Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-26
THE GAS TOWNS"
MANUFACTURERS WHO TAKE LITTLE STOCK
IN THEM.
Wheeling Has Ample Advantages and a Solid Pros
psrity-Two Short Talks Upon
Pertinent Subject

There was a great deal of talk in bust
ness circles, yesterday, over the alleged
manufacturing advantages Of the mushroom
Ohio and Indiana gas towns, as compared
with the solid prosperity and tangible
facilities of Wheeling, and from the gen.
eral tenor of the discussion, it is very
evident that the Wheeling business men
and manufacturers ore not seriously ex-
ercised by the rivalry Of the embryo cities
in the States named, but on the contrary
are disposed 10 estimate the glittering at
fractions and inducements held ont at
something very much below the value
placed upon them by interested and ambi-
tious boomers, and feel assured that very
short time will suffice to show unmistaka-
bly, the unsubstsntial character Of the
foundations upon which the beautiful and
dazzling structures OF the "gas" cities are
being reared.
And manufacturers in surrounding towns
are in line with Wheeling citizens on this
point.
A representative manufacturer of q
neighboring town is Mr.. G. w. Yost, man
ager of the Bellaire bottle works. 10 an
interview with q REGISTER reporter yester-
day, he said:
81 think the manufacturers who resist
the temptation TO remove 10 the gas towns
will have reason to congratulate themselves
in the future. say this from personal
observation and what learn from others.
The Judgment of the most ssgaciOus and
successful business men, VINO have investi-
gated the matter fully, seems to be against
removal. Such a man is Captain GOrsuch,
of ZAnesville. He is a very large glass
manufacturer, running three distinct es-
Observation-Disclosures glass, flint
house, aud green bOttls works.
A year OF so ago he was very much i'm
pressed with the stories he had heard OF
the advantages of Findlay, and other places
Of like ambition, and to thoroughly satisfy
himself he made an extensive tour through
the boom territory. He returned to Ianes-
vile very much more satisfied with his old
coal furnaces than before, and is prepared
to maintsin his ground. He said he had
been unable to find anyone who had done
Is well with gas as he had with coal. He
is one of the best posted manufacturer in
the basiness thoroughly we'll informed,
and his conclusions will have great
weight"
Have you read the interviews upon the
advantages of Lancaster, o in this morn
inp's papers,"
Yes. am not prepared to accept all l
hear about the gas towns, after the exper-
fence Findlay has had. 1t ia very prObs-
bic that Lancaster IS like Findlay-that
they have a shortage of gas every once in Il
while"
"Then you are not favoroble to remov-
ais by manufacturers to the boom eOmmu-
nities?"
Il am not. If there ever was a time
when removals were desirable, think
that time is past, for the glass trade espsc
tally. There is little or no money in the
business here, Just now, i. Is tfue; but
there ia none in it there, either. I think
the boom towns have touched high water
mark. Then thsre is the question Of labor
Glass manufacturers must have boys, and
the supply of boys in the boom towns has
run out Why, ont there, they are en-
ployiug meR in positions where the manu-
facturecs hereabOuis uss twelve-yeaf-
boys. The Ohio valley is good thing 20
stick to-"
A Wheeling business man, who Is known
to almost every citizen, and whose name,
if printed. would secure for him the gceat-
est attention and consideration, said
The talk about the advantages of the
Ohio towns, as compared with Wheeling,
is very funny. It ought rot be listened to
seriously. We are fOlid, substantial
manufacturing community, our industries
have turned out fortunes for every one
connected with them in any considerable
way and we have more wealth and COM
mercisl standing, compared with pOpula-
ton, than any other city ia the country Of
the size. We have excellent tranepOrta-
tion facilities, which will be largely added
TO within a year, we have an established
trade, ard a reputation Ia the business
world second to none Aud yet We hear
the advantages of Findlsy and other
towns held mp as being vastly superior 20
ours. Let Wheeling men stick to Wheel
ing, snd devote the same energies TO her
advancement that would be expended in
removals, and we can hold our own against
oil cornera -