The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-21
AT the Council Session Last
Night, Subject of Making
Official Tests Of Gas and
Meters Was Up.
MAYOR MAKES VERY
DIRECT STATEMENT
Says Employees of the Com
pany Admitted to Him that
Air Was Used with the Gas
In Its Making.

Tho quality Of gas furnished the
Richmond public by the Light, Heat
and Power company and the meters
used In measurement will soon become
subjected to official tests. IL the atti-
tudc manifested by the council and
Mayor Zimmerman at the council
meeting last evening continues.
Interrupting Councilman II. II. En-.
glcbcrt. In a discussion Of the gas sit
uatiOn, Mayor Zimmerman made the
statement that In. response to an in.
Quiry he had been told by attaches OF
the company that air Is being pumped
into the gas and that a mistake in
pumping too much was responsible for
the trouble In the service some time
ago.
A resolution presented by Council.
man Englcbert calling upon City At
torney Gardner to draw up an ordi-
nance under the agreements OF the
franchise under which the company
Is operating. providing for test as
to the quality Of gas the company Is
furnishing and the testing Of the me.
ters TO determine their accuracy. and
imposing penalties In case Of discrep-
ancy. was passed unanimously. The
resolution also provided that the ordi-
nance be prepared In time for presen-
tation at the next council meeting in
order to nllow immediate action.
And Wind 10 Free.
II understand they have been pump
ing air into the gas and giving the
people wlad and II that Is so." declared
Councilman Englebert. I'VE ought to
80 after them" Mayor Zimmerman
voiced his hearty approval Of this SEN
timent. and council ms body seemed
TO be entirely behind the project.
There Ia every indication that coun-
ell. In pursuance OF the ideas expressed
last evening, will pass the ordinance
20 be prepared by the city attorney. at
the next meeting and the people Of
Richmond will be given the opportuni.
~ OF knowing how much and what
kind of gas they are paying for.
City Attorney Gardner will draw up
tho ordinance after the Indianapolis
measure which imposes the same re-
strictions on the gas companies OF that
city.
As the franchise OF the Light. Heat
and Power company specifies fifteen
candle power gas as the quality to be
furnished. but does not define what
shall constitute that quality. the test
ing ordinance will no doubt set forth
the ingredients Of fifteen candle pow
or gas 30 that standard may be cs-
tahlished upon which to base the
ters- of quality. The omission Of any
specifications In the local franchise
was pointed out by the city attorney
IN explaining the Indianapolis measure
which provides for tests to determine
whether the quality tcighteen candle
power Is supplied thcre) is up to the
standard specifically prescribed in the
ordinance.
Won pein Raises Point.
Councilman Won Pein asked II the
franchise Of the company was open al.
lowing them to charge any price for
the gas. He was told that 1t was. and
he then declared that II the testing
ordinance was enacted. compelling the
compsny to furnish better gas. the
price may be raised higher and the
city would be no better off than before
Mayor Zimmerman suggested that
In case the quality was found deficient
or the meters Inaccurate a penalty
might be imposed requiring the COM
pany to furnish such quality of gas
at stipulated price. The legality Of
such action will be Investigated. 70
Tho question was brought to focus
by Councilman Englcbcrt lie stated
there had been much complaint made
about the gas recently. and that a
great many persons had told him that
their gas bills during the last month
were almost double of what they had
usually been. II understand" said Mr..
Englebert. that they have been pump
Ing air into the gas (here the mayor
Interrupted to declare that in response
Continued on Page Eight