The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-24
THE INDIGNATION MEETING
OF Natural Gas Consumer Last Evening,
Resolutions Adopted.


demand for relief. A committee Of
seven was appointed and vested with
full power to inquire into the matter
and report at n future meeting as to
what may be done.
The size and composition Of the meet
ing was surprise even to those who
first proposed it, and circulated the call
This call was started last Saturday
morning, and signatures were easily and
rapidly obtained. Still no one expected
to see such an outpouring us there was
The large room was crowded, and Q
majority Of those present were promi'
nent business men, such as one seldom
sees at n public mass meeting. OtheE
were small house owners and the better
class OF workingmen. They all took {
deep interest in the proceedings and
showed both by their actions and wordl
that they were very much in earnest.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. j. ElwOod Hughes. He said be die
not suppose it was necessary 70 state the
object OF the meeting, but he would say
that there appeared to be general feel
ing that this community was being i'm
posed upon by a company TO which large
privileges had been granted; that it wa!
cndeayOring to engage in unwarrantec
cxtOrtion, without the least semblanct
of right, in return for valuable fran
chise. This was not right, and such {
move should be checked. Applause.
Mr.. Hughes moved that President Will
lam Myles, Of the Board Of Public
Works, be made chairman, and this pre-
vailed. Mr. NJ. LETTERS was made secre
tary.
Mr. Myles said on taking his seat thai
the principal question was, were the
people OF Wheeling willing to be made
the subject of extOrtion by company
that had been treated with the greatest
consideration? The company had been
granted monopoly for term OF yearS
that was Of great value to it. 1t had al.
ready damaged the city to the extent oil
$4,000 or S40,0O0sby the manner in
which it had torn up streets, kept them
impossible, and then failed to properly
repave. 1t had been said that the reason
for an increase in rates was a shortage
OF gas, and that in order to avoid loss the
company was forced to charge more fol
the little it had. Mr.. Myles said that il
was no fault OF the citizens il there was
shortage. Relying upon represents
tons made by the company, to the effect
that it had plenty OF gus and to spare, q
large number OF citizens had at theiI
own expense, piped their houses. The
number at this meeting did not represent
all those who had been Mt such expense
there were four or five times as many,
Mr.. Myles then referred to the way the
citizens had been deceived by the com
pany. The past winter had been com
paratively speaking, mild one, and yet
there was not consumer of gus in the
city who had not been Inconvenience
by shortage Of gus. What thesituation
would have been had the season been
one OF co ntsnued severity was not pleas
ant to contemplate.
At this juncture some gentleman IN
the crowd asked il anyone could state
what tho exact increase demanded was
and whether in case consumers paid it
the company would guarantee then
against further shortage.
Mr.. P. Kennedy said there was nc
uniformity about the matter. He knew
of one contract that had been increased
from $50 to $50 50, and another that haC
been swelled from $40 to $50. Buzz o
Indignation.
Mr.. Myles said further that he had
heard that the reason for the increase il
rates was that the company proposed Il
put in larger mains from the gas fields tc
this city so as to be able to supply mort
people. He reasoned that it was pool
way to invite patronage to raise rates
Applause
were appointed committee to prepare
proper set OF resolutions: Messrs
George G. Hartman, ]. Elwood Hughes
Henry B. Miller, Hugh Sterling, Viii
liam Ellingham, Philip Henry Moore
John Bodley, John q. Hoffman, jr., and
Theodore Roller.
While waiting for this committee ia
report, Councilman George Gundling
suggested that a proper thing to dc
would be for all persons to sign reso'
luton or some other paper, pledging
themselves to discontinue the use OF gas
supplied by the Natural Gas Company
Of West Virginia, il the increases were
insisted on. This proposition was greet.
ed with applause, but at the suggestion
OF the chair it was decided to wait fol
committees report.
Mr.. c. +. Brandfass inquired rs 10 the
terms OF the ordinance granting the com
pany its franchise and privileges. AsnO
one could reply definitely, City Clerk
Bowers was requested to come down
from his office and read the ordinance,
This he kindly did. The reading was
listened to attentively, and several made
notes OF some Of the provisions.
About the time the reading was finish
ed the committee returned and reported
through Col. Hugh Sterling, us follows
WHEREAS, There seems to be a gen
eral impression gathered from various
sources OF information, especially from
those who have been called upon t
make new contracts, that the Natural
Gas Company of West Virginia proposes
an exorbitant increase OF not less thar
twenty percent and in some cases amucl
larger one; and
WHEREAS, This seems to be in direc
conflict with the understanding wher
the city granted it its franchises and,
WHEREAS, The cost OF equipping resi-
dences, business houses, etc, with fix
lures for the use OF this gas has beer
quite IN item to the consumer; and,
WHEREAS, The service given by tn,
Natural Gas Company OF West Virgins
has not been at all satisfactory, either il
supply or regularity; for at seasons ant
periods when the gas was most needed
it has generally been insufficient fo
heating or cooking purposes, or both
and.
WHEREAS, The charge for the use o
the gus under the new arrangement
seems to be arbitrary and lacking in
uniformity; and
WHEREAS, There seems to be gen
eral impression that the city has some
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