The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-31
rnE MlIEELINe coAIpANY.
A History of the Project from its Inception
to this Date,

A History of the Project from It's Inception
to this Date.
The inception Of the Wheeling Natural
Gas Company should be credited to Mr.,
Thomas A. Gillespie, the Superintendent
OF the Philadelphia Gas Company OF Pitts.
burgh, Mr. ], NJ, GuHey and Mr., William
Finn. EARLY in March Mr., Gillespie and
Mr., Finn came here, and after consult
ing with the manufacturers Of this city,
and the neighboring towns across the
river, entered into q contract to build a
line from the Hickory gRs district in Wash
ington county to supply the w0rks In this
manufacturing district. The first meeting
OF the parties, now stockholders Of the
Wheeling Natural Gas Company, was held
in the office Of j. NJ, Gphey, in Pitts
burgh, March 50, 1856, Atthat meeting q
call was made for q subscription to the
capital stock Of the company, which was
placed at $500,000. Over $4,000 was sub
HCribad and the apportionment had to be
cut down 10 come within the 100000,
The company applied Tor charter under
the laws Of West Virginia, and was form.
ally organized on April 20,
A large amount OF preliminary work
had to be done, contracts for pipe, ma
terialB and labor made and the forces or
ganized, The first car Of pipe for the side
lines was shipped on May 81, Some work
around the wells was done and connecting
lines from well locations to where the
main line was TO begin were laid,
THE MAIN LINE,
Tho officers Of the company certainly
had great confidence III their own judg,
ment Us to where paying gus wells could
be found, when they thus laid their pipes
in the ground before q single we'll was
sunk, and the correctness Of that judg
ment hes been amply verified by tho re-
suit. Not one Of the wells sunk by them
has been other than a paying we'll.
The first car Of pipe for the main line,
from the station at Ebbsr's farm, which
will be known as Station A,-ior the Off
GERS OF the company modeB!ly discounten
anCe any eGortto lasten their personality
on the country by adopting such names as
"Flinn City" "Ciillespieyille" or Evil
liamsport"-was shipped on MRy2l. From
that date until August Is, when the LAS
car for the main line was shipped, there
was received over 800 car loads OF pipe
Credit for the wonderful rapidity with
which this pipe was made and shipped
along the line Is due to the National Tuht
Works Company, Of MCKeesport, who
made all tho pipe used in the main line
tested 1t to $50 pounds to the square inch
and not length had to be rejected aftel
1t was in the trench. OF the line itself, Il
may be said that the first ten miles 1t il
ten.inch screw and socket joint, and thu
balances Of the line, tweuty.three mlles In
length, Is known as the Converse lock
joint pipe" so named from the genia
assistant general manager OF the TubC
Works, under whose patent the Joint Il
manufactured,
LARGE FORCE EMPLOYED.
The frat well was begun May 3 and com
pleted June 20. It Is 9, l5S feet deep ant
shows a pressure Of $50 pounds.
The last length on the main line wa
laid and the sections coupled up at
o'clock on tho morning Of August q, ant
at 4:4O y. NJ. the gas was passed through
the whole line from the station at Hickory
to the Ohio river.
During the progress Of the work there
has been employed an average OF about
700 men, aud the rolls show that nearly
1000 men have been employed for longer
or shorter periods.
The total length OF the various lines Is
about 2l0, 900 feet.
Tho company have ready to turn into
It's lines five completed wells in the Hick.
DRY District aud three moro going down
which will be completed in the month O
September. It has about 1000 acres
under lease in Mt. Pleasant township
Washington county, Pa, where its wells
are located.
The company's interests arc essentially
in this State, as 1t has under lease
over 100000 acres in West Virginia on
which 1t Is now drilling six wells, located
with reference to gas and oil.
II the gas and oil bearing gand rock fol
lows down through this State and ia al
rich in these fluids rs in the sister State
the possibilities Of the Company's future
have no limit except in tho Imagination
West Virginia territory may produce such
results as will leave Col. Sellers eyewatel
in the shade.