Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-03-08
NATURAL CASING.
HOW MILLIONS ARE MULTIPLIED.



There Is nothing more certain than
that the winged vapors smell not like u
Christian and that those who inlinle 1t
talk not like ChrisliNns.
One suiif Of the "naiural" frequently
shifts the moral center from the aide OF
veraciiy to that of wlliul misreprescnta-
ton, cencealment and fraul.
No odds how hon,at a man may lie On
general principles, when examined M TO
the profits Of a natural gas plant in which
lie il interested, he will funk Mt the crit
cal moment, whenever his answer runs
"ferninst" his pockethouk.
There is something 20 exhilarating in
natural gas (profls) that il affects one
like champagne. A man inhNling the
ethereal vapor loses consciousness of
things reul and dwells IN world Of fancy
and forgetiulness. Billiards. affect n
man in much the same way. Though q
blizzard IL nothing but hole IN the air,
1t has the energy, when aroused, to blow
solid chunks OF truth into Tissues OF false
hood.
The most famous Of liars, prior to the
discovery of gas at Flndlay, lived in the
blizzard county.
With every new gas well that comes
into being, new school of liars comes
along with It TO tell the world the mill
ions on millions OF cubic feet OF roaring,
rushing, monster gushing gas 1t is lutting
| forth.
This species of "natural gassing" is at
premium with the en,erprIsing press.
The mayors committee looked upon
''natural gassing" with enough favor TO
send for Charley Foster to enlighten it on
the cost OF natural gas plants. "Calico
Charley" who las lived in the neighbor-
hood of the Karg well since it was first
placed on tap, aud having devoted great
deal OF HE time 10 taking in natural gas
territory, proved a most remarkable sub
iect. His fabulous statements as to the
cos, of a natural gas plant struck terror
to the heart Of the commmillee. Natural
gassing" with him il fine art. When on
exhibition the flow is immense and be-
| Niluers compfenehslon.
Cal. Brice ia another good subject
While Ina henchmen were lobbying the
city council OF Lima for an ordinance
similar to that ofsToledo, he said he did
not hold dollar Of the Lima Natural Gae
Companys stock and was simply helping
his friends. Pretty soon Brice turned up
owner Of Il majority of the stock, and one
of the most active takers OF gas territory
in the field. While the newspapers were
discussing the probable duration Oi
natural gas. agents Oi the Brice syndicate
were leasing the cream OF the Mercer
county field.
DIR. Baxter, Brce's partner in the Lima
plant, Is also famous for natural gassing,
While at the Boody House the other day.
he said to News representative that lie
had a quarter of a million dollars inves-
ted in natural gas that wasn't paying him
a red cent. With all respect to the
DOCTORS propensity for "natu / gassing, u
the Lima Natural Gas Company is max
ing $l50,000 n year and Is so we'll satisfied
with its Investment that instead of pay
Ing the profits out in dividends, it il REIN
vesting them IN natural gas territory.
George Nelly, who Is Il brotl erin-law
to Cal. Brice, recently gave this bit Of in
formation: 1.-THE Brice syndicate, the
Southwestern Natural Gas Company, has
10000 acres of gas territory in Darke
Augaaize and Mercer coun les, and con-
tains enough gas TO supply 10 cities the
size of Dayton for all time TO come"
So well satisfied was Nj. Brice withlhi'
Lima Investment that he has put his
money into gas lines TO Sidney, Piqua.
Troy and Dayton. Not only has he done
this but hIs syndicate ia now leasing
lurge tracts of natural gas territory in the
vicinity of Kokome, Ind, 10 pipe Logaps-
port aud Lafayette.
Does il stand TO reason that man who
can m AXE his millions IN building and
wrecking railroads, would tool away his time
and money in the natural gas business
unle he saw millions IN il?
Why do not natural gas companies pay
dl vdends
Simply for two reasons:
First, they imd it more profitable 10 in
vest them in extending their lines aud &C.
curing new territory. When they
acquire control OF the gas territory they
can dictate the price.
Second, for the reason that il is TO their
advantage to cover up and conceal the
large profits on their Investment, to dis
courage opposition and to keep the entire
field To themselves.
Mr.. Laiarre, secretary of the Bowling
Green Natural Gas Company, when asked
as to the cast Of their plant, SAID: I'll
stands us $40 1000.
what profits are'you making ?"
''If there is one thing | know il is thai
the company since my connection with II
has not paid a cent Of dividends"
Another witness. conservative busine s
| A..
lie explained away on the theory of hl+
llsinterested wituesz-to the same ques-
lion replied:
"rhe Bowling Green Natural Gas Com
pany originally c0s, $l5, 900. If the stocl
Is now valued at $4,000 the difference
represents the profits Of the compsn,
during the last three years."
This illustrates the systematic schem,
OF misrepresentation and concealmen
practiced by natural gas companies TO de
lude The public
Brice and Foster stand for the tw
wings oil the Standard Ol Company
Naiui"s mumiticant gilt 10 the people
in the clutches Of the Octopus. The ter
ritory has been parceled out. Brice j.
the name Of the Standard takes the Merce
county field, and Foster in the name q
the same sovereign take. possession 4
the FmdIay and Wood county territory
e When the territory is once secnre lh
prlce wall he put up to that of coal.
II il for the people of Toledo to sa
\ whether ihe city Of Toledo shall assert ii
Il sovereignty over its own streets an
h firerides, or surrender them to the venalil
. of the most suulless corporation unde
~ the shining stars.
There yet remains gas territory avail
able for The cIly's line. There are me
who will not sell either their land no
their souls, to the Standard Oil CompsDy
They are holding TO their possession.
waiting Tor competitor.
: indianapolis has freed itself foreve
from The coils Of the Octopus by buiIdin
D third gas comyany-lhe Citizens Trnsi