Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-10-05
HINT OF MUNICIPAL SCANDAL
II the Assi.s Ordinance Isn't Repealed BY
Council.

The Pittsburg Dispatch inteIviswed
Captain o. W. Batchelar, President Of
the Natural Gas Company Of West yir.
giniA, yestsrdsy morning. saying BY way
Of preface to the Captains remarks, that:-
"rhe Captain, in speaking Of this act On
Wheeline's part as one OF Reputation
added . gentle hint or two, the effect Ct
which was that municipal sclndals might
come to light in Wheeling so,n that would
astonish the natives."
Alter quoting the provisions Of the
'sssizs" ordinance, 70 which Captain
Bachelor took decided exceptions, he
said, by way of COMMENT
The principle involved 10 very great.
The city Of Wheeling. by the attempt to
enforce the sssiIs ordinance on our com.
pany, has placed itself in the POSITION of .
repudistor. Our gas company has Q con-
tract with the city Of Wht cling giving rs
the exclusive right for twenty } ears to lay
and to sell gas for domestic purpoeee. For
that privilge We are TO furnish free gas t,
the city to run al public works and build
ings of the city. The gas company had
faithfully performed its part OF the con,
tract, and hiss for two years been furnish
ing gas for all the city works and build
ings, which, from the best information We
can obtain, is . saving to the city Of about
SIS. 600 per year in fuel"
Further questions by the reporter and
ans swers by Captain Bachelor, run As fIl.
lows:
rs there anything in your contract With
the city as to the price to be charged for
gasp"
"Yes, cir; we are not to charge over Is
cents per 1000 feet"
"At the prics your company is now
charging, II sold by measure, what would
it amount to per !. 900 festp"
1T would amount 10 less than cents
per 1000. Yet you will observe that our
contract allows rs to charge Is cents"
"What does your company propose do
ing sbout the suita'
well, cir, of course We will be compelled
to maintain our position by legal process.
Rather than submit to this ordinance, 1t
would pay the gas company to take the gas
ont of the city Of Wheeling, ard sell 1t to
the mills and private consumers outside
the city limits"
After Captain Bachelor had briefly
sketched the history of the Natural Gas
Company Of West Virginia, the reporter
asked
ION what principle then does the titylof
Wheeling now propose to reduce your
right to charge below Is cents per thou
sand?"
You must ask me something easier.
We have all been trying to figure this out.
and in view of the fact that we have never
yet charged half the amount We are enti-
tied TO, their course teems to rs prt poster
ous In the extreme, and to right minded
people and the public, who will look at
the matter without prejudice, canuot sp-
pear anything else than IN attempt TO re-
pudiate on the part of the city, which We
do not propose 30 submit 10. " =
Another feature Of the so-called assize Or
dinance. which shows its charactec aud
real purpose, is that the limitation OF the
prices OF both bread and coal are put un-
reasonably high, and it is very evident
that these were only added for the purpose
OF striking as, and not 10 pro tect the poo.
pie in the matter of bi G I'd and coal at sll
rhis is not generally regarded very hon
orable use Of power. Give us price fer
natural gas proportiopate TO the price al-
lowed for coal, and We will be perfectly
satisfied"
"Is there no chance Of the citissns Of
Whe. ling, who dis,pprove Of the course Of
C)upcil, insisting on the repeal Of the as
sze ordinance as an act Of justice TO yout
company, and credit to th:msslvts?"
1--WE have hoped 80, but nevertheless 6
the ordinance is allo we'd to rem Ain on the
statute book Of the dy, and by virtue OF
their indifference aud inacticn, which We
are inclioed to think is due to their not
under landing the matter, we at the pres
ent moment stand under CO. d:mnation By
one of their maei trstss. You can under,
stand that, however disagreeaoe t, NJ, We
are forced to position requiring Us TO d.
fond ourselves, even if In making opt TIE
case We must place on record in the courts
facts that will reflect upon the honor Of the
city Of Wheeling"
Can not the matter be adjusted come
WY to avoid this ?"
"Yss, sir; 1t sll rests with the citizens Of
Wheeling If they think the city ba'
dons wrong they should insist upon The
immediate repeal Of the ordinsncs which
puts the city into tuch position, but II
they do not get the ordinance Iepeslsd
they must not blame Us II the promises
and contracts Of the city Of Wheeling are
shown to be worthless before our case Il
though If they can be created to-day BY
one ordinance and repudiated Tomorrow
by another"