The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-06
CITY SCORES
IN FIRST RATE
CUT MEETING
Outsiders Whose Loyalty Is
Doubted Are Barred
From Conferences.
UTILITY HEADS PRESENT
Harrod Advances View That
Present Charges fer
Light Are Fair.

Although not overconhdent of
ultimate victory through the con-
ference plan, Mayor Reginald H.
Sullivan and signers of petitions for
water and electric rate reductions
were jubilant today at the result of
the first compromise conference held
Thursday afternoon.
Under leadership of the mayor
and w. c. Rothermel, chairman of
the South Side Civic Clubs utility
committee, they did score whatever
triumph was recorded at the first
meeting.
That was success in keeping OUT
siders, whose loyalty might be ques-
toned and who were not petition
signers, from "muscling-in" ON flu
ture conferences.
The opening conference was held
in the Office of Commissioner Harry
K. Cuthbertson of the public service
commission. Cuthbertson called the
conference after the city admins
tration and citizens, under south
side clubs leadership, filed petitions
against the indianapolis Water
Company and the indianapolis
Power and Light Company.
Rates Fair, HarrOd View
Cuthbertson presided as chairman
and expressed willingness to "um-
pire" future meetings.
A conamittee-Mayor Sullivan, Ed
ward H. Knight, corporation coun-
sell; Taylor E. Groninger, attorney
for the south side clubs, and Rep
resentative John F. White of the
south side clubs utility committee
was appointed to arrange future
conferences.
These will be attended by utility
representatives and petitioners,
whom the committee of four will
select.
Hope for cut rates through a COM
promise seemed remote at the first
meeting.
For c. L. Harrod, Indianapolis
Power and Light Company presi-
dent, expressed the view that an
audit would disclose that present
rates are low on basis of valua-
ton and return. He suggested that
the petitions be withdrawn during
the conference period, or for the
next ninety days.
Refuse to Withdraw Petitions
This idea was secuted by the
mayor who announced that the
I'LL
Joseph j. Daniels, Indianapolis
Water Company attorney, said they
would offer no objection to keeping
the petitions on file during the con-
ference period, but insisted that flu
ture meetings be held separately
with the electric and water COM
pany officials.
The idea of separating the two
utilities for the conferences was
agreed upon.
Daniels also conceded little hope
of a compromise through reduced
rates on water.
Fight of the mayor and Rother-
mel to confine the conference COM
mittee personnel to petitioners and
name their own committeeman came
after Groninger put William Bos-
son on the committee on COM
mittees.
Blossoms Name Taken Off
After considerable debate Bos-
sons name was withdrawn. He is
not a signer of the petition, and
made speech suggesting that the
telephone and gas utilities be in
Guided in the rate reduction con-
ferenceS.
Bosom said he represented north
side civic clubs. Opposition to him
came partly from his recent sup
port of the Kentucky Natural Gas
Company plan to bring natural gas
here, after a committee which he
had headed started out originally
in opposition to the proposal.
White, member Of that com-
mittee, remained steadfast in the
original stand.
Both White and Bosom are ac-
tive in all such matters as civic
club representatives.
Future meetings are to be an
nounced soon, it was stated at city
hall TO-DAY.