The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-04-04


their expectations. They have put
over five thousand dollars in the
hole, and obtained small flow of
gas, not sufficient, it is asserted, to
light the town.
But, grant that it would light the
town. The most sanguine do not
believe it would both light and heat
the town.
If this be so, the find is practically
valueless. There will be no demand
for the gas unless it can be used for
both lighting and heating. That is
to say, there will not be enough per-
sons willing to incur the expense of
piping gas through their houses for
lighting purposes only, to justify
any company in laying the mains.
We doubt if it is possible to find any
company, at home or abroad, willing
to invest the amount of capital neces-
sary to utilize so small flow of gas
for any purpose. Therefore, the gas
enterprise, if no further Developments
are made, is practically, a failure.
We are sorry that it is so, yet we
might as well look the thing square
in the face.
But the company, we are glad to
say, has splendid opportunity to
"hedge."
They are by no means an unfortu-
nate company. In boring for gas,
they have obtained something far
more valuable than either gas, or oil,
and that is most splendid quality
of water. They have obtained it in
sufficient volume to supply the town
there is no doubt about that.
Neither is there any doubt about the
demand for water. There is scarcely
family living in town, rich or poor,
that would not take water, if able, at
all, to pay for it. The fact is, our
people are tired of hard, unhealthy
water, and tired of depending on the
tedious and expensive process of
hauling soft water from the river by
the barrel.
About the present marketable val
ue Of the water find, of the gas com
pany, there can be no diversity of
opinion. 1t can be made to pay a
better revenue than gas. 1t is safe
and certain element, both as to guam
tity and quality. There is no danger
of its being exhausted. 1t is as safe
as government bonds, and will pay a
better interest on the investment.
AS the town grows the revenue will
continually increase. There is no
immediate probability of substi-
tute being found for water. We have
an idea that the people will always
want it, and want it in paying guam
titles. No matter what race of inhab-
ltants should follow the present pop
ulation of Morgantown, it can be
depended on to take water in large
quantities. Gas wells may fail; oil
wells become so numerous that they
are Improbable; banks may break;
even the farm crops may be such as
to make the farm Improbable, but
the water from this well would flow
on and the revenue from it flow into
the pockets of any company that
owned it, in undiminished dividends.
We are not unreasonable in say
ing that the stream of water from
this well is worth One Hundred Thou
sand Dollars to the company, if it is
found to have natural force enough
to throw it up to the head of town.
AS between this stream of water and
any volume of gas that is likely to
be found, there is no comparison as
to value. The water is worth fifty
per cent. more than the gas. 1t is a
big thing, gentlemen of the gas COM
pany, for any private company to
own the water supply of a town. It
is very seldom private company
can obtain such privilege as that.
You are fooling away your time with
gas if you can become the water
works company of Morgantown.
Put these facts in your pipes!
Now, if the gas company does not
wish to invest in the mains and pipes
necessary to utilize their flow of wa
ter, and the town will undertake this
part of the enterprise, we would say
tnat the company should own q
fair interest in the works when COM
pleted.
But there will be no trouble about
finding the capital to pipe this stream
through town if it can be carried by
natural force of the stream. If the
capital is not here to do it, there will
be no trouble in finding it abroad