The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-12-22
UTILITY HIRES
|. EXTRA Aid IN
Meter Fight
Accountants and Special
Counsel Engaged by
Water Company.
STATE PUSHES PROBE
Costs Higher in City Than
Elsewhere in Indiana,
Survey Shows.
STATE PUSHES PROBE

Special counsel and accountants
have been hired by the Indianapolis
Water Company to build a defense
of their meteri9ation program
which has been ordered on trial be-
fore the public service commission
Dec. 81, it was learned today.
An attorney and Harry Boggs,
former commission accountant and
now a member of private accounts
ing firm and termed a utility lob
byiSt," called at commission head
quarters to find out what ammuni-
ton has been gathered against the
meterization program thus far.
They learned little, but both the
engineering and service depart
mentS of the commission continued
today to gather facts throughout
the city and state.
Costs Higher Here
Thus far they have found that
the water company makes a profit
on meter box installations, that the
cost of installations is generally
higher here than throughout the
state and that in many cities the
entire meter installation expense is
borne ~ water companies.
The latter information has been
cleaned in a survey being carried
on by William Edwards, chief of the
service department. He has travelled
more than 1900 miles and gathered
data from sixteen cities. The list
includes every county seat town in
the state.
Today he started on the last leg
of his journey and will visit Koko-
mo, Peru, Rochester and Plymouth
Visits to Franklin, Edinburgh, Co
lumbus and Seymour will be made
Monday.
Must Pay for Pipes
Towns and cities already visited
include: Shelbyville, Jreensburgh,
Rushville, Connersville, Liberty,
Cambridge City, Anderson, Alexan.
dria, Marion, Huntington, Fort
Wayne, Columbia City, Warsaw.
Goshen, Elkhart, Mishawaka, South
Bend Michigan City, Gary, Ham
mond, Crown Point, Rensselaer,,
Charlottesville, Lafayette, Lebanon.
Greeneastle, Brazil, TerTe Haute,
Sullivan, Vincennes, Evansville.
Princeton, Mitchell, Bedford,
Bloomington and Martinsville.
Facts regarding meterization
methods and costs not only are be-
ing gathered by Edwards, but also
the matter Of no pays for bringing
service from mains to curbing.
Here the property owner must
bear not only the cost of the service
pipe installation from mains to
curb, but also must pay for repairs
of any ever are needed.
That, like the local meterization
methods, is not the general prac-
tice, according to Edwards survey.
Although complete compilation Of
the data gathered has not been
made, it was disclosed that where
property holders did pay for meters
the cost for nominal installation
was about from 81 to 81 and for
box installations about $40.
Asked to Pay $50
According to Senator Robert r.
Moorehead he was asked to pay $50
for a box installation in a certain
cellarless residence property owned
by him. He is to present an
affidavit to the commission, being
unable to appear on the day set.
Water consumers are urged TO at
tend and participate according to
Commissioner Howell Ellis, who will
preside,
The commission investigation was
launched after numerous COM
plants were received regarding
allegedly excessive costs of meter
installations and allegedly high
handed methods used by the water
company III forcing clients TO have
them put in