Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-23
OUT OF WHOLE CLOTH.
The Romantic Creation of a Pitts
burg Reporter.
The Baseless Assertion that the Natural
Gas Company OfW. Vap Had Sold
Out TO a Rival.

Under the caption Of Another Gas
Deal-The West Virginia Gobbled BY the
Wheeling" yesterday mornings Pittsburg
Post printed in prominent place on its
local page the following dazzling yarn:
"a natural gas deal of more than ordi-
nary importance to the parties Interested
was consummsted yesterday. The Wheel
ing Natural Gas Company by virtue OF the
transfer made is now without opposition
ana can claim q clear field TO the Nail
CITY. In short the West Virginia Natural
Gas Company. the first corporation or
gained with view to pipe gas to Wheel
ing has ceased to exist, being gobbled
BY its younger rival in considera'
ton of q handsome sum. Captain
J. ]. Vandergrift aud other promi-
uent capitalists OF this city were be-
hind the West Virginia enterprise, aud
had already expended thousands OF dollars
in developing the hickory field They had
tour of as good wells as there are in Wash
ington county and held leases on upwards
of a thousand acres OF the best producing
territory. The com;any WAS organized
several months before the Wheeling con-
Germ, aud oil the arrangements had been
made for pipe-laying which WAS 10 have
besn commenced early next month Orders
had been placed for a large quantity OF
pipe to be ready by May |. Yesterday these
orders were couutermsnded, fact which,
shows plainly that the West Virginia Com.
papv ia going out OF business.
"a gentleman conversaGt with the ops.
rations of Doth companies said Either
the Wheeling or the West Virginia project
had to he abandoned There was no room
for two lines. The long distance trsnspor-
tstion OF gas such as is contemplated is still
pretty much OF an experiment and the Cost
of pipe laying is the gresteat item Of eX,
penss. Vsndegriits company had thu
cream OF the gas territory in Washington
coun Y. They were little slow in putting
their plans in execution, however, and al
lowed the Guffey Bros. 10 get ahead Of
them in that way. The deal so far as |
know is satisfactory all around.
"What was the consideration
THAT cannot tell, bat it is safe to put
it at $4,000. The Wheeling company
has no opposition in the business now.
They will have monopoly on supplying
Wheeling and all the intervening towns
The tendency in the natural gas business
is toward consolidation. There are mum.
Der OF other deals under consideration at
present which may be coDsummated at
any time"
As may be imagined the appearance OF
the Post in this city with the above state
ment contained IN its columns created quite
an amount OF excitement. The story WAS
10 the nature OF clap Of thunder from a
clear sky, and being gotten up in such
circums:an'isl manner, aud carrying with
it such general air Of responsibility, many
readers unconsciously accepted ic as Cos
pei, although reason sad reflection con-
WINGED them that 5omo one had blundered
somewhere.
But most astouished Of all who read the
ia were the gentlemen interested in the
Natural Gas Company of West Virginia;
and they ware not only astonished hut IN.
lignsnt Knowing that there was no
shadow OF truth N the statement, they
were at loss TO know where the story
originated or what object its narrator could
have had in view when he untolded it TO
the listening ear Of Post reporter. Com
munication was at once had by telephone
and wire with the members Of the company
in Pittsburg, but with no succsss ss far ss
discovering the origin Of the story was con-
cerned.
Mr.. W. Il. Hearne, attorney fer the
company, said to REGISTER reporter dur
ing the afternoon:
The story is without one solitary atom
of truth. We are completely at a loss to
account for its publication. So ia: from su;.
pending operations on our pipe line, we
ore now pushing our enterprise as fast as
possible. Toe delivery OF pipe has COM
mencei at the eastern end OF the line, as |
announced in yesterdays REGISTER, and |
in few days excavation will be begun.
Capt Vandergritt has informed me By wire
that he is making every effort TO discover
the origin Of the story, and has some pros.
psct Of tracking it down"
LAST evening Chronicle Telegraph said
"a statement was published in 8 morn.
ing paper 10 the effect that the Natural :
Gas Company Of West Virginia had been
absorbed BY the Wheeling Natural Gas Com
pany, which WAS recently organized.
Captain c. ". Bachelor, President Of the
Natural Gas Company of West Virginia
was asked this morning in regard 10 the
alleged deal.
There is simply no truth whatever in
he statement. There has not been a sin.
,te step looking towards a consolidation.
md there is no intention of taking any
uch action. Our company is goiDg right
head according to the plans adopted some
ime since, aud the work will be prosecuted
nth all the vigor possible. | have no idea
low such q report vas started bat do
NOV it has no foundation in fact "