Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-05
GAS COMPANY
PROMISES FAIL
TO MATERIALIZE
Rate Boost to go Cents Not
Met by Adequate Public
Service.
BY-PRODUCTs ATTRACT

Glaring Inconsistencies between the
promises by officials of the Citizens Gas
Company of what would be accomplished
in the way of service for the citizens OF
Indianapolis, made when the public serv-
ice commission granted an increase in
the rate to 60 cents per 1000 cubic feet,
April 20, 1918, and permission to sell Sc
curities with which to purchase additional
equipment May %, 1918, and the per-
formances of the company since that date
are apparent from an examination Of rec
ords at the Statehouse and the state
ments of gas officials before the board
of public works last week.
Outstanding among these inconsist-
encies Is the promise of representatives
of the company before the public service
commission in 1918 that an addition of
/ forty coke ovens to the equipment of
the Prospect plant would increase the
gas producing capacity to a maximum
of 100000 cubic feet per day and the
statement Of James Steep, assistant en-
gineer of the company to the board OF
works last Friday that the highest point
ever attained was last Thursday, when
II. O2O. 600 cubic feet was produced.
This was a year and a half after the
completion of the forty coke ovens, her
aided as such a boon to the public.
FIVE CENT RATE INCREASE
TO PRODUCE S1s6,OO0.
In April, 1918, officials of the COM
Pany told the commission that the
granting of an increase OF 5 cents in the
rate would mean an increase in revenue
Of approximately $4,000.
Before the board of public works AL
fred Potts of the board Of directors
stated that the increase Of so cents, which
the company believes is necessary for its
proper progress, would add 100000 to
the annual income.
Evidence offered before the commission
in April, 1918, was to the effect that the
maximum production of the company up
to that time was approximately II 100000
cuhi feet per day.
Language Of the order Of the commits
sion granting the increase to 60 cents,
setting out the reasons upon which the
raise was predicated. is as follows:
Where the addition OF forty coke
ovens will double the producing capacity
Of the plant providing for present de-
mands and for the Industrial needs of
the community during the war period,
insuring better and more even pressure
and a higher average of heat units, and
enabling the company to discontinue ex-
cept In emergencies, the operation of a
water gas plant which is run at a loss
....................the proposed increase
was approved"
COMMISSION LED TO
BELIEVE 60 CENTS SUFFICIENT.
Further evidence that the commission
was led by the gas company to believe
that the 60-eent rate would prevent gas
shortages for many years, is found in a
summing up Of the evidence. which reads,
in part, as follows
THAT the petitioner is unable to meet
all requirements for service; that 1t is
desirable that said facilities be Increased
by the addition OF forty ovens, thereby
doubling its coal gas production capacity
and raising the total maximum capacity
Of petitioners generating facilities, M
GLIDING its water gas plants. to more
than 100000 cubic feet OF gas per day;
that such additional facilities viii en-
able petitioner to render service to those
demanding service for domestic. in
dustriaI and war order purposes, except
for tla substitution OF said gas for coal
for general house heating: that the en-
largement Of facilities. as stated, viii
result in more satisfactory service to all
patrons; that said additions win make
possible a more even pressure and the
maintenance Of higher average Of heat
units"
board OF works last winter fined the gas
company some 5000 for failure to pro-
duce gas Of the 600 British thermal unit
standard and continued precarious serv-
Ice resulted last Wednesday evening IN
such low pressure that housewives
throughout the city had their dinners de-
layed more than an hour.
INCREASE GRANTED
FOR EFFICIENT SERVICE.
Ia
the increase to 60 cents 1t Is pointed out
that the raise was being permitted so
that efficient service to both domestic
and industrial consumers might be in
sured and vet the gas officials before
the board of public works contended
that $1,250,O00 authorized to be Dor
rowed by the commission in May, 1918,
to finance the improvements was spent
on the forty coke ovens, other equipment
being permitted to remain so unmodern
and inadequate that the full gas pro-
during efficiency Of the ovens can not
be utilized until further improvements,
to cost approximately S25OO,oO0, are
made.
This, it is pointed out by persons
familiar with the situation, emphasizes
the admissions of gas officials that the
gas company is interested in producing
highly profitable coke and other by
products first and gas secondly.
Otherwise, these persons state, the com
pany would have spent part Of the
81, 100000 raised two years ago, on equip
ment which would, enable it to store and
transport the greater quantity Of gas
which, as company engineers point out,
necessarily must be produced in direct
ratio to the increased production Of coke.
NEW MAINS
MAY BE ORDERED.
The franchise requirement which gives
the COMPANY annie winning of the In