Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-02
THE CENTRAL.
PRESIDENT SCOTT SAYS IT WILL BIB RE-
MOVED FROM WHEELING
Tbs Directors and Stockholders Express Their Sur
prise and Plead Ignorance Of Any Such
Action in The Premises.

of surprise extended to the stockholders OF
the Central Company, none of whom had
heard of the proposed change Of base, and
even to the Board of Directors members of
which body took an early opportunity to
express their surprise at the announce
lnent that the removal had been determiD-
ed upon. The matter was a leading topic
of conversation in business and manufact-
uriug circles during the day, and there
were numerous expressions Of regret at the
made by President Scott,
and active enquiries as to when the deter
mination had been arrived at.
During the afternoon a REGISTER re-
porter called npon Mr.. Peter Cassell, one
OF the Board Of Directors Of the Company,
for the purpose Of ascertaining MS views
upon the important question Of remOv-
ing the Central plant. Mr.. Csssell said he
had read Mr.. ScOtt's statement, and ad-
mitted he was somewhat surprised. lie
said:
at is true business has not been very
satisfactory with Ms, as we have On i'm
menss sock of manufactured goods on
hand. but l am not aware that any re-
moval fromWheeling had been determined
upou. Some measure Of relief for MS Will
have to be found, and the. matter Of
removal has been discussed informally
among the Directors, bat it has gone nc
farther. The Board never acted upon the
question, and consequently never deter
mined to remove to some point TO be here
after selected. In addition TO passing the
Board. the matter would also have to be
submitted 10 q meeting Of the stock
holders, and you can thus see the announce
ment Is, to say the least, premature.
80 what DO you attribute the uusatis-
factory state of trade at your fsc'ory?'
ITO the active competition OF the gas
towns. the factories in which, being I'M
der much less expense, have been able to
undersell US. ! am in en- excellent posi-
ton 10 know the facts in this regard, being
personally interested in one of the Ohio
factories"
Col. August Rolf, another member of
the Board Of Directors OF tie Central, was
also seen. Like Mr. Cassell, he was very
much surprised to see the definite an
nouncement that the Central was going
away. He said:
9Th BoaId has never taken any formal
action upon the question, and the an
MANAGEMENT of a determination to remove
ir. therefore, an inaccuracy. Our general
situation has Of course, baen discussed in
an informal way, but the Directors have
never determined upon the change so
positively stated by President Scott. Even
If they had acted, the proposition would
have to secure the approval Of the stock.
holders before it could he positively said
that the Central will be removed from
Wheeling"
VIM. Goshring, another member OF the
Board of Directors, said;
"There hes been no determination TO
remove the works, as no official action has
been taken by the Board. A meeting will
be convened as soon as President Scott re-
turns from New York"
L. +. Stifel, who probably represents
more stock, in his own name and as trus-
tee, than any other single person, said:
'This i5 the first intimEtion l have had
of a removal. 1 never heard the subject
mentioned, aud must say l am very much
surprised Gt Mr.. Scott's announcement. l
don't understand it,"
Mr. c. Hess, another large stakeholder,
said he was greatly surprised, and that he
knew nothing about the matter.
Other stockholders also confessed their
ignorance of the matter.
In the course of a search for President
Scott, it was learned that gentleman con-
templased leaving for Washington and
New York at fix o'clock last evening and
a reporter accordingly called at his resi-
deDce on Fourteenth street. shortly before
train time. President Scott, in answer to
a question, seid the publication was Sub
stantially c0rrect,n and reiterated the
statement that the removal had been deci-
ded upon, and repeated this at least once
lie added. however, thst the matter
would have 10 be submitted to the stock
holders. Mr.. Scott seemed to be very de-
cided in his views, and not at all adverse
in expressing them. Proceeding to give
reasons he said:
81 have devoted good deal Of thought
TO this matter. and have figured out an
annual saving Of about So, 600, which is
ten per cent. on our capital stock. Most
of this, ss a matter Of course, is on gas, but
by no means all OF it. For instance, take
the matter of lime, which costs Us at pres
ent $50 per ton. 10 the Ohio gas towns il
can be delivered for So, saving of S2l,
Then take sand. To be sure, Mr.. Waddell
says it doesn't amount to much; but saw
ing of 81 a ton means $3.50 month to Us,
which is no inconsiderable item. Then we
can bring our alkalies around by water from
the Hudson, via. the Erie canal, and the
Lakes, at big saving, while fieights to the
Western markets offer decided advantage.
Then there is more or less immunity from
taxes, free gas, free location, free railroad
connections, the people agreeing to sur
round our plant with switches connecting
in some cases with three to five competing
roads, and cash bonuses. These are big in
ducements. Why, it would pay us to
close our factory here for tan years, and
then come back to Wheeling; the saving
would amount 10 az much in that time as
the whole amount Of our capital"
"Haye you decided definitely as TO
where you will go?"
mo, sir; we have a number of PROPOSE
tions, from Anderson, Ind, FoatOTa, and
other places l don't care to name On my
return from New York I shall make an
other tour through the Ohio sud Indians
gas belt, and then a definite decision will
be made. But we shall 90; that is GER
tain
A REGISTER reporter met Mr.. John IL.
Hobbs las. evening. and asked him what
he thought of the Centrals contemplated
move.
Il don't know anything about il except
what l read, but can see no reason why
they should leave Wheeling, for in my
opinion they oould not find better loca-
ton
'Isn't Wheeling a good point for the
glass business?"
II think so, or I shouldn't have gone
back into the business here 80 recently.
Wheeling hiss q big advantage over these
boom towns and since our works started,
We have done better business than we
anticipated, and l am very glad we re-
manned here
ADJUSTMENTS.