The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-11
GAS RESTRICTION
ORDER ASKED OF
FUEL DIRECTOR
Strong Protest Against Use Of
Natural Gas by Industries
Asked by Richmond Men.

Natural Gas by Industries
Asked by Richmond Men.
WASHINGTON. Dec 11.-An order
forbidding industries Of Ohio and In
diana from using natural gas drawn
from the West Virginia fields, in order
that domestic consumers may be as
sured supply, was sought Tuesday
from the United States fuel admins
tration. A hearing on the subject was
held before T. B. Gregory, director OF
the bureau Of natural gas.
An especially strong protest against
permitting industries of either state
from burning natural gas this winter
was voiced from Richmond. Ind. Ten
other Indiana cities, however. are In
terested In the question. The gas
company at Richmond Is willing to
cut of all industries provided gen
eral order effecting industries OF the
other cities Is issued.
Attending the hearing were Byram
Robbins, representing the city OF Rich
mond; N. II. Johnson, general manager
of the Richmond Heat and Light Com
pany; Guy s. ROBBIE, fuel administrator
for Wayne county; J. II. Maxon, pres
ident OF the Central Indiana Gas Com
pany at Muncie; A. Frantz fuel admin
istrator for Ohio. and X. G. Krick OF
Columbus, O.. vice president OF the
Logan Natural Gas Company. which
receives its gas from West Virginia
and in turn sells 1t to Ohio and lndi-
ana cities. Mr.. Krick reported that
Dayton, O., already has reserved its
entire natural gas supply for domestic
consumers.
HEAVY DRAIN At MUNciE
In Richmond only one-seventh of the
natural gas consumed goes to indus
tries, while 1t Is asserted that In Mum
Gle one industry alone uses more gas
than is required to supply every do
nestle consumer in Richmond. In
deed, figures were produced to show
that in Muncie within a two-year per-
Tod the industries were permitted to
consume 1,50O,0O0.000 cubic feet more
than used by the domestic cosumers
there.
Thousands of domestic consumers In
Indiana were left without fuel for
cooking purposes In the cold weeks OF
last winter and an even worse condi-
tion may be expected, 1t was asserted
here today, unless industries are re-
quired at once to use coal instead OF
natural gas. Mr.. Krick Of the Logan
Gas Company considers that there
has ben such shrinkage In the West
Virginia natural gas supply, in com.
parison with last year, that all the In
diana companies now selling natural
gas should begin at once to manufac-
ture gas for the winter period. On
the other hand. Mr.. Johnson OF the gas
company at Richmond, Is confident
that there will be enough natural gas
for cooking purposes II the supply is
cut of from industries.
Need the Gas.
Unless natural gas is shut of from
industries in Ohio, Indiana and other
states receiving natural gas from West
Virginia there won't be gas for either
industries or domestic consumers"
said Mr.. Johnson. "But If the indus
tries are compelled to turn to other
fuel there should be enough natural
gas for the homes; that is. for cooking
purposes. No home. of course, should
count on gas for heating purposes.
Only one-seventh of the gas now con-
sumed in Richmond goes to industries.
We are willing to give the gas entirely
to the homes, but not unless Muncie
and other towns are required to do
likewise. That is. we do not want to
conserve our supply just to permit
factories of other towns to use it,
The Indiana towns using the nat.
ural gas from West Virginia include
Richmond, Anderson, Newcastle, Nun
cie. Elwood, Hartford City, Alexandria,
Noblesville, Upton and Lynn.