Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-31

housed In a booth and consists Of sam
pies Of coke made from the various
grades Of coal used by the gas company.
The prices are plainly set out. There is
one grade that sells for S9.75, but the
Warren company, which has Offices in the
gas building, is making its campaign on
the $40 coke. Coke and coal as fuels are
compared in statistical tables, with the
odds in favor Of the former for heating
value and cleanliness, and there IS q man
in attendance TO answer questions.
The st. Louis gas situation is similar
to that in Indianapolis, only more so.
A hike in rates recently was authorized
by the Missouri public service commits
sion, but what that rate is seems more
or less Of Z mystery to the general pub
lie. Not one of half a dozen persons
asked at random on the street was able
TO tell the rate.
The reply to the question. What is
the gas rate in st. Louis?' was practi-
eally the same in each case: "Well, l
p don't know exactly, but I'm a consumer,
and you can bet it's high enough"
A general Office emplOye OF the COM
pany said the rate was S1.05 net"
SAYS INCREASE
SAVED THE DAY.
G. B. Davis, general manager Of the
y.
Information that If the commission had
not granted the increase when it did that
the company would now be in the hands
Of a receiver.
Mr.. Davis also indicated that the coke
market largely was to blame for the
present difficulties OF so many gas com
ranies.
During the war" he said, when pro-
duction was booming. coke was in great
4 II T1~f~
enough 10 keep up with the calls. The
result was that the small consumer was
squeezed out and the prices OF coke
scared to unprecedented figures. Then
along came the lull and coke became a
drug on the market. When we went out
70 try to sell It, we were laughed at. We
couldn't give II away
But there was one advantage to this
war use Of coke, according to Mr.. Davis
He says it kept the gas rates from being
liked before they were. He also says
4 that the higher the price Of coke, the
acheaper the rate for gas.
But what good" he asked. SIS a coke
pile Of so many hundred thousand tons
at SO or SD or SIS a ton II you can't
get rid Of IL? Just as bad as none at all
isn't It? We are trying to get around
that condition by asking less for our
coke and getting it moved. even though
It means a loss TO the company"
Mr.. Davis would not discuss costs, say
ing that was a matter that he preferred
leaving to the Warren company, which
handles all our coke business the same
as the Domhoff & Joyce Company handles
the indianapolis Gas COmpanys bust
ness" Just what the Warren company
pays for its coke was not learned.
BOTH FAMILIAR WITH
HOOSIER SITUATION.
Both Mr.. Davis and Mr.. Woods seemed
familiar with the Indianapolis situation,
especially Mr.. Woods, who was one Of
the outside experts called in the Indiana
public service commission and ques-
toned as to the value of coke when the
petition Of the Citizens Gas Company for
q hike in rates first came before the
commissioners several months ago.
Mr.. Woods registered q lively interest
IN the value of IS a ton set on Indian
apolis coke by the service board and
said that II he were to testify now he
probably would not name a figure as