The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-02

The Associated owns the
gas distribution plant at Rich
mond, and it wanted to take
over the light plant to COM
plete its monopoly.
Excerpts from the letters uncov-
cred by the federal trade commits
sion tell the whole story.
On July 26, 1923, John 7. Beasley
of the Terre Haute law firm of
Beasley, Altman, O'Brien and BeaS-
ley, wrote letter to Henry B. Fitch
of Bowling Green, KY, president
of the Kentucky Tennessee Light
and Power Company, an Associated
,'lbsidiary. The letter was in refer
zee to a conversation which Judge
Beasley had with Mr.. Byrd" who
had been suggested as a good man
to send to Richmond to negotiate
the deal.
Wrote Judge Beasley:
HE (meaning Mr.. Byrd stated to
me quite definitely he was unwilling
to undertake the Richmond work,
except upon the definite under
standing previously arrived at that
regardless of results, he should be
compensated for his services, and
that he should have available some
necessary and proper expense
money"
Judges Work Lauded
At a later date, the files reveal,
Ralph H. Beaton, president of the
Gas Utilities, Inc, of Columbus, o.,
an Associated subsidiary, sent let
ter to S. j. Magee, vice-p president
and general manager of the AsSo-
ciated Gas and Electric Company,
New York city. That letter said, in
part:
Mr.. Brunner's confidential in
formation is that Judge BeaSley is
doing some work with man by
the name of William Keller, an at
torney in Richmond, who is the
brother-in-la of Mr.. Harris, man
aging director of the two news
papers in Richmond. Mr.. Brun-
ner's information is that nothing
can be done toward the purchase
of the electric property except by
highly consistent campaig of
education, which could be pu out
through Mr.. Keller, at Judge ;as-
ley'S suggestion"
There is no record of further de-
velopments until in 1880, when a
letter written on Associated station
airy, Inter office correspondence, "
dated Richmond, Ind, addressed
Dear Chief" and signed Isl" said:
Plant Manager Involved
81 had talk with Mr.. Dan Hess,
manager of the Municipal Electric
Plant and thought it would be of
interest to you as well as give you
another slant on the local conditions
and might lead to something.
In my conversation with Dan, I
put it up to him squarely where he
stood on the present situation and
what luck any one would have in
trying to buy the property. To my
surprise, he thought that conditions
were better than ever to get such a
thing moving.
"He is being held here by the in
f1uence of the Manufacturers AS
ISOLATION only and I think feels
that it can not continue so. He
would be very glad to find another
job and get away from here, in
which event it would precipitate the
present status into real political
mudole and make most every one
see the wisdom Of disposing of the
plant.
while he can not do anything in
his present position, he feels that in
resignlng he could start something
and by doubling back, help in form
ing the necessary public sentiment
for sale Of the property.
Claim Backing of Harris
"He would like to go with the
Associated, willing to go anywhere.
either in the operating or merchan-
dlSlng
On Sept. %, 1880, a Mr.. Roy s.
Drummer wrote from Richmond to
Mr.. Beaton, as follows:
Had another long talk with Mr.
Ed Harris of the Palladium, and he
thinks the idea Of making a propo-
sition to the city council direct is,
very good
He is very much impressed with
the plan and thinks the offer is a
fair one. He will back us against
insult in this deal. At first he will
not be for it in his paper, but as
soon as opinion gets rightly set, he
will back us in the proposition"
On June %, 1881, another letter