Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-03-06
NATURAL GAS.
Major Townsend, of the Mercer Gas and
Fuel Company, Visits Springfield
and Meets With the Citizens.
He Says the Company Has Plenty of Gas
and Plenty OF Money to Bring IL
Here-what They Want is the
Right to Come In.

That Springfield can have natural gas is
certainty: that she will have 1t there is q
great probability. While empty holes are
the only moments Of endeavors to get the
commodity in this locality. yet other peo-
pie have it, in abundance, and are anxious
that Springfield should utilize 1t.
As announced In last evenings REPUB-
Lie, meeting was held in the mayors Of
fee for the purpose Of hearing Major Town
send, Of Lima, Ohio, representing the
Mercer Gas & Fuel company, whose lands
lie in Mercer and Auglaize counties, near
St. Mary's, discuss the possibility Of
piping natural gas from those fields to
this city. The meeting was not
largely attended because of the very
short notice, but those present manifested
great interest in the matter and it is very
evident that natural gas" is yet very
lively subject among our people. General
A. S. Bushnell called the meeting to order,
and on his motion Mayor Kelly was made
chairman and Thomas G. Brown, secretary
of the meeting.
Major Townsend being called upon. ex-
planned fully to the meeting the develop
ment of the natural gas fields and the
entire practicability of piping the gas a
number of miles and yet retain sufficient
pressure for practical purposes. His COM
pany, of which Messrs. Brice and Themas,
of New York. are large stockholders, (Mr.
C. 5. Brice being president and Col. A. NJ.
nrr Of Dinna \ oh Nll
scres of the best gas lands in the St.
Mary's gas fields. They already have a
number of large producing wells sunk and
are sinking more. As they strike gas these
wells are piped or cased and capped until
the company desire to utilize the we'll.
These fields possess an unlimited supply. as
stated by experts, and are only about fifty
miles distant from Springfield. Mains
from the fields have been laid to within q
few miles Of Piqua, that city being almost
on direct line between Springfield and the
fields. The company have had an expert
engineer from New York over the route,
and he gives the company every assurance
that the gas can be brought here and sup
pIied in as large or small quantities as the
demands may be.
This company have the gas and the
money sufficient to back the enterprise of
piping and supplying cities within radius
of 80 or 100 miles. Springfield Is one OF
the most important cities within that radius
and needs cheap fuel as badly as any to
enable our large manufacturers to success
fully compete with those located at points
supplied with gas. These are the facts.
The company asks Of cities that they be
given franchise of the streets not an ex-
elusive franchise, but left open SO that
any other company can come in
who have the gas and the desire to come,
for period of five years, they agreeing
to furnish to factories. the city and private
consumers at such price as may be fixed
by the city council and agreed to by the
company. The company also gives any To-
cal capitalists the opportunity of investing,
and thus becoming locally interested in the
success of the enterprise. The company
has as yet made no proposition, but this is
about the plan on which they are operating
in Piqua. Troy, Sidney and other towns
where they have made contracts. Major
Townsend was simply here to talk with
our people to get at the feeling regarding
such q project and to assure the city that
the gas existed In abundance, that it could
b brought here without one cent of risk
to the city. Neither is the city asked to { Z
itself up by any contract shutting 0thei
companies from coming in. The price
of gas to be fixed by council before the
company gets In, and that price to stand
for number of years agreed upon.
This seems to be an opportunity to get
what Springfield has been trying to get fol
the past two or three years, and the matter
should be given every favorable considera
ton possible.
The question resolves itself simply into
this-the gas exists in sufficient quantities
to meet our wants and is available. Will
the city endeavor to enter into such con.
tract with this company a. will make
1t possible?
1t is matter in which every citizen /.
interested, and when the matter comes ur
| for action it should have been sufficiently
considered by every one that there may be
no delay In the matter. The company says
that if contract is made. and made at an
early date, next winter will find the gas
here in abundant quantities for all pE.
poses.
Mr.. John Foos, General BushneR, Mayor
Kelly and sthers all express themselves
favorable to some plan by which this op.
portunity for cheap fuel might be utilized.
The matter will, in due time, come up for
definite action, and 1t is to be hoped that II
will be presented in such way that the
city can see its way clear to contract with
the company.