Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-04-14


To night Council will be asked to pass the
ordinance granting certain exclusive prvi-
leges to the Natural Gas Company. Less
than ak months ago a company composed
entirely of home capitalists made q similar
effort and failed. Since then the people Of
the city have awakened to the necessity Of
natural gas facilities, if the city is to keep
abreast Of her sister cities as q manufacture
ing point. The little own Of Wellsburg has
these advantages and she is one Of the most
thriving places on the Ohio to-day. The
Riverside Glass Works up there save from
eight to ten thousand dollars per annum on
the item OF fuel, or about twenty per
cent of the capital stock Of the
company. Mr.. s. GEORGES paper mills
are doing likewise. Why should Wheeling
hesitate long,r? If there be no better offer
than this company proposes, and Council is
convinced it will be q practical advantage,
then there can be little use for further delay.
One Of the best tests as to the value Of the
offer would be the opinion Of the msnufac-
turers Of the city. If they look upon it
favorably Council ought not to hesitate in
granting the privilege. If they take e1-
ception to it, then Council ought to act
with greater caution and circumspection.
1t is they more than al others who are
most interested and for whose benefit the
city is contemplating the sdVisabiity of
legislatiDg away such sn important and
valuable privilege, therefore they ought to
see the Councilmen and advise with them
as to the best course of action. The
REGISTER has spoken to four manufacturers
on the subject:
Mr.. HUBBARD, ofthe Top Mil, says if il is
the best. proposition offered, it ought to
be accepted as the industries OF the city
must have natural gas.
Mr.. Dc Bors, of the Belmont Mill, says
he recognizes the necessity Of natural gas
but is not acquainted with the merits or de,
merits OF the present project. At first
blush he thinks the company is asking q
great deal and the city will be granting al
Invaluable privilege which ought to bringi in
return invaluable benefits to the manufac-
turing interests Of the city.
NJ. BRoCxUSIER, Of HoBBS, B~ROCEUNIsR {
Co.'S Glass Works is very anxious for
natural gas, but if the manufacturers can
not get the benefit of cheap gas, so as to
compete with Pittsburg and other cites,
the granting of such a privilege as
asked for, VII be q curse.
Because the manufacturing interests
will be 30 tied up that they al do nothing.
IL the manufacturers can get the gas
at or near cost, after deducting necessary
expenses of bringing it here it viii be a
great benefit, otherwise not. The success Of
the industries means the success of every
other interest, because the latter hinge on
the former, so their failure means the fail
ure of all else. Therefore they should have
the very best advantages for getting natural
gas at lowest rates attainsble so as to be
in good shape for competing with all other
localities. The profits of the company
could then come OF other classes Of con-
sumers ~ they would be enabled to pay
by virtue of their increased wages or bust.
ness Just as the case may be. His advice
is for Council to be exceedingly cautious as
to what it does. His plan would be to refer
the ordinance to . special committee whose
duty it would be to enquire and thoroughly
investigate and understand the importance
of the step about to be taken.
Mr.. ScorT. President Of the Central Glass
Works, says he is very anxious for the gas
and generally looks fayorsbly upon thu
present proposition as far as he understands
it He thinks however, the length OF time
of excluive privileges ought to be reduced
to say fifteen years and the company ought
not to have over eighteen months before
supplying the gas. Asto the maximum price
twenty-five cents per 1000 feet he says, is,
entirely too high for manufacturers for
general fnel purposes. His works use slack
and he has the word ola Philadelphia in
yentor of water gas who has offered to sup