Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-04-20
The Great Gas nIeeIing Inst Night.

ing loud calls were made for bingham, "Zinn"
and others. On motion of Mr.. Bingham, Mr.
Goshorn was called to the chair and MesSrs.
McLain and Temple elected Secretaries. The
chair hoped, in the course ola few introductory
words, that the remarks of gentlemen would be
courteous as between gentlemen. He recon
mended judtcious and deliberate action.
Mr.. Bingham being called for appeared. He
said the audience had not assembled to listen TO
harrangues, bnt to act like men knowing their
rights and daring to maintain them He had
understood that some members of the Gas Com
Pany had circulated the report that he had in
YIted his fellow citizens here to incite them to
mob violence. These reports were nIaliciously
false. [Applause.l He threw the lie back into
their faces They came to use only honorable
and legitimate means to effect reform. He
read n preamble and resolutions, which re-
hearsed the liberality and oppression of the
Gas Company, and submitted the following:
Res0LUeO, That the Council of the City of
Wheeling be, and it hereby is requested to offer
the said Gas Company to purchase its charter,
franchises, material and estate, at prime cost,
deducting nothing for wear and tear; in which
case this meeting pledges itself to furnish said
city the money necessary to enable it to make
such purchase, at fair rate of interest, upon
the bonds of said city, secured by deed of
trust upon the effects of said Gas Company and
its revenues; or, in case said Gas Company shall
refuse to sell the same to the city, be it further
resolved, that in view of the fact that 50 per
thousand cubic feet will pay the Gas Company
dividends exceeding fifteen per cent per annuIn,
which the company we'll knows, but persiStently
denies, in order, therefore, to give said company
no excuse upon this score, we, the citizens of
Wheeling, respectfully request the City Council
to guarantee to the said Gas Company, that it
will receive fifteen per cent. per annum, with
profits upon its actual investment i'll case they
raf1 mir nF nm
g per thousand cubic feet.
Res0lTed, That in case the Gas Company
does not Immediately accede to either one or
the other ofthe foregoing propositions, the City
Council be requested to give the necessary no.
tice for the abrogation of the contract with tile
Gas Company for the use of gas by the city in
any form, until such time as the said Gas Com
pany shall consent to furnish our citizens with
gas ut 81 per thousand cubic feet.
Mr.. Bingham thought these the only substan-
tial propositions before the meeting. He did not
deem any argument necessary to support them.
He had thrown the Company upon the horns of a
dilemma. Ifthey thought proper to accept them,
well and good-ifnot, let every fellow take care
of himself, and the devil take the hindmost.
Mr.. Caldwell being called for, he appeared.-
He had seldom seen such a mass of people col
lccted together on any occasion. In olden times,
they had used tallow dips, lin allusion to those
by which the house was lighted,) and rather than
suffer oppression, they could use them still. He
had been opposed to the management of the Gas
Company from its incipient Stages and 1t was
getting no better fast. 1t cOntravened the law.
He entered into history of the Gas Company's
transactions with the City Council, dcmonStra-
ting from facts that the Company could afford
to furnish gas at So per thousand cubic feet, and
realiZeil handsome profit He contended that
the estimates of expenses in the Company's re-
ports, were simply Investments. The reports
were an insult to ordinary intelligence. He ia
vOIed The resolutions, and spoke at some length.
Mr.. Thomas Sweeney, one of the Directors Of
the GaS Company, was called upon and respon-
died. He gave ahiStory OF the Company, its
dividends, its present c9ndition &c, Introducing
some Important Statistics He denied the charge
that the Company had eyer attempted to con-
ccal its affairs. On the contrary, they had in
vited examination. There was no kind oftruth
in the reports published in the Times newSpa-
per. The Companys reports published in the
newspapers from time to time, were fair, candid
and honest He had not realized per cent.
from his little stock. Mr.. S. spoke at
length, and submitted the following propositions
to the meeting: ...4.r
No l.
Upon giving bond, with satisfactory secu-
rity, to the Directors of the Gas Company,
guaranteeing such an income from said Gas
Works as will enable said Directors to pay to
the Stockholders in the Gas Company senii-an-
nual dividends of 6 per cent upon their stock,
and also the same dividend upon the cost of
such necessary extensions required for public
and private accommodation; after deliaying all
the cost and expense OF operating and keeping
said works, apparatus, &C., in as good order
as heretofore, then the Company will reduce
the price of Gas to all consumers at any p,icc
required by said persons giving said guarantee.
No
The Directors of the Wheeling Gas Company
will sell their individual stock in said Company
at 90 cts, per share:-Provided the parties pur-
chasing said stock will ngree to furnish Gus to
the citizens of Wheeling Mt $500 per thousand
feet, and to the city at $l.U2; aud, provided
further, that the parties buying said stock obi
gate themselves with satisfactory security that
the Company SO constituted shall pay nett
semi-an dividend of per cent, Ito such
other stockholders as do not desire to sell their
stock,) after paying all costs and expenses Of
operating and keeping said works, apparatus,
&c in as good order and repair as heretofore
Mr.. Caldwell, in obedience to call, again
took tue stand, He replied to Mr.. Sweeny-
That gentleman arose to correct statement
made by Mr.. c., when he was greeted with ap.
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