Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-03-27
The Gas ORDINANCE
FayOrabIy Considered by the Spec
ial Committee
At the City Hall, Last Evening---Q
a Tilt Between the Opposing
Counsel.

The special Council committee TO which
was referred the application OF the Manu-
facturers' Gas Company for permission to
lay natural gas mains through the streets
and alleys of the city, together with an or
dinsncs drawn up by the representatives
OF the company and accompanying the
application, assembled in the chamber Of
the Municipal Court, in the City Hall, last
evening.
THERE WERE PRESENT
besides the members OF the committee
Messrs. Dobbins, G. B. Caldwell, Picket,
Gavin and Moffat, (Mr. Stanley being abb
sent, )-Messrs. Charles B. Brockuuiec, VIM.
Leighton, Jr, ]. D. Dubois, John Bodley,
A. Wilson Kelly, incorporstors of the
Manufacturers Gas Company, with W. P.
Hubbard, counsel, dr. Alfred Caldwell rep
resenting the Natural Gas Company of West
Virginia, and number of interested citi-
zens.
The CON mittee organized By electing
Mr.. G. B. Caldwell chairman, and that gen.
tlemaD, on assuming the presidency, stated
that the object CT the meeting was to con-
slider the petition of the Manufacturers Gas
Company. referred to it by Council.
Clerk Gallgsn read the petition Of the
company aud the ordinance submitted by
it for the approval of Council. When the
reading had been concluded, the Chairman
read Sections and of the ordinance re-
lating to the Natural Gas Company OF
West Virginia,
WHEREIN 1T is SET FORTH
that the company shall supply, free of cost,
gas to the public schools and works of the
city, and also providing for the granting Of
the right of way through the streets TO any
manufacturer or manufacturers who might
desire to pipe gas for his or their own use.
This done, the Chair invited all present to
state to the committee any views they
might have pro or con, or any information
they desired to impsrt.
Mr.. W. P. Hubbard stated that he had
prepared the ordinance first read under the
provisions of Section I of the existing ma
tural gas ordinance. He thought it fully
complied with all the provisions of the city
laws, and hoped it would be adopted.
Mr.. Alfred Caldwell asked if the manu-
tactnrers were corporation, and il rot, did
they desire to become ole.
Mr.. Hubbard said a corporation had 81.
ready been formed.
Mr.. Caldwell said if that was the case In
his opinion the application
WAS NOT PROPER,
inasmuch az it was not the design Of Couu.
Gil to grant any such privilege as was
sought to any corporation whose stock
might be bought or sold. The idea was
simply 10 extend the privilege of laying
pipes to associations of manufacturers
That being the proper idea he begged
leave to submit an ordinance, prepared by
him, which he thought covered the same
ground as the one just read, but which
named distinctly the manufacturers to be
benefited under it.
The ordinance YVES read by the clerk.
1t is identical with the ordinance referred
to the committee by Council. except that
it grants the privileges sought by the other
ordinance in the name of the Msnufactur-
erS' Gas Company, to
THE PETITIONERS INDIVIDUALLY.
When the reading had been concluded,
Mr.. Hubbard took the floor and said he
supposed the committee would at once see
that if the substitute were adopted it would
deny to the petitioners oil the benefits
soug to be attained One of these OBJ.
jects was the acquiring Of real estate,
which could only be done by corpora
ton such as had been adopted. He sup
posed the city meant something by the
seventh section OF the old gas ordinance
something for the benefit of our home
Northumberland did not mean to throw
Insuperable objections in the way OF local
industries. he did not care il the stock of
the corporation might be bought By non.
manufacturers or even nou.residents. That
fact could not alter the intention that
NONE But MANUFACTURERS
must use the gas. He referred to the in.
demnity provided for in the substitute, and
held thGt the pledges Of the Manufacturers
Gas Company vers fully as good as those
given by the Natural Gas Company Of
West Virginia. he contended that the
adoption of the substitute would be equivs-
lent to denying the petition oflhe uanufae-
turers
Replying to Mr.. Hubbard, Mr.. Caldwell
said be had listened very atleu,ively to the
remarks of the gentleman who had pre-
ceded him, in the hope OF sscertsiuing in
what respect HE ordinance would militste
against the Interests of the manufacturers.
He had found but one reason, and that was
yelled in many words The objection re-
ferred to vas the acquiring of real estate.
he submitted to tae good sense Of the
committee that the only real estate the
manufacturers would probably iced would
be outside of the city of Wheeling, and
with that the committee had
NOTHING TO DO.
The gentleman himself had said he did not
know Who the members of the Manufac-
turers' Company we're. Wss this power to
be granted to anybody Tbe city hsd
never made any reservation OF the char
scter sought by the manufacturers as Q
corporation.
Mr.. Hubbard disclaimed having said
that he did not know who composed hi