The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-11-18
Shall the Charter of the Gas Com
pany be Renewed
TO The EaltOrse Of the htsRIgmoer:


TO the Editors Of the IntsligWeer:
NV attention was at once attracted,
whilst looking over the columns ofthe
Register this morning, TO an article signed
by Citizen" on the gas question. II IS
well written, and deserves the serious
consideration Of all our citizens, and cs.
pecially the Consumers Of our city.
The exhOrbant prices charged for the
miserable quality Of gus furnished US by
the present gas company have become u
source Of bitter complaint all over the
city. Itstrikes me therefore that our gas
consumers should get together and take
immediate steps 10 have the Council pur.
chase these gus works, as the charter Of
the city provides for. Why, Sir, does it
not strike every reasonable man that II
the present company Is enabled to make
from twenty-five 10 fifty per cent, and
probably more, from the gas they give US,
that there is nothing toprevcnt the city
from making it n profitable inveatu1,"~s' >
l believe limit tlie' city by purchasing
these Gas works could largely raise the
standard of gas beyond that Of the pres.
ent Company; could reduce the rates Ol the
present Company materially, and yet re.
turn a handsome profit TO the treasury o:
our city.
There Is scarcely a city in the Union
which has the facilities for making gus
that Wheeling has, and, therefore, none
where the quality should he better, and
the prices for It's consumption less, than
with Us, But Notwithstanding these
unusual facilities we are obliged 10 pay
m0retor the gas We consume, tolerate
more Inferior quality than hall Of
the cities Of the North; Of the size Of
Wheeling, whose facilities for the manu-.
facture Of gas are by far, less. Everybody
who knows anything Ofthe manufacture
ofgas, or Is enabled to find out the large
dividends OF the Gas Company Of this
city, will, without a moments reflection,
concur with the writer OF yesterdays arti.
Gle, that II these gas works were pur-
chased BY the city, and the management
oI them given 10 the proper hands, our
people, could burn much better
quality Of gas and at far less expense
than now. BY scarcely my possible
means would it exceed g 80 per thousand
feet Another argument no less irresiSIi-
WV W blG StAS GOllHNlllGl NllNA III lINOl VI
the purchase, is that we could not, unless
by unskillfill management ind cXtravn.
ganCe in the manufacture Of gas-whiCh
would be easily provided against, lose
anything 10 the city or 10 the consumer
by this purchase. To make the gas for
tho city certainly cannot, or need not, cost
tho city more than the company which
now own The works. The NVidity with
which the stock Of this company Is seized,
even at the close OC its charter. IA nrettv
conclusive against my fear Of losses TO us,
should We conclude To pUrchasc. there.
fore think that We have everything 10
gain and nothing to lose by n.' purchase
and that lseli'inlCrest should rGSMirg us
not TO permit this company TO CXtehal its
charter. These are facts which nearly all
Of our people IRE acquainted with, and
which should compel us early IN action
as possible Of the Council III the matter.
Let our people then wake up to their
own interests and let their Influence, In a
proper spirit, be brought to bear upOn ouI
city Fathers on this subj Cct.
lshould also suggest a,law by the, next
Legislature prescribing u standard qualify
for all gas used In the State, or upon
what Is used here. We too, might make
something by having an Inspector of Gas
appointed or elected by the council,
whose duties should bc To examine care.
fully all thegas metres in the city at stat.
ed times. and report any dlminntion or
lGlllnglQ of from said standard. Let him
be q sworn officer under bond, and also
make him measure the amount Of gas cor.
sumed by each individual to the Sccre-
t0ry to assess the charges upon that
measurement. Let the Secretary also
publish annually statement OF the re.
ceipIs and expenditures in the newspapers
Of the City..-NOa fault cOuld-be found in
this course, as the expenses Of it will be