Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-07
GAS ON THE BRIDGE.
The Committee on Lights Con-
siders the Subject.

At q recent meeting oil council the
Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Company
presented a memorial, asking contract
for lighting the bridge by gas. The old
contract, SIS per lamp per year, had ex-
PRED some time since, and has never
been renewed, the company using gas
at the old rate. Council referred the
matter to the Committee on Lights to
recommend contract. The Committee
made an unsuccessful attempt on Satur-
day night to meet, and last evening, al
ter much skirmishing, succeeded IN get
ting together quorum. vi the Com
mittee there were present Messrs. Will
son, Simpson, Zoeckler, Houston and
McNash. The gas trustees were present,
with Harry Caldwell, and the bridge
company was represented by Mr..
Crangle President, and Mr.. Lawson, Su-
perintendent.
The Committee came to order and DR..
Baird. chairman of the trustees, was
called upon for his opinion. He was
dead set against any contract without
metres. He regarded the company as
corporation that was using gas and get
ting it lower than and at the expense OF
the consumer. He considered that each
burner on the bridge burnt $4,000 cubic
feet Of gas per year, or 100000 for the
ten lamps. For this they paid $3.50,
while any one else must pay S432 tor
the same amount at Sl20 per thousand.
II was estimated that 4ls cents per ,OOC
was what the bridge company pad,
while the cost of gas was so to 81 cents.
la. I'M l I n
amount to be paid by the city, whereas
the city paid nothing.
Il consider" he continued, THAT gas
on the bridge brings in more money to
To the company's Golfers than before.
"Not at all, said Mr.. Crangle. GLOW
do you make that OUT :, =,
That's a little idea OF my own, said
DIR. Baird; al think there are many
timid persons who would not cross the
bridge il it were not lighted. And as
the gas increases the travel 1t adds TO the
revenue of the company
al do not think" said Mr.: Crangle
"the gas brings us in s. more In year
Very few but Island people cross after
night and they all pay by the month
So that il makes no difference TO Us
whether they cross more or less.
"The extra travel does not pay half OF
the expense OF the gas, said MIR. Law
son.
"You have helped me along by max
Ing it larger" said Baird.
II cannot see how" said Lawson, "a'
| we pay out, TO take me at my statement
lust one-half of the expense more than
we would if we had no gas. So l dc
not regard it as paying speculation.
well" said Baird, 81 still hold that
| il helps YOU, as believe many persons
now on the Island would not live there
ii you had no gas" ..
1--WE simply want to pay what Is
right" said Crangle. "We have been
paving about g more per lamp than the
city, as it is"
"You have been paying Sl5 more,
said Baird, "ior the city has been paying
nothing at all. But then your lamps
are larger than foot burners. There Il
a perfect torch at every one"
Indeed you are mistaken sale
| Crenrle. Sometimes we car
scacelv make them burn at al
| would Just like you to come up anC
look at them now. And we won
charge you cent for crossing either
But the chairman declined the invita-
| ton.
Secretary Caldwell then read a very
lengthy statement, setting forth the cos
of manufacturing gas, after which thu
| committee intimated that all might with
draw and leave them to their consulta
ton. But first, however, DIR. Baird reaC
the following comparative tables, show
ing, during the short months, agreat IN
crease of gas consumed: