Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-06-06
THE GAS ORDINANCE.
THE CITIZENS COMPANY GRANTED PER.
MISSION 10 PIPE THE CITY.
A Large Audience Of Prominent Citizsns in Attend
anes Upon the SsssiOn-fhs Basi-
ness in Detail.

A Large Audience Of Prominent Citizsns in Attend
anes Upon the Ssssinn-fhs Busi-
ness in Detail.
II was rather unusual and distinguish
ed audience which gathered in the Council
chambers. at the City Hall, last evening,
to see what the city Legislators would do
with the ordinance to be submitted in the
interests Of the new natural gas company.
Among the spectators were such gentle
men as J. D. Du Bots, ]. G. Hoffman, ST.,
G. W. Frsnzheim, Ran. Stalnaker, G. G.
Hannah, J. R. McCourtney, M. Heymann,
W. II. Hearne, Jacob W. Grub, T. Reilly,
n. E. Whitaker, Frank Hearne. J. d.
Culbertson, G. ]. Rawlings, John II. Hall,
A. d. Ssamen, George Wise, John Brown,
]. W. Paxton, DR.. Geo. Baird, and others.
Immediately after the reading Of
the minutes Of the last regu-
lar meeting, in the Second Branch,
the call for the special meeting was read,
and then President Gilleland laid before
the body an ordinance granting to the
Citizens Natural Gas Company the right
to lay and maintain its lines in the streets,
alleys and public places Of the city. The
ordinance is close copy OF similar docu-
ments heretofore passed by Council, there
being no unusual provision of any sort.
When the ordinance had been read
first time, Mr.. Allison said he had seen il
stated in q morning paper that the paper
correspondent in all essential particulars
with the ordinance passed in the interests
of the Manufacturers Gas Company. He
believed the paper had not been drawn
either by the City Solicitor or the Commit
tee on Ordinances, and he asked that the
published statement that he had alluded
to be verified in some way. He would
like to hear from Mr.. II. M, Russell, who,
he imagined, was posted.
Mr.. HarrelI suggested the Manufactur-
ers' Gas Company ordinance be procured
and q comparison made, as the shortest
and best way TO arrive at the information
sought by Mr.. Allison.
Mr.. Allison was satisfied with this. The
in the Manufacturer ordinance, and If
the pending paper was drawn in the same
terms and to the same effect, it was all
right.
The two ordinances were therefore read
and compared by Clerk Bowers, and no
material changes being found, the docu-
ment was read by sections second time
for amendment and debate.
When section three was reached, Mr. !
Harrell offered an amendment, as follows:
"In case OF the failure of the Company now
furnishing gas to the city buildings and
Water Works Of the city, through bursted
pipes, failure of supply at the wells, or
any other cause, they, the said Citizens |
Company, shall furnish gas to the said
buildings and water works free"
Mr.. Harrell spoke at some little length |
in support of his amendment.
Mr.. Wheat suggested an amendment to |
the proposition, limiting the period during
which the Citizens Company was to supply |
free gas to the city.
Mr.. Mitchell thought the amendment
ought to be rejected, as its sole effect was
to place the Citizens Company at the |
mercy of the Natural Gas Company of
West Virginia, which company was the
sole judge of its ability to supply the
Water Works with gas.
Mr.. Maxwell thought the wording of the
amendment was unfortunate, but he
agreed with the spirit Of its proposition. |
He said the city was never in the grasp of |
the monopoly known as the Natural Gas
Company of West Virginia, and he was
opposed to placing another company un-
der the heel of the same corporation.
The argument took circular form, and |
went round and round till the lobby grew |
dizzy, but no substantial progress was |
made for long time.
The amendment was finally lost on |
division, ayes 10, noes IA, as follows: !
Ayes-Messrs. Allison, Garvin, Gundling, |
Harrell, Healy, Kettler, Vockler, Wheat,
Young, and Mr.. President, 10; noes
Messrs. Auber, Davis, Ebelipg, Giuse,
Hsrtong, Jones, Kraft, Maxwell, Miller,
Mitchell, McKown, Praeht, Prayer and
Warner-l4.
Mr.. Young offered the following to Sec
ton four:
"By the acceptance of this ordinance,
the Citizens Gas Company agrees that
they and their successors or lessees shall |
not charge greater price for gas than is
charged for the same service by COMPETE |
tors or other gas companies within a
radius of 100 miles of this city,"
This was amended and talked over, and !
laid on the table with great vigor.
Then Mr.. Jones tried his hand with an
amendment to section four, as follows:
THAT in the work of ditching and pipe |
laying, the company give the preference to
Wheeling labor"
This was adopted:
Mr.. Cruise came next, with the follow
ing:
THE streets, where broken, by said
company, shall be repaired by the Board
of Public Works, at the expense of the
company"
In speaking TO his amendment, Mr.. |
Cruise said ii WAS notorious that existing
gas companies had failed to put the streets
in anything like their former condition,
and he wanted change for the better.
After prolonged debate, the amendment
was carried by two-thirds vote. The
reading of the ordinance was then COM
pleted. and the document passed. The or
dinance must be accepted by the gas CON- |
psny On or before August 1st
The President then laid before the !
Branch the resolution of Mr.. Jones, passed |
by a majority vote at the last session Of
council, to pay Mr.. Jos. A. Faris $500 for
the picture, 1.-THE Siege of Fl. Henry"
Mr.. Kraft moved to refer to the Com
mittee on Real Estate. This was lost.
Messrs. Allison and Davis made few
remarks, and then the proposition was put
to vote, while q number of members
drifted out of the room. The vote resulted
as follows: Ayes-Messrs Allison, Auber,
Ebeling, Garvin, Gundling, Hartong,
Healy, Jones, Maxwell, Mitchell, Nc.
Kown, Wheat and Mr.. President-13
Noes-Messrs. Davis, Kettler, Kraft,
Miller, Pracht, Vockler, Warner and
Youpg-S.
This ends this matter, as far as the Sec
ond Branch is concerned.
The next business taken up was Mr.. |
Maxwell's resolution, also adopted by a
majority vote at the last meeting, provid-
ing for the codifying Of the city ordinance,
the work to be done by the City Solicitor
and the Committee on Ordinances.
Mr.. Maxwell moved to strike out the
City Solicitor, and authorize the commit
tee to ask for bids.