Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-09-30

Continued From Page one.)
day which delayed the preparations Of
many dinners and caused many citizens
to fear the supply was giving out
III the public will cooperate to the
extent Of using gas for cooking purposes
only and that as sparingly as possible
the situation viii not be menacing." Al
fred f. Potts. member of the board Of
directors. and F. G. Rastenburg, assistant
secretary Of the Citizens Gas Company.
declared today.
IF the public does continue to use gas
for heating purposes, however. the situa-
ton will be very grave indeed" they
added.
Officials of the company said that
thousands OF citizens who have not yet
started their furnaces and heating stoves
turned on the gas full force as soon
as they arose and found the cold spell
upon them yesterday morning. with the
result that throughout the morning an
average Of about a million cubic feet per
hour was consumed
NORMAL DEMAND
FOR GAS DOUBLES.
This is double the normal demand and
is so heavy a load that before nightfan
yesterday 1t became necessary to start
uging the supply in reserve tanks TO keep
the mains from being emptied.
The total consumption yesterday was
15.000O00 feet. while in normal times II
averages around 100000.
The latter figure is about the limit OF
the load which the gas company can
safely bear continuously, It was said.
Mr.. Rastenburg stated that there is no
immediate danger OF the coal and oil
supplies giving out at either the Langs-
dale or Prospect plants. but that unless
the PEOPLE use other means of heating
their homes through the present cold
wave, the reserve stocks will be depleted
TO the city's future sorrow.
The net operating profits OF the gas
company for the first six months OF 1920
were SAT ,957.s3. which is the greatest
figure for such a period In the history OF
the company, according to a report made
TO the public service commission by J.
d. Forrest, secretary and general man.
ager.
Dir. Forrest also reported that the COM
pany plans Improvements which viii cost
about $2.JO0,000
COLD WEATHER BRINGS
HEAVY COAL DEMAND.
According to Henry L. Dithmer. presi-
dent OF the Polar Ice &c Fuel Company,
l44c tOAu NtdAbtA mas Drought ABOUT Qe-
mand for coal that far exceeds the sup
ply.
The coal dealers are limiting each Gus
toner to two tons and they are consider
ing bringing the limit down TO one ton.
They point out that while this practice
is necessary TO give coal TO as many per-
sons as possible It adds considerably to
the dealers problems because of the
necessity for the employment Of more
men and more wagons
Everybody is going wild for COAL"
Mr. Dithmer said. I'VE have been keep
ing two girls busy all day doing nothing
but answering telephone calls from per-
sons who desire to buy coal"
Mr.. Dithmer pointed out that coal deal
ers do not know what the immediate fu-
ture holds for them in the way of prices
This adds to our troubles" he said,
because we cannot answer the many
questions Of consumers as to what they
should do about their coal supply"
Mr.. Dithmer blamed the present coal
shortage on the priority orders of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, which
gives the advantage to utilities and other
concerns over the small consumer