soon after this shortage the
company announced its plans to con-
struct an artificial gas plant here.
Natural gas sells for so cents thous-
land cubic feet and is cheap fuel
lat that price. The company when 1t
tbegins to supply artificial gas, may,
under Its franchise, charge 81 thous.
and. It Is understood, although
not officially announced. that while 81
will be the nominal price. discount
1of 10 per cent will be given customers
who pay their bills before the tenth
day OF each month, making the net
,cost OF artificial gas 30 cents.
The Dawes interests now control the
majority Of the franchises In the for
amer Indiana gas belt At present they
retain the title. OF the Muncie Heat,
Light and Power company, which was
.the name of one of the local compan-
Hes that they absorbed about year
ago when they obtained practical
monopoly Of the gas business of Mum
Gle, Rufus Dawes, of Chicago, and his
brother. Charles Dawes, former con-
stroler OF the United States treasury,
.are the heads OF the new gas syndi-
cate.
The plan OF the Dawes syndicate is
understood to be to have great CEN
trial plant in Muncie from which the
gas ID to be piped to the various CT.
ties and towns where It has franchises.
Ut 10 said that another large plant Is to
be constructed in Marion as an auxil-
S1ary to the Muncie concern. A force
kof about two hundred men is now en-
tgaged In laying mains between Mum
kCie and Marion. Most OF the natural
bgas mains are being dug up. 1t is
1 thought the pipes are not sound after
khaving been 30 long in the ground. A
big force OF laborers will dig the
Ptrenches and lay the pipes by the
kway Of Alexandria, Fairmount, Jones'
bboro, Summitville and Gas City. where
Fthe company now has franchises. The
hpipe laying crew IL covering q halt
emile day. The company expects to
lhave the mains laid before cold wealth
Ter begins. About five hundred men
Twill eventually be in the working crew
"a trench digging machine and a dirt
packing device. said to be new to
kditch construction work, are being
FUSED to hurry the work.
3. Other Fields Available.
But the towns named are not the
bonly ones ultimately to become feed
Iers Of the Dawes gas syndicate, for
1.-THE company has its eyes on number
,of other available places in the old
gas belt that can be supplied from the
sMuncie or Marion stations. In some
tplaces. It 10 understood, little diff
Guilty In obtaining suitable franchises
has been encountered.
There are towns in the old gas belt
which must have artificial gas If they
are to have any. as their supply Of
ithe natural fuel either has failed OF
has been stopped in development, but
there are others that still have ar
rample supply of natural gas for many
years. A contractor of oil and gai
wells who lives in Muncie. said last
bweek that good gas wells are being
hound and can be found south of Mum
icie. These wells which instead Of hav
ding . pressure Of three hundred pounds
sand more to the square inch. as the
wells In the old days. now show only
tabout forty pounds are profitable Il
their products can be marketed. Il
~ understood that there Is move
iment afoot by local men to organize
10 new natural gas company, and con
ktinue to supply natural gas from ole
land new wells, to the citizens at 81
cents q thousand.
The Heat. Light and Power compan,
officials laugh at q suggestion Of this
kind and say It IL impossible for an,
~ Nhtain ounurh natura