The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-02-16
NATURAL GAS
OFFER TO CITY
TURNED DOWN
Cincinnati Banking Firms
Proposal Is Branded
Not FeaSibIe.'
WITHDRAWAL FOLLOWS
Door Left Open for New
Proposition; Columbia
Co. Also Interested.

Executive committee of the Cit
izens Gas Company today informed
Mayor Reginald Sullivan that the
proposal Of Westheimer & Co. to
bring natural gas to this city was
mot feasible
Very promptly the offer was With
drawn by the Cincinnati banking
firm whose representatives had
claimed that their offer would cut
the cost to consumers more than
100000 a year, and eventually re-
turn a greater profit for the COM
pany.
In declaring against the offer, gas
company officials at the same time
left the door open to a revised
offer or for any other offers that
may be made
The proposal was based upon an
understanding with receivers of the
Missouri Kansas Company. whose
pipe lines now extend to the Terre
Haute line.
Columbia In Background
For more than two years, pro-
posals have been made from time
TO time to bring natural gas to this
city, mix it with the manufactured
gas, and provide fuel of higher
heat content.
At all times the Columbia organ
ization, which owns the gas COM
panies in a large number of cities,
including Cincinnati and Columbus,
has been in the background, Sug-
costing a readiness to bring in gas.
When the Westheimer offer was
made, officials of the Columbia came
to this city, and, under introduc
tions by former Governor James E..
Goodrich, held conferences with
city officials and directors of the gas
company. They made no formal
offer.
Confer With City Advisers
They returned to the city last week
and spent considerable time with
their advisers, just previous to the
decision made by the executive COM
mittee. which is composed of Clar-
ence Kirk. general manager; H. H.
Hornbrook and c. A. Efroymson.
1t was the claim of the repre-
sentativeS of Westheimer that the
offer to indianapolis was at a lower
rate than is given to any other
middlewest city by Columbia, and
that the chance to get natural gas,
If not accepted would leave the
city later exposed to higher rates.
n Oh a in
Cincinnati and Columbus as evil
dence that their offer was particu-
larly advantageous, made possible
only by receiVership of the pipe line
company and probably not available
If turned away at this time.
For several months T. w. Wick
ham of Cincinnati and John MaXon
of Muncie, representing the Gin
Cinnati banking house, have studied
the situation. They were emphatic
in their assertion that the offer
made would save the city large sums
in fuel costs and would result in
greater profits to the company when
the city takes it over.
Demanded by Industries
Most OF the other large cities Of
the nation, especially industrial
cities. now use natural gas. 1t is
being piped from The Texas fields
to Denver, Minneapolis and Chicago.
Local manufacturers for months
have demanded that it be brought
to this city, claiming that it would
put factories on a better competitive
level with those of other cities.
The Columbia system has had its
eve on the local market. but never
has made a definite Cffer 1t has a
pipe line. an extension of the same
pipe line from which the gas was to
be furnished under the Westheimer
proposal which runs to Muncie.
Its lines pass through Marion
county. When constructed, the per-
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