Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-08-30
NO ASSURANCE
REGARDING GAS
SUPPLY GIVEN
Forrest Seems Wandering
Round in Forest of IFS
an Ands.'
START HEARING TODAY

No assurance that there would be an
adequate supply Of gas this winter to
meet all demands, or that conditions
would be improved over those OF last
winter, has been given by J. d. Forrest,
secretary and general manager OF the
Citizens Gas Company.
By request Of the state public service
commission, directors Of the gas company
were to appear before the commission
this afternoon to inform the commits
sion regarding the company's ability to
provide adequate gas service for Indi-
annapolis this winter.
In speaking Of the reduction in the re
serve supply of coal which the company
had on hand, as the result Of coal strikes
and the general difficulty In getting coal,
Forrest said the reserve had been re-
duced TO about ten days supply, baslng
that estimate on production OF 5000
600 cubic feet day the average daily
production st present being in the neigh
borhood of s,500000 cubic feet day.
What might be termed the peak of
production, or, in other words, the total
amount Of gas. including water gas. that
could be produced in q day would be
10 100000 cubic feet, but this rate OF
production, he e3 planned, could be con-
iinued only for a short length of time.
5000. 900 CUBIC
FEET WATER GAS.
OF the $4,000 coo maximum production,
t was explained, 5,Oo0O00 would be
water gas, which is produced for emer-
gency use, although without profit, be-
cause It can be produced and discon-
tinued more quickly than the other gas.
OF the oil, with which water gas -
enriched, the company had ON hand
enough for about thirty days consump-
tion.
The company was drawing coal from
twenty seven mines, said Forrest, of
which four produce Pocahontes coal and
twenty three produce high volatile coal.
Indiana coal. Il is said, is not suitable
for gas making purposes.
In speaking of the company having
only ten days reserve supply Of coal
Forrest said It had been necessary TO
cut into the reserve on hand at the
beginning Of August. but that every ef-
fort was being made not to reduce the
ten days reserve.
The company. II was explained, had
about $500 private consumers and toO
Industrial consumers, aud that, as an
example Of the comparative use OF gas
by private consumers and industrial con
samers last January, out Of total OF
SOC, sos. 600 cubic feet or gas sent out
during the month, 25.00o.000 cubic feet
was used by these consumers.
A fat rate OF 80 ccnts q thousand cubic
feet OF gas for large as we'll as small
consumers is in effect the old sliding
scale Of rates having been increased 70
a fat e0-cent rate by order OF the public
service commission OF Indiana IN an
order Of April IS. 1918
EZnrsRTnSAT. ySE
MORE UNIFORM
In speaking Of the industrial and pri-
yate consumers. Forrest polntei out thar
the former used a more uniform. guam
tity OF gas. winter and summer, than tse
latter
OF the total number Of private con-
sumers. he said, about 5000 had gas
cooking stoves Of come nature, and that
the average hourly consumption OF gas
by these was. approximately. about 1v
cubic feet each, 30 that. II a sudden cold
ispell or any other reason caused all OF
these stoves 10 be used for an unusual
length Of time Il caused greatly IN
creased demand for gas.
He explained that additional boilers
we're being installed toward operating
machinery at the Prospect plant of the
company TO guard against failure Of elec-
trlc power such as had caused trouble
there. end that by means OF some new
mains that would be in use by winter
some OF the outlying consumers would
get a letter supply and more equal dis
tribution OF gas than heretofore.
One feature OF the gas situation, II As
said. Is that high coal prices or dill
Guilty In obtaining coal causes a greater
demand on the gas company.