Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-01-13

heard the matter discussed, although |
were made during the weeks
the subject was being considered that
were as wide from the facts rs it was
possible for them to be.
At last weeks meeting the chairman
OF the committee who had formulated
the cost and expense of the proposed line,
in answering Mr.. Kumler, took occas-
ion to announce as his deliberate opin-
ion, that If the new line was not laid for
one year the two lines now here would
get sufficient returns to give them back
the capital their plants had cost. This
was received with applause by the push
ers of the scheme, and, like similar state.
ments made at previous meetings, would
have gone to the public in the papers as
an undisputcd fact. l had positive
knowledge on that point, and determine
ed that if it was repeated abroad it should
not go uncontradicted, and hence denied
it.
Perhaps If it was fully understood by
the general public, as it ought to be,
(for it is fact that can be as easily
proven as that two and two make four,)
that the stock of the Natural Gas COM
pany was freely offered on the streets
last year at so cents on the dollar, and
that these men who see such immense
returns and profits in the business refits
ed to Unrest one cent Of their 0Vn money in
the stock, the public would then know
what weight to attach to speeches of the
kind mentioned.
If the matter of a city pipe line was
one that should have been pushed and
tenct aged, it is now evident to every
body that at the Business Mems meet
ings were not the proper time nor place
to push it or discuss it. From the time
the question was opened, some of the
best members OF the association have re.
fused to attend meeting, and have
steadily protested in private that an as
sociation for the purpose of uniting every
interest in bringing manufacturers tc
the city, should not be used to inaugu-
rate and father scheme that men might
honestly have two opinions about.
The association sent out a report made
by committee composed of w. S
Thurston, L. s. Baumgardner, and F. B
Dodge, which claimed TO give the accur
ate details of the cost of line from the
gas fields to this city, having sufficient
capacity to supply the entire city, botl
now and in the future. If this report
was, as it assumed to be the deliberate
judgment of the two business men or
the committee, it certainly did it'll,
credit to their business sagacity and
If the statements made we're not their,
carefully considered and patiently veri-
fled, then they did an injustice to them
selves and to the public in permitting
their names to be used to influence pub
lie opinion.
The petitions sent out IA having tht
full endorsement of the Business Men,
association, proposed to build n double
line from the gas fields to the city, and
cover the city for $750,000. Latterly
the talk has been one million dollars
but the men who knew gas was to bt
found out at Air Line Junction. and
then at Manhattan, and then at Point
| Place, and then at several other spots
nearer by, now know that gas is to be
found a few miles away, and that thous,
ands of acres of the best gas territory
are to be had for the asking; these are
all sure that the line can be built TO,
half million ! And the committee
composed of Messrs. Thurstin, Baum
gardner and Dodge gravely assure the
public that even though it cost one and
one half millions, ''that two years gas
rentals will pay the whole debt and leave
the city with free gas for the remaining
eight years."
If the committee had been anxious tC
have few facts'on that subject, know
hat the Toledo company would gladly
have thrown open their books to them
That company began its contracts Octo
ber |. 1t had been making strong eff
forts all the fall TO induce people along
its line TO use its gas. At the close OF
November it had made contracts OF
| $ll0, 600 for the year and these to day
have been raised to about $40, 900 gross
rentals. People are making no connect
Ions now. nor are they expected to dc
SO except MS new houses are built. Sc
that we find the gross receipts of the
company less than $l2, 900 per month
Out of this must come the rent paid foi
leased land the cost of looking after
the wells taking care of the lines the
full Office expenses, and the care of the
houses where gas is used. Let those
who know about such expenses figure Il
for themselves, and judge II one years
receipts will pay back the capital invest
ed in the plant. Nay, take this com
pany's affairs farther. At October they
supposed they would lay no more pipe
this fall or winter but inside of twenty
days such pressure was brought to beal
ON them that they decided to extend L
the Wagon Works and tho near neigh
borhood and that small piece of worl
cost them between 100000 and $50, 900
or all the total income they can expect
from their entire plant in four months
have no knowledge of the rentals oi
contracts Of the Northwestern COM