Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-31
THE IRON CITY.
Population and Trade :of the Twin
Cities. >
The Coal and Iron Trade-volume Of Busi-
ness in iS80-Why So Little is Known
Regarding the Cities-The Gas
Transporting Company.
A MOST GIGANTIC UNDERTAKING,
So.eio, Correspondence Of the Register.

Special Correspondence Of the Register.
PIrTSBuRG, January 30.-Accordiug TO- the
report of special agents of the census de-
partment, the total production Of bitumin-
Gus coal in the United States for the year
1880, was AZ. .426 $50 tons. OF this amount
the States of Pennsylvania, Illinois and
Ohio furnished over three-fourths, and
more than one-tenth OF the whole amount
was mined in this county of Allegheny.
The report of James NJ. Swank, special
agent, shows that the total production OF
iron and steel III the country was ,26f, f4o
tons, of which Allegheny couRty manrt-
factured S45, l46 tons, a gain over one-tenth
-of the entire product. The manufacture OF
iron is above all other the
Leading American Industry.
Taking this fact in the light OF the figures
above given, how important part in the
interest of the country and how great
contributor to the commonwealth, is Pitts
burg and her sister city Allegheny where
all these tons OF iron are made? There is
probably not city in the Unitfu Stafes
size and importance than Pittsburgh. In
fact, she is looked upon ly the outside
world more as large inland village than
as the great iron-manufacturing city OF
the Western world. Why, in travelling
both East and West, have actually met
intelligent people who knew no more about
Pittsburgh than to suppose that 1t was a
place of perhaps 10000 inhabitants and the
seat of a few mills and furnaces, and who
opened their eyes with amusement when
told that the twin cities,
Allegheny aIyi Pittsburgh,
contained a population OF 10000 souls;
that they boaSted OF more than fifty glass
manufacturing concerns; that they used
and shipped over one-tenth of the coal
used in the entire country; that they
manufactured over One-tenth OF all the
iron and steel; that they were centres OF
the petroleum trade; that over one hun.
dred and fifty steamboats, touched at their
wharveS, and that they were largely en-
gagged in the manufacture OF cotton and
woolen goods, of furniture OF white lead,
of locomotives; of railway supplies, and
thousand and one other things; that the
sky was black from the smoke from her
furnaces, and that the noise OF her ham
mers were never stilled.
why This IL True.
lamentable lack of knowledge. One is that
our people are too busy attending to their
business to spend any time in advertising
themselves or their city, another is that
Pittsburgh has not sought that notoriety
that comes from being the seat of political
and other conventions, as Chicago. An
other is that she has had few famous men
though many smart men; few gentlemen
OF leisure, though many men OF business;
few philanthropists though many capital
lists; few large schools, though many good
ones. Still another reason is, that lacking
all the foregoing ones, she does not often
get her name in the papers, and yet another
and powerful one is that the city has no
great newspaper, as she should have. To
be famous, however, is not always to be
happy, so whether the world knows aught
of her or not the Iron City will steadily
pursue her prosperous career and rest sat
isfied in the self-consciousnesS OF her
wealth, her prosperity and her growing
importance. One OF the most
Gigantic Undertakings
that has ever been talked or even dreamed
of is under discussion at the present time,
and is rapidly assuming tangible shape.
A company has lately been formed under
the laws OF the State of New Jersey, called
The Gas Light Transpor tation Company.
The officers of the company are: J. n.
Tappen of New York, president; J. c.
Lucas OF Philadelphia, vice president;
Isaiah c. Babcock treasurer. The direc-
tors are, John Hoey, Senator John K. Nc
Pherson, Henry ID. Moore and Frederick
4. Gilbert. The object of the company is
to take gas from the bituminous coal re-
gions of Pennsylvania to Philadelphia and
New York and the towns and cities on the
route. 1t is proposed to erect gas works
that will manufacture
100000 ,0Oe Feet OF Gas
per day. According to the estimates OF the
gentlemen interested, the amount OF gas
they would expect to use can be manutac-
tuIred right in the coal regions S1,30O,0Oo
cheaper per annum than it can be made by
Transporting the coal to the several cities
and manufacturing the gas there. tits we'll
known that the quality deteriorates by
transmission and also that its quality grows
poorer under pressure. This difficulty,
the company claims, can be overcome. by
making gas rich enough to be better after
it has lost what it will by these causes
than can be made from coal that has, been
transported such distance.
1t will be necessary to convey the man.
ufactured gas distance of about
Two Hundred and Fifty Miles.
not quite as far as oil is now pumped by
Il
this an iron pipe six feet in diameter laid
in hydraulic cement, will be constructed
The company has secured the right to con-
denim property in Pennsylvania for the pur-
pose OF laying pipe, and has secured from
the State of New York the right TO cross
the Hudson river. The projectors say that
a large amount OF property has been otter
ed to them in the coal regions and that rs
soon as all arrangements are per-
fected they will take steps to put their
plans in active operation. 1t is estimated
that it will require
$4,000. 600
to put the plan into operation, twenty-five
millions al which will be in stock and
twenty millions ia bonds. One OF
the company, in an interview,
said: with this amount &C
cording to our calculations, which have
been made with very large allowances, If
we pay six per cent on the bonds, We have
a balance which would pay dividend on
the caaital stock OF l4l7 per cent. This
scheme seems entirely too elepAantine in
its proportions and reads too much like
story Sf Jules Verne 70 have
Very Sound Basis
Yet il has lately heen much talked OF as
feas !ble and an entirely probable accorG-
'plishment at solAe future day Until it ls
realized as an actual fact, or at least until
the experiments with the elsctric light as
an illuminatCC. have prcyen fruitless, l
woald advise bose seekin, .an investment,
to put their spare cash iato government
bonds at three per cent rather than into
The Gas transportation Company - bonds
at six or its stock at 4.ifper cent,
4 8RIlS.