Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-29
BIG GAS SHORTAGE.
OVER FIVE HUNDRED FURNACES AT PITTS
BURG WILL SHUT DOWN,
Owing to the Philadelphia Natural Gas Company's
Orders, Until They Can Be RemOdsled for
Coal-What the Iron Manu-
hcturers Think Of It.

drawing fuel from pudding furnaces Is
hard blow. 1t is estimated by such
authorities as MeSSrS. Painter, w. j.
Hammond and other practical iron
manufacturers that 500 furnaces will un-
dergo enforced idleneSS by the order
until these furnaces can be prepared To
be heated by coal.
The order Of the Philadelphia Com
pany reads that gas will be withdrawn
from the class of furnaces named on the
tweuty-ninth instant, unless consumers
are advised TO the contrary by letter.
IL was rumored that the gas supply may
be again furnished, but manufacturers
believe that unless they secure their
supply from other sources they must re-
turn 10 coal permanently. 1t Is not
known that anyone has been so advised,
and the gas will 90, therefore, to-mor-
row.
Even now some firms have commenced
% prepare their furnaces for coal. Al
the Sligo mills. four furnaces, and three
out of eight heating furnaces, will be
changed.
At the Clinton mill two furnaces are
being changed to-day, aud all pudding
furnaces will be remodeled for coal.
Jones X LaughlinS will suffer TO great
er extent proportionately than other
mills: divers lower mills ana the Pitts
burgh Forge and Iron Company will be
almost entirely without gas.
EFFECT OF THE SHORTAGE.
There is cry over the two cities for
more gas.
To-day large proportion of people
who use natural gas burned wood IN
kitchen stoves.
That was the only way they could get
some coffee warmed and little meat
cooked. Further than this no house
keeper. in certain quarters, dared TO go.
II may be an amusing sight To see men
wearing ovcrcoatS in the house, but its
not funny TO them.
The shortage was not confined to one
locality. On the South Side, mp Nylie
avenue. and over in Allegheny there
was scarcely any gas at all. In some
places there was no gas at all and IN
others Just enough 20 take the chill out
Of the rooms
An the sub-Stations of the Philadel-
phia Company were kept busy answer
| Ing complaints. aud quite number OF
citizens found their way TO the general
offices OF the company on Penn avenue.
They were told that everything possible
would be done for them and that the
scarcity would soon be over.
One OF the officials said: eve Will
soon be all right. The pudding fur
naces are 20 be shut of to-day in all the
mills supplied by our company. Ihey
are supposed 10 use two-tfthS oil all the
gas furnished the mills, but they take
more than that. Ii will be shut of al
tine valve houses. and this two-titthS
will be Immediately turned into the
nine. for domestic use. l think that
/ will help matters some. Then We Will
shut of the gas from the remainder oil
the mills Just rs il is required.
-There is some trouble over In Ale
pherv. but that will be remcdied aS soon
las we can turn on the gas from the
Washington field. The manufacturers
Il.vo boo. ;.g his ia thcir mills and
Ithis will be- given TO the domestic con
SINNER. Then our Second avenue 30
inch main is nearly finished. We have
about 300 feet yet To lay, and we car
do that iu about ten days. Besides tht'
Me- have ten or twelve wells being
drilled in the Bclleycrnon field. au'
these will be i'm i'm few days. With al
this gas We can give the consumers a
, much as they want.
PEOPLES COMPANY CONFIDENT.
The rates for natural gas is bound u
. 20 up. This is the statement made 10y
Mr.. j. y. Pew, President Of the Peo
plc's Gas Company. In an interview
had with him to-day he stated that Tho
Peoples Company had not yet decided
ON a raise of rates but he thought thai
would be the result.
..Gas cannot be furnished ut the pres
emit rate because people are not econ0m
zeal enough In the use OF il.
Mr. Pew said the shortage OF gas the
past lew days was due To some connec
tions that the company had beeh max
ing. The Excelsior Glass Company OF
Forbes street has been compelled tC
shut down, and Mr.. Pew said they would
probably not be able TO start up Ton
Iabout ten days He thinks in that
time the Peoples Company will have
lenough gas to supply all demands. Tic
said they had no idea OF cutting OIL any
Iof the furnaces they are now supplying.
RIVER coal MEN ENPECrANr
Coal operators are greatly please
lover the prospect that the mill owners
win return to coal The trade will
principally 90 to railroad mine owners
but the river shippers expect share.
Cant. Mckinley said this morning
that he did not think the river opera
tors would have as much OF the trade as
they formerly did, for since the time
tbot coal was used the Pittsburgh, Me
Keesport and Youghiogheny Railway
Companv. and the Pittsburgh Junction
Railroad Company have reached a mum
her of mills. Capt. Richard BarrowS
said. however. that in the days when
coal was used the mills had tracks IN
their wards over which to carry coal to
the puddling furnaces. Now these lines
have been torn up, and as II VIII be as
necessary TO transport coal from the
cars rs from the cOalbOatS, the river
trade will come in for a share of the
business.
Cant. /. y. Buntou. OF Joseph Walton
4 On said that the river operators
D
would get their share of the coal trade,
any that he looks for a revival in the
business. lie thought that the increaS'
ed demand for coal will naturally ad-
vance prices, but said that there mas
has been no advance so far.
THE FURNACES REMoDELLED.
The pudding furnaces in the Clinton
Rolling Mill have been remodelled to a
rreat extent, and adapted to the use OF
coal as fuel. They are not changed 50
much. however, that they cannot De
used for gas. .-...
At the Sligo null work is being prose,
cuted 10 the same end. Coal IS the iuei
tbat will supcrcedc gas, at least Tor the
present. nr,,,
In the American Iron Works num-
her Of the pudding furnaces which
are supplied with gas from the Phila-
delphia Company, will use coal until
service is obtained from some other
comnanv. For this reason large num-
her of puddlers have been idle since
Saturday.
Schooner Disappears.
Fp,xKrorr. MIcH., October 9S.-A
snail schooner. supposed to be the Jane
Anderson. was sighted Sunday evening
NV the life saving station flying colors