The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-01-28
>hall the City Buy the Gas
Works?
Conclave of Sovereigns at the
Court House.
The Matter Of the Purchase Mildly Dis
cussed and Committee Appointed to
Confer with the Gas Company.
A Heavy silence on n Light
Subject.

For the past fortnight the minds {
many of the citizens of this place hav
been considerably inflated with the ide
that the city authorities should purchas
the Findlay Gas Works, and by tina
means make reduction In the price O
gas to private consumers and make
great saving in the expense of lightin
the streets. To this end these gentle
men labored unweariedly. They ''jerke'
chin music" as energetically as ''dowl
East" clock peddler. and consumed sew
eraI gross of Faber's No. 2 in Figuring
with interested tax payers" aud intelli
| gent voters" They talked of gas MAIN
and meters; of retorts and lamp posts
discussed the relative merits of different
| kinds of coal for carbonizing purposes
elaborated on economy in gas consump
ton, and then business-like spoke of in
terest on bonds and ''time to rum" 81
vigorously was the matter "worked up
for several days the atmosphere about
town was densely charged with ''gas'
generated by the heat of the proposed
gas works purchase. In order to get an
expression of the opinion held by our cit
liens on the matter, meeting was called
for Wednesday evening last, when it
was expected that every one would ''say
his say" no matter whether it be for OF
against. The evening for the meeting
came, as evenings have habit of doing,
and a goodly number of the ''sover-
eigns" assembled in the court room
charged with ga few remarks" and
ready to shoot them off at a moments
notice. The time dragged slowly on
until nearly eight o'clock before those
assembled could get their "gasious'
thoughts sufficiently condensed to fully
understand what they were there for,
and what was expected of them. The
silence was painfully prolonged. There
seemed to be large amount of ''back
pressure" on the ''retorts" of the crowd,
and apparently no one could ''slack a
valve" At last s. ID. FRY broke the
stiffness by calling the assemblage to
order, which, by the way, was a ve,y
unnecessary thing to do, for those pres
ent were the most quiet and orderly set
we ever saw. He then nominated Mr..
DAVID JOY for Chairman of the meeting.
Some one feebly seconded the nomina-
ton, but on call of the yeas and nays
so few responded that Mr.. Joy was i'm
doubt as to whether he was elected or
not. w. ii. WHITLEY was nominated
Secretary, but the vote was SO family
given that he was also in doubt as to his
election. Following the organization
there was another season of silence.
After sundry efforts the Chairman man
aged to state that the object of the meet
ing was to consider the propriety of the
city purchasing the gas works owned
by the Findlay Gas Light Company.
Another period of silence. Judge HUFF
MAN then arose and said that before any
thing could be done 1t would be neces-
sary to have the terms on which the
works could be bought presented At
present the meeting had no data on
which to base any calculations, and
therefore could not do anything.
Prolonged silence.
w. W. MCCONNELL remarked that no
proposition had been received from the
Gas Company. He had heard, however,
that one had been made by the Com
pany to parties in town which he under
stood had to be accepted within two
weeks. The Council have nothing to
do with the matter farther than to carry
out the wishes of the citizens.
A little silence.
The Chairman said that he understood
that the Gas Company had made prop
osition to sell, but he did not know what
it was.
A few moments of silence.
Mr.. MCCONNELL remarked that he
Supposed that a Committee would be
appointed by the meeting to confer with
the Company.
Prolonged silence.
The Chairman read statement which
showed that it costs the Gas Company
60 cents to manufacture a thousand Gu
bic feet of gas.
GEORGE MYERS said he didn't know of
any proposition from the Gas Company
Mr.. MYERS moved that Committee
of five be appointed to confer with the
Gas Company, and find out on what
terms they will sell the works. Mr.. R.
7. CovKRDALE, of Cincinnati, is the
Findlay Gas Light Company.
The Chair appointed the following
named gentlemen as the Committee:
GEORGE w. MYERS, B. F. KIMMoNs, II.
P. GAGE, j. S. PATTERSON, and w. w.
MCCONNELL.
A short silence.
Some one suggested that somebody
talk.
III. P. GAGE said there would be talk
ing enough when there was applicability
of the city buying the works He had
been, and was still, opposed to the gas
business in Findlay. He was not much
of a gas man.
GEORGE MYERS said he was in favor
of the purchase. LEWIS GLEssNFR
wanted more light on the subject. He
was in favor of doing that which was
best for the town, but did not wish TO
do anything in the dark.
The usual silence.
GEORGE KIMMEL remarked that he
believed in speaking fright OUT He
was opposed to buying the works
Profound silence.
On motion the Committee was in-
structed to report on Thursday evening.
February Sd.
Silence for few moments.
A motion to adjourn was carried, and
the crowd quietly passed out of the
Court House, saying, as they went, in
low, soft tones,
''We will meet in that sweet by and by-by
and by;
We will meet on that gasless Shore
List of I,etters