Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-26
THE MILLS AND THI

While the announcement from the Phila-
delphia Company that it proposes to. shut
off the natural gas from the pudding fur
naces in this city CONS in the nature of an
unnecessarily sudden surprise. tine situation
had better be analyzed before indulging in
needless alarm. All that the company
could possibly mean, at the most. is if the
mills do not pay at the rate of 10 cents per
thousand feet, which Is charged to domestic
consumers, the company will shut them of.
Practically this may be equivalent TO the
non-alternative statement of purpose which
emanated from the company's Office, as it is
a well-established fact that either coal, or
oil, or mixture of both, can be used very
much more cheaply than gas at 10 cents per
thousand. Besides, the meter is a costly
appliance when constructed to register large
volumes of gas In place of being pur-
chased for few dollars, as is the ordinary
domestic meter, it runs up into thousands.
But, setting aside the form in which the
corporation officials have chosen to spring
their demand, or declare their conclusion,
as the reader may prefer, the situation is
not without its remedies. A number of the
large manufacturers have already found it
economical. and in every way advantageous
to have their own independent gas supply.
The Equitable Company is owned by manu-
facturers who supply their own works. The
Carnegie's likewise have their own gas. The
extensive Oliver firms have built the large
Monongahela line for themselves and other
customers; and Jones & Laughlins will
soon have a system of pipes flowing all the
gas they want from unbounded fields in
Washington county. All around the city,
at distances not too far for transportation,
there are still many thousand acres of gas
territory available; and if, like the foolish
virgins, there are any considerable number
of heavy manufacturers who have left their
lamps thus far untrimmed, the way is yet
open to them to band together and bring in
their own fuel. Artificial gas plants will be
found to work very we'll, not to speak of oil
and coal. So long as PIttsburg has the
latter, in ine1haustible and cheap supplies,
it will continue controlling the situation.
1t would be improper, however, to pass
over the subject without commenting upon
manufacturers exhibited in waiting so long
before providing themselves with fuel re-
sources of their own. Whatever construction
may be placed upon the course of the Phila-
delphia Company, and its announcement at
an inconvenient season, it has been no more
than reasonable TO expect that its own in
terests would ultimately govern when the
"a A i.;&
prise among our manufacturers would have
led to the early securing for Pittsburg of
system of service devoted wholly to their
own needs. But in contemplating any pres
ent Inconvenience there is at least cause for
congratulation that a greater peril has not
materialized in the proposed syndicating of
the Monongahela coal interests, which was
so complacently discussed early In the year
The idea then was to put these vast
coal fields into the hands of a for
eign corporation. THE DISPATCH, with
the eity's interest at heart, discountenanced
the scheme as far as possible, and was glad
to see it fall through. The possibilities of
the local coal trade, in control by foreign
agency having no interest here excepting to
BSb Tue luOSl HlOuey oub Va pldCc, Woulu
have been far more serious and unpleasant
to contemplate than any temporary disrup-
tion of existing arrangements as to the gas
supply.
We do not look for an interruption Of the
prosperity which Pittsburg is now enjoying
in the action of the Philadelphia Company,
even though it may occasion temporary in
convenience. As we have said, there are
vast quantities of gas to be had, and inde-
pendent means of getting it to the furnaces
are being adopted; and where these do not
answer it will be found that artificial gas
may be made directly or in combination
with Lima oil at cost of little, if any, more
than the charges now being made by the
Philadelphia Company to mill owners.