The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-05
GAS HEARING IS
STARTED BEFORE
SERVICE BODY
Central Indiana Gas Company
Petitions for Authority to
Cut Off Natural Gas Supply.

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 5.-An agree
ment was entered into "Wednesday at
hearing before the Public Service
Commission whereby Muncie. River.
side, Normal City, Hartford City ana
Fairmount will continue to be sup
Piled with natural gas by the Central
Indiana Gas Company. Provision was
made, however. that II, with the ap-
proach of extremely cold weather. the
supply of natural gas fails. that the
City Councils of either Munc1e OF
Hartford City and Paramount may ask
the commission to order the company
TO substitute artificial gas for period
of not less than thirty days. The man.
ufactured gas thus supplied will be
at the same rate being charged IN
other cities served by the company
During the hearing, which was con-
Quoted by Commissioner Paul r.
HAYNES, J. II. Maxon of Muncie. presi-
dent and manager of the Central In
diana Gas company. and II. B. Hurd
of Chicago, attorney for the company,
insisted that supply of natural gas
could not be guaranteed. The company
in its petition sought to discontinue
the natural gas service entirely. the
company obtains its natural gas from
the Logan Gas company.
John McPhee. city attorney OF Nun
Gle: Mayor Bunch, members OF the
hoard of works and City Council OF
Muncie and representatives Of all the
other cities served by the company
were presen. at the hearing. Attor-
ney McPhee, who headed committee
Of city representatives Of the gas
belt" which made Investigations IN
the West Virginia gas fields, served as
the chief spokesman.
The company insisted that 1t wcnld
not take. the responsibility to serve
natural gas, as 1t believes there VIII
not be a supply. The city officials. on
the other hand, declared that the!
have reason to believe that there would
be supply and that they were Will
ing to take responsibility for supply
ing gas to domestic consumers under
the Plan.
II was further agreed that the order
of the commission issued last montf
establishing priority consumers 10
gas in these cities will continue II
effect This order provides that wher
the supply Of gas is low that industries
shall be cut off from service in o.del
TO assure a supply for domestic con
sumers.
Following the settlement Of the nat
nral gas question. the commission
started a hearing on the company
petition for increased artificial ga
rates in Anderson, Marion, Alexandrl;
and Elwood. The rate to be estab
lished as a result Of this hearing vii
also apply to Muncie. Hartford cit.
md Paramount, in event they are fore
ed to use artificial gas.
Mr. Maxton was the only witness
called. The hearing will continue tt
day. He asserted that the compan.
would be compelled to discontinue IN
use OF natural gas because OF made
auate supply and would from now o.
be forced to manufacture gas with OF
The present net cost to produce ga
Is 81 cents for 1000 cubic feet. n
said. and that when the oil process
Is inaugurated the cost will be abou
So cents
Upton and Noblesville also are e
fected and sent representatives to tn
hearing. These cities are supplied
by the Indiana Gas Light compan.
which purchases gas from the Centrs
Indiana Gas company. This compan
has also petitioned for an increase l
rates.