Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-03-15
TWO TOWNS BONDED.
To Obtain Free" Natural Gas F!
How Nnumee nnd Prrrysburg HIVE
Prosperrd with Cny Pipe Lines,
" God Moves in Mysterious Ways His
Wonders to Perform"
The Toledo Blade (Trobob,y Internationally
Sends Reporter 10 the did 5a Boycoitd
Connby Weekly in Throptng Moe
Iiobf on N DnrE ,C,,t;sni

Sends Reporter 10 the did ofa Boycoitd
Connby Weekly in Throgtng Moe
Light on Dark Subject.
[From Toledo Blade 18th iust.l
Pine liners who are so eager for Toledo
% thrust her hand into the grab bag oi the
natural gas business should have been in
Mnumee and Perrysburg last Saturday.
Both Of these ciiies have done what the
pipe liners want Toledo TO do. Both own
natural gas lines, and that they might own
them the authorities have Issued bonds,
pledging the credit OF the cities therefor.
And yet the residents Of those municipal
ities are not happy, and especially on Sat
urday last they were very unhappy.
Maumee has been using gas from her
own wells for nearly year. The eupply
is brought from the waterville, field six or
seven miles away, and is conducted TO the
city through a 4inch pipe. Nine wells
have been drilled in this field, and OF these
three are worthless. Citizens Of Maumee
told me that both Bnllou No. /. and
Slarkweather No. ] had gone dry, and
this statement is undoubtedly true.
It's strange how popular wildcat
scheme will become in a city OF the nine
teenth century, composed of residents OF
ordinary intelligence. Ever since the
project was first broached in the city, the
people have been nearly unit, favoring
the Issuing OF bonds and the construction
OF the lines. A few were obstinate and
opposed il. Nay, they went 30 far as to
connect their houses with the lines Of the
Toledo company, protesting lack OF faith
in the supply from the city plant. The
result was boycott-a cold blooded, un
feeling boycott, not only in business re-
ations, but in social matters also. The
man who did not patronize the city line
was regarded as an enemy to Maumee, a
traitor 10 the best interests Of the city.
But the patrons, what did they do?
They proved their loyalty nt least during
the cold days oi winter by sitting around
cold stove, prefeiring 10 freeze rather
than yield up one title of their patriotism.
On these days, the pressure would go
down as low as single ounce, barely
enough to force the gas through the pipe
to the burner, and the heat produced was
simply an aggravation. / have found
already that the truth has stirred mp the
fire of the good people of Bowling Green,
and doubtless the residents oil Maumee
are no less human, but facts are factH, and
though you may deny them often and
vigorously, they are none the less facts.
The thermometer did not show extreme
cold weather last Saturday, although it
was a stiff March day. But as saw the
citizens of Mnumee, they were still wear
ing their collars which the city council
had put upon their necks, and with a few
exceptions, they wore them meekiy. !
went into several business houses, and
found the gas burning alike In all-hardly
enough, If the day had been extremely
cold, to have kept water from freezing in
the stores. At the hotel where stopped,
they were using gas from the lines OF
the Toledo company, and had an Gbund-
ance it.
Now let us see what it cost Msumee Tor
its natural gas plant, and it's present de-
gree OF prosperity. There is no use OF
going into details Of the legislation by
which the bonds were Issued from time to
time, but the work began some eighteen
months or two years ago, when SlO,OOO
in bonds were issued for -the Locomotive
Improvement company, a concern with
which the citizens OF Toledo are acquaint-
ed. When that petered out, $4,000 OF
the bonds were used in paying for putting
down the Court-house well, and later The
balance of $lOO 900 was given to the Man
NEE Glass company, Which in addition
was guaranteed gas at nominal figure,
and given lease OF the old Courthouse
for a term OF 80 years. But the glass
works cannot get sufficient gas from the
city, and is now connected with the Toledo
company, and paying Toledo rates.
A year and half ago another issue OF
bonds was made to pay for the pipe line,
which city officials claim cost $50, 600,
No one couli or would tell me whether
this included the cost of land leases or
not, but / am of the opinion that it did
hot, tor, up 10 date, the city has issned
bonds in the aggregate sun OF 100000
Of tins amount, $4,000 are held by the
paint works. The balance of The bonds
those not held by the factories-were ne
goliated in this city, some cay at par,
while Others assert with equal positiyeness
as low as 80 cents. They bear six per
cent interest, making an annual sum TO
be paid by the city Of $4, 140.
AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
Do the revenues from the gas pay the
interest on the bonds and the running
expenses? Let us see. The secretary j.
paid $50 per month, or $500 per year.
The royalty on the gas wells amounts 10
$l,iO0, and sundry expenses will amount
TO at least $500. This makes n total OF
S6,340. Az the city is supplying no fac
tories, there are not dozen No. z mixers
used in the city. Supposing there are
20, the revenue from them would be 1886,
and from 300 No. 5 mixers, S3,6e0, max
ing total of So .936, or S2,404 less than
the annual expense.
Take the secretary's own figures of 500
stores, and the city would still fall short
over $500. But this is not all. In Or
der to hold its present patronage, Mau-
MEG must drill more wells, and it is the
general impression that a new field,
more distant than the Waterville field
must be sought, before any increase in
supply can be obtained. This means
another large issue of bonds and con.
sequent increase. in the burden which
the city has undertaken.
Moreover, the city is not able TO full
I'LL the obligations it has already taken