The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-22
NATURAL GAS PLANS,
SOME poINTs on GEE sIEUATIoN
In Connection with the Right Of Way ord.
nance at Rsllairs-Tho Maximum Price
here and over the RiVsr.A BSllsirs
View Of IptsrsStto Wheeling,
B,llairt InItp,nleni, Saturday.

Relllire IlttptndENi, saturday
In the City Council last night the uatu-
raj gas ordinance was read the second
time and then laid on the table until the
next regular meeting. This brings 1t up
in its regular order on Tuesday evening
next for its third reading, During the
evening Aeasrs. Caldwell aud Hearns-
the former the Attorney General of West
Virginia, the latter an attorney Of Wheel
ing-dropped into the Council chamber
and had prepared an ordinance granting
TO the West Virginia Natural Gas Com
pany, as well as to Messrs. Finn and Gil
lespie, the rights and privileges Of the
streets, alleys, etc. 1t was their desire to
have both rights embodied ii tho one
ordinance, but the members OF Council
generally were in favor Of passing the one
they had under consideration before they
took up any new one. However, the
ordinance granting TO Messrs. Finn and
Gillespie, the gentlemen who have con-
gas here for use by the first OF September,
these rights passed Its second reading and
was laid on the table to the next regular
meeting, and the West Virginia Gas Com
pany's ordinance was read for information
and referred to the committee.
During the evening some interesting
features OF the rivalry between these two
companies cropped out. The West Vir-
ginia Company, which represents in q
measure the Standard OIL Company, sue
ceeded some time ago In securing the pass
age OF an ordinance granting them the ex-
elusive rights.Of-way through tho streets,
alleys, etc., Of Wheeling. In that ordi-
nance, which was expected from the repre-.
sensations OF the home men interested to
guard zsalously the interests OF the city Of
Wheeling, the maximum price per thou
sand Is fixed at 10 cents. Messra. Finn
and Gillespie never asked that the maxi.
mum should BIO fixed ut more than ton
cents per thousand, and the company with
the exclsiye right in Wheeling comes
over to Bellaire, Bridgeport and Martins
Ferry and accepts rs the maximum charge
per thousand feet ten cents, while the city
guarded so jealousy with an exclusive
right ordinance must pay fifteen cents per
thousand IN the company with that exclu-
slve right or It's assigns sees proper to
charge that much. 1t Ia in the Company's
power to charge the full limit, while In
the cities on this side Of the river the max.
imum charge must be S3i percent lower,
and in all probability will be 30 percent,
or even more than that, lower, for the
reason that the towns on this side Of the
river will keep the gates open for all COM
panies that may come with this natural
fuel.
This Is not all. After this West Wiz.
glnia company had secured the exclusive
right in the city Of Wheeling, they remain.
ed quiet and inactive, and when another
company with gas ready to sell came to
Wheeling they found the doors barred,
but the manufacturers ofthat city, as well
US those on this aide Of the river, recog.
nizing the injustice to them aud to the
communities at large In an exclusive right,
signed contracts with Messrs. Finn and
Gillespie upon condition that the gas be
brought for use by September /. When
the West Virginia company learned that
they had been thanked by the manufac.
turers they awoke from their lethargy
and all at once sprang into life
and paid in the first assessment
and again made promises to Wheeling,
and followed Messrs. Finn and Gillespie
to this side Of the river, asking to be In.
Cluded In the ordinance giving these gen.
tlemen the right Of way. All the towns
on this side the river intend, we believe,
to give the right to pipe gas to them to any
and all companies, but tho action Of the
West Virginia parties who have three year
contracts with the manufacturers Ia anus.
Ing and at the same time gratifying to the
public, but they should be obligated to
bring the gas here within a reasonable
time, just as Nessrs. Finn and Gillespie
are. II Is gratifying, too, to see how this
side Of the river is benefited by the ex-
elusive franchise granted by the jealous
guardians Of Wheeling's interests.