Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-05


State of Indiana for many months
without any intelligent progress,
having been made toward a solution
Of the situation. and
whereas, no plan has been sug.
gested which, in the judgment of
the common council. will properly
solve the difficulties;
Now, therefore be it resolved,
That in the judgment of the common
council of the city Of Indianapolis,
the Public Service Commission Of the,
State OF Indiana, be and they are
hereby requested TO proceed without
further delay to devolve some i'm
mediate plan Of relief that Will, as
fsr as possible, enable the Indianapo-
lis>Street Railway Company to pre-
pare for the performance OF its du-'
ties during the, coming winter; and,
"Be 1t further resolved, That if any
increase of fare is found to be neces-
sary. definite provisions should be
made for the deposit of specific
portion Of each fare in special de
pository, such portion TO be used
for the sole and only purpose of e1-
tending the lines and improving the
tracks and equipment of the COM :,
pany."
This resolution was the work of both
President Schmidt and Mr.. Carnefx, 1t
was explained by the latter, who spoke
briefly upon it.
Il understand that there are two fac
lions in the management Of the street
railway company, one wanting TO see
the company perform its duties to the
public In a fair and adequate way, and
the other combined with certain local
financial interests for the purpose OF
wreeking it, said Mr.. Carnefx.
RESOLUTION SEEKS TO
BLOCK WREeKING.
IF this latter faction gains its ends
then we will have no better service or
extensions this winter, and this resolu-
ton is for the purpose of starting some
: thing which may bring out the real
trouble so that the people may know
about it."
Further discussion along lines which
undoubtedly mnst be uncomfortable for
the gentlemen whom the cOuncilmen be-
lieve are trying to wreck the company
gave the corporation counsel an oppor-
tunity to unbuckle his sword and fly to
the head Of the "bridge."
With few preliminary fourishes such
rs any champion Of the people" might
be justified in making, Ashby launched
int a defense of the introduction Of the
''servtce-at-cost" plan, which up TO this
that indianapolis has lower fare than
practically all other American cities OK
her class and that in spite Of this the
street railway company is showing a net
income OF 500, 600 for the first eight
months Of 1920
Reference has been made to the con-
tending factions" the counsel said
That's the first information that I've
had that there was any plan TO wreck
the company
When President Schmidt wanted to
know why the city did not get service
and what had become Of the 100000, Mr.
Ashby replied that he didn't intend to
say that we are getting the Service we
ought to have. but / do say that we are
getting as good service as any other city
In the country" and that the 100000 was
net income, out Of which some fixed
charges had TO be met and the remainder
devoted to dividends.
President Schmidt attempted 10 get i'm
mediate consideration upon the resoIu-
ton, but after several councilmen ex-
pressed the desire that it take the regu-
lar course it was referred to the commit
tee on public works, of which Council
man Lee J. Kirsch is chairman.
Mr.. AshDy did not fully unlimber until
President Schmidt popped the gas Ques-
ton, which the lawyer had been sum
moned to point way to solve, in words
as follows:
eve want to know what action to
take to make the gas company live up
20 its franchise.
Il realize that the public service COM
Enission has the right to fix the price,
but the city has the right to tx guam
tity and quality"
Thereupon. Mr.. Ashby, instead Of out
lining the procedure which the council
head had called for spent a quarter of
an hour, giving eloquent, If not con-
Yincings reasons why the council should
stop bothering the downtrodden utility,
EhieH only made more money in the
last six months than it ever made be-
fore from the attorneys Don admission
IN one of his few unguardsd moments
Properly under way Mr.. 1Asnby de-
clared:
4 regard the gas situation as the
most serious thing facing the city OF
Indianapolis so far as the comfort of
citizens is concerned for something like
5000 homes are using gas for cooking.
'The domestic cooking consumer ought
to be served first, the heating con-
sumner second and the industrial con-
sumner last" Mr. Ashby said, but there
is no such thing as the power to give
the gas company immediate greater
manufacturing capacity"
What do you mean 'capacity'1" Coun-
Gilman Wilson inquired
why. er. all things have a limit"
Mr.. Ashby replied.
That's the same argument the gas
company brought up two years ago. Mr..
Wilson said, reviewing the history of
the company's plea for an increased rate
IN 1913 and asserting that the utility was
so busy making coke it did not give the
proper attention to making gas.
POINTS COKE AUXILIARY
MEANS CHEAPER GAS.
We've got to remember" Mr.. Ashby
said, that if the gas company didn't run
a coke plant our gas would cost us twice
as much and we want to remember that
we've got the cheapest gas in the world.
IF you compel the coufpany to put on
All the pressure demanded in abnormal
times you would wreck the plant in
few days, for the pipes would be emptied
and it would take sixty days to refill
them.
1--WE must realize that we are limited
70 q fixed plant for this winter and that
-1y>r II some one would give the company
&c s.. 100000 needed for improvements
we couldn't get them completed in time.
what the people need is more gas, but
there is no way in the world to get it
this winter, so the question now is to
distribute what we already have in the
best way"
By this time Mr.. Ashby had every
body so spellbound they had forgotten
that he had been asked to outline Sd pro-
cedure by which the gas situation might
he investigated, not DISCUSSED, and fur