Indianapolis Times, Volume 37, Number 208, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 December 1925 — Page 18

TTILITIES PA Y TENTH OF TAXES IN COUNTY

lal of $1,750,000 Turned in to lourthouse Yearly, Summary ■laws Pay Roll of 7,000 Aids v’s Prosperity. public utilities in 1925 paid in city and county of $1,750,000, roughly one-tenth of the amount colHat the courthouse.

|oximately 7,000 wage earners Hfmployed by the local companHvhose joint pay roll represented Hrge fraction of the city’s money Hover. $5,000,000 Spent ■ the same time programs of imHLment and extension were com■Ked that approximate an investftt of $5,000,000. The year was biggest, from this standpoint, in preparations for the future, Ht the utilities have known. Acy Hilng to C. L. Kirk, chairman of ( Indianapolis committee of the Hiana Public Utility Association, work was done and more expended than in any presingle year. ■'lndianapolis utilities in 1925. comprograms of impro\ f ement and ■tension that approximate an in■stment of $5,000,000,” said Kirk, ■ho Is vice president and general Hanager of the Citizens Gas Coin■my. ■ “Service facilities of the Indian■polis utilities were already above average for American cities. This Hnew construction work, therefore, ■was based chiefly on future requireHnents.” “The utility industry in IndianHf polls believes the city must and continue to grow and expand, iweh Utility therefore invests in the Sky's future, preparing facilities for use of a greater population than city now has. This is a necesS; part of the operation of a sueutility company, for no utilH can succeed unless it has facilavailable at all times for s?nMr demand as they arise. The that is invested in preparaHi for future needs is. of course, Mg time in earning a return. Mains Cited ■ and service lines in outthinly populated districts, rea loss until homes fill these ■regions. But on the other hand, If Hthe city is to grow, utility services ■must be ready for builders when ■they want them. Indianapolis utilHty operators are confident the city's will continue unchecked, and Hiave therefore in 1925 carried on a Rremendous program of new Htructlon. / “The wisdom of such a program is be seen in the reports of various as to new services sup-, One company reports more

than 6,000 new qustmoers in 1925, a second lists some 3,700 new service connections, while a third provided service to 4,400 new consumers. The various companies now serve from 65,000 to 85,000 customers, these figures showing the widespread use in this city of modern conveniences and necessities. “Provision of service on such a large scale naturally requires heavy investment, expert management and the employment of many people. Some idea of the magnitude of the utility industry in IndianapoMs may be had from a statement (of the taxes paid by he local companies. In 1925, Indiamapolis utilities paid in city and county taxes, a total of -$1,750,000. Thi3 is roughly one-tenth of the taxes collected at the Courthouse. Approximately 7,000 wage earners are employed by the local companies, whose joint pay roll, if assembled, would be found to comprise a huge fraction of the city’s money turnover. Good Service ‘lndianapolis utilities are willing to stand on comparison of the services supplied in this city with the services in other progressive American communities. They are confident consumers here are served as well as consumers elsewhere, and even feel that ■ Indianapolis service is better than the service in many other cities. As far rates charged the consumers. Indianapolis rates are generally below the average in other cities of similar size, and in no case are they above the average.” Kirk reviewed several of the more notable construction programs undertaken by the local companies, and said that interurban, electric and telephone companies connecting the city with the rest of the State also have been active. In fact, he said, the year has been marked by building activity on the part of utilities throughout Indiana. Among improvements made by the local companies during the year was a 12,000,000 gallon daily capacity addition to the water company’s filter plant, with two new pumping units, each having a daily capacity of 6,000,000 gallons. The water company laid some thirty-three miles of new water mains. The gas company put down approximately thirty-one miles of mains, bringing its totl pipe sya-

The Tree of Light Where once there shown a single star To guide the wise men from afar, Now millions glow in welcome cheer Proclaiming wide, Christmas is here! They deck the dark boughs of the pine: From every branch the bright lamps shine, Fed by the distant dynamo To brighten up Kris Kringle’s show. Clear lamps that dull the orbs above, Lighting the sign of hope and love: With all our hearts we come to thee, Thou merry, cheery, Christmas Tree! —Don C. Seitz-

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Comfortable, Roomy Sleeping Cars Travel By Traßton THE INTERSTATE WAY Indianapolis ■ Louiavill*

HOW INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC IS SERVED

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Vpp-r lert, interior ot one of six now \rater alters of Imiianapolio Water Company; upper right, battery of storage batteries In Kentucky Are. station of Indianapolis Light and Heat Company; lower left, new street lights of Merchants Heat and IJght Company around Circle; lower right, De Luxe electric train of Interstate Public Service Company. Inset one of new Indianapolis Street Railway Company busses.

tern up to 733 miles with 85,000 service pipes. Perhaps the biggest addition to the distribution system was a sixteen-inch pipe high pressure main from the Langsdale Ave. plan' to Tibbs Ave. and Sixteenth St., with a twelve-inch low pressure main from Riverside Pkwy. to the same point. The company also made a number of Improvements in production facilities.

31 1 (atonal Si|.MfOiHdtHin

SHE men and women of the Interstate Public Service Company feel a deep sense of pride in the fact that electricity contributes so much of warmth and beauty to the celebrations in homes and churches and public squares all over Indiana this year. As these lights gleam forth, symbolic of peace and good will, we are deeply inspired to put forth even greater effort in serving Indiana communities electrically. Wishing you a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. INTERSTATE PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY General Office: Wild Bank Budding • Indianapolis, Indiana

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

The street railway company, besides carrying on a program of track improvement, began the use of busses for feeder lines in outlying territory where connections could be made with existing street car lines, and added some long distance bus lines for suburban districts not hitherto directly connected with transportation facilities to the downtown district.

Both the electric light and power companies made numerous improvements. The Merchants Heat and Light Company began Work on the new street lighting system and carried on its part of an interconnection program linking Indianapolis with the new power plant at Dresser and other plants out in the State. The Indianapolis Light and Heat Company added considerably to Its

investment In generating equipment, and continued development of its underground cable system. Interurban companies serving the dty Improved Eervlce by the addition of bus lines and a bus terminal station, and in several cases by the purchase of new steel rolling stock for the traction lines. The Indiana Bell Telephone Company's new work during the year

consisted mainly of additions to central office equipment in both the manual and machine switching exchanges. The company installed a large amount of aerial and underground cable. "The utility Industry.” said Kirk, “is one that can never stand still. The utility company that does not go forward will slip backward. In the same way, a city that enjoys

The Romance of the Utility Industry The romance of the utility industry is already with us. It is here to those who will stop to analyze the wonderful advance Indiana has made during the last year. An outstanding feature of the utility industry has been its success in the application of electrical art to the complex daily needs of an ever widening community. In every field of human activity, in the home, office, workshop and on the farm, will be found one of the products of this Company—and the results of its work.

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DeLuxe Parlor-Buffet Cart Travel By IraSton THE INTERSTATE WAY Indianapolis • Louisville

THTTKSDAY, DEC. 31, 1925

MILLION SPENT TO GIVE BETTER WATER SERVICE! Improvements Include Pipe' Lines, Filtration and Pumping Plants. BIG YEAR IS PLANNED! Fire Protection Increased,) Says General Manager. The Indianapolis Water Companyi in the year Just closing made exten-j sive additions to its equipment. | Among these are six new rapid sandj filters. The new filters automatical-i ly clean themselves when the water) flow Is reversed. The picture shows the underdroin, system of one of the filters, consiat-j ing of cast iron pipe laterals, per-, foraited to receive the purified water which filters down through sand and! gravel. These perforated cast iron pipes) are surrounded by coarse gravel, carefully placed around the perforations to prevent finer gravel or sand 1 fom entering the pipe. There are six more layers of] gravel placed upon this first course, l varying in size from about three] inches in ilia meter to coarse sa nrt.l Each layer of gravel is very core-i fully selected and screened to ob-' tain particles of uniform dlamel ,<rl and quality and finally a layer ofl quaHz sand two feet thick Is placedl upon the supporting gravel. Thlsl sand is Very carefully screened foH the sifce and for the uniformity that! produces the best filter medium, id is shipped in from Michigan. In the purification process the mwi water filters downward through the! sand and gravel, enters the strainer-) pipe system and Is collected and) metered. After a time, impurities collect! upon the sand surface and are re-i moved hy hack washing or reversing) the flow of water from the underdrain system upward through the gravel and sand and overflowing) into collecting troughs, which carry the impurities off into the drain.

progressive, modern, forward look* ing utility services must go forward! When the utility companies are not) able to extend and improve facilities! anticipating future needs, the city cannot develop. No city in Amerlcal can develop commercially or industrially without the best facilities thatl can be provided by the power, gas, water, traction and telephone companies. / Indianapolis Is well supplle|l In al| these fundamental necessities.”