The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-04
Public Service Commission
Orders All Costs on
Corporation.
AFFECTS 25,O0O HOMES
Utility SurrenderS After
Flood of Evidence Is
Submitted.

All 1uCuI6 meter llSbdlld-
tions, including cost of pits,
must be paid by the Indian
apolis Water Company.
Such is the order passed to-
day by the public service COM
mission. It means a complete
victory for protesting con-
sumerS and an estimated saving
Of $250,000 to owners of the
$4,000 properties where meters
Ill are to be installed.
The company surrendered It's
right for hearing in the matter,
which was set for Jan. 7.
The order is not retroactive. how
ever, and the same $1,000 persons
who have paid for water meter in
stallationS since 1923 will not be
reconpensed.
Commission Orders Probe
Such order would have been inn
possible in the face of the 1923 COM
mission order, approving the COM
pany'S meterization program, it was
pointed out.
Alter numerous complaints of
high-handed measures of the com
pany in forcing meters to be in
stalled and alleged excessive costs
OF such installations, the commits
sion launched its own investigation
in charge of Commissioner Howell
Ellis.
Wide publicity was given a pub
lie hearing in The indianapolis
Times, and when it was held in the
house of representatives, Dec. 81,
numerous citizens appeared to COM
plain Of their treatment ~ the
company.
Dynamite in Meeting
Commission engineers and ac-
countants were loaded with facts
and figures, but the irate citizen
took the stand and injected verbal
dynamite into the meeting.
They told of how their water was
shut off, when it had been paid on
fiat rate, because they didn't in
stall meters; Of how numerous in
spectors came to feel the bathroom
faucets to see if they were leaking,
and Of numerous other instances
which they believed justified COM
plant.
Protest to Frank Jordan, a COM
pany official, according to one of the
witnesses, brought the reply that
the public service commission had
ordered the company to carry on in
that manner.
Ellis declared that the company
had been passing the buck" The
1923 commission order stated that
the company should proceed to Sc
cure full nieterization.
All action was halted by the COM
mission when the investigation was
launched.
Company Made Profits
The commission learned that the
company made profit on materials
for pit installations and that in
some instances costs to consumers
had been as high as $50.
At the close of the public hearing,
Fred Bates Johnson, attorney for
the company, asked for time to pre-
pare their side of the case. The
commissioners, all Of whom sat in
the hearing with Ellis, set Jan. Z,
as the company hearing date.
A letter dated Jan. 8, was received
by Ellis from II. S. Morse, general
manager of the company, asking
that the hearing be cancelled. This
was done at today's conference and
the order for free installation by
the company passed. 1t applies to
all unmeterized properties, except
new construction.
Commission Makes Comment
The commission order comments
while meterization appears de-
sirable, it should not be continued
except under modified regulations
and practices The practice of re-
quiring consumers to meet the cost
of meter installations appears, from
the evidence, to be particularly
burdensone at this time. The COM
pany has been too quick to adopt
the extraordinary measure of
shutting of service in dealing with
it's patrons. The existing practices,
in some instances, have been arbi-
trary and unreasonable and have
strained the public relations of the
company"
The order then requires free in
stallations. including pits" that the
fiat rate hold when paid in advance,
and that no meter deposits be re-
quired on rental property where the
owner and not the tenant pays the
water bill.
If there are any such deposits, the
order requires they be refunded at
once.