The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-07-27
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Interesting Rsmarks of Gold short tn,
LnBclle Venture,

LRBclle Venture,
"C0ld SA0Ft' IN s., L0lI Age Of Sal.
Fifty odd years ago the salt makers Of
the Kanawhs Valley, W, Va, were an.
noysd by the presence OF gas. Failing in
attempts to shut it of they at last used It
for squirting the salt water out from the
well and as fuel under the eyaporating
pans. This supply never failed to give
satisfaction as long as the salt wells were
operated. For over thirty years carbon
black has boon made in the n~slghborhood
Of New Cumberland, W. Va, from the de.
post Of this gas. And what is singular in
this instance is, that for years this process
was carried on by a company on a capital
Of $4,000 and a regular profit Of 25 per.
cent dividend, and within a stones throw
Of this factory ire brick establishments
were paying for cord wood to burn their
brick, never spspeCtipg that this natural
fuel could be utilized, Fifty years ago
natural gas was utilized for heating and Il.
Illuminating purposes in Port Jervis, N. Y,
and the supply has continued up to this
time without sensible dimunition, Wells
in Western Virginia, Northern Pennsyl,
yanla and Southern Ohio have been giving
forth gas for the past fifteen years, This
has been steadily utilized for at least
ten years, and the supply IL as strong TO-
day as when first used,
There are several wells in this valley,
one near Pittsburgh, one near Mar.
ietta Ohio, which, have been How
ing for the past ten years, These
are utilized and they are as prolific
sources Of supply as when first used, In
Erie county, Pa, ST, Mary's college has
been supplied with gas by one well for
five. years, heating their large building
perfectly and without apparent irregu.
larity or decrease OF power, In the same
locality several large houses have been
lighted aud heated for eleven years by one
well, and the grounds connected with
them have also been lighted by 1t, the
Jets never being extinguished and the
supply Seems TO be inexhaustible, or
rather to be generated as fast IS II Is drawn
OF. These instances will serve to assure
some doubling Thomsses. One OF the
strongest evidences that the burden OF
sentiment 10 in favor OF It's permanency ia
that Eastern capital, which Is not consid.
cred obtuse, or neglectiul in investiug SO.
curlttes, has been, and is especially active
In making very heavy Investments In
quest OF 1t and in making a very costly
business Of supplying it to communities
when found.
THE LA BELLE MILLS NEW PROCESS,
The La Belle Nail Company, OF Wheel.
Ing, are the Rrst who have decided that It
is a wholesome idea TO dlverge from time.
worn paths and seek a new and shorter
route TO the goal, They have determined
to adopt the Lauth method and have con.
tracted for a new mill, which includes the
24inCh Lauth thres.high plate train. The
train will have two rapid.working steam
lifts, n OF which will raise the billet
from the lower to the upper roll at the
rate Of sixteen passes in thirty seconds,
Tho other will raise the small middle roll
at the same rate OF speed, up and down
against the upper and lower rolls, as the
billet passes crosswise bstween the bot.
tom and middle and top and middle rolls
alternately. In being widened to the 10
inches to which 1t is made, preliminary to
the three final passes lenGthwise, which is
given 10 finish 1t. The top screw OF the
housings will be operated by power. Dis.
CussiDg this progressive divergence on the
part OF the La Belle brings up another
movement they entered into lately, which
has occasioned considerable comment,
aud is not generally understood. Basing
their action on their change OF method,
mentioned above, which neCessitates radi.
cal changes in machinery as we'll as a
radical reduction in cost OF production,
they entered into an agreement with their
operatives 10 pay them the Amalgamated
prices, They have some thousands OF ions
Of steel slabs and plate which can neither
be proftably carried In stock nor disposed
oil, and as their new method does away
entirely with the use OF slabs and pig pru.
dent business methods and good judgment
counsel them to work them up. They
signed no scale, but merely made an agree.
ment with q number Of operatives, OF
whom 1t might be remarked that they
were raised In the La Belle mill, many Of
them the sons OF original stockholders.
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