Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-12
Scurvy Treatment.


A trade authority says: The Equitable In
surance Company. of New York. has in view
the construction of S250.000 office building IN
Dcs Moines Iowa" This raises the inquiry:
Why 40 not the great insurance companies do
something for Pittsburgh They do an immense
business here. yet not one of them. SO far as
known, owns foot of land or bull ding in
this city. The money they get hero is invested
elsewhere. and Pittsburg has nothing to show
for 1t. Some of them have been talking for
years of building here. but nothing has come
or it, and there is no better prospect of such
improvements now than there was last year or
the year before. If they propose to continue
the policy of draining this community OF funds
to put into expensive buildings i'll cities OF far
less Importance to them and to the business OF
the country, the sooner it is known the better.
In such case it would be suicidal to keep on
enriching these outside corporations at the eX-
pense of home companies which are doing all
they can to increase the prosperity of the city.
Talk without Meaning.
The "wrecker" has over-leaped him self in
several instances within the last few days. He
started some ugly stories with a view to alarm
the people and unsettle confidence, and
worked them for all they were worth, but he
made so few converts that he concluded the
times were not ripe for a panic. and retired
temporarily to his hole. Of course. he will ap-
pear again upon the least provocatlon and re-
peat his dismal platitudes about things going
to the demnition bow-wows; but so long as they
don't 60. why should anybody pay attention to
his silly gatherings? He has been crying panic,
panic, for weeks, but there is no panic. Having
shown that he didn't know what ne was talking
about, no further attention should be paid to
him. Like OthelIo, his occupation is gone.
Discovery of Natural Gas.
A writer in the New YORK Commercial Ad-
uertiSer says that the first natural gas we'll in
this country was opened in the year 1871 at
Fredonia. Chautauqua County, N. Y, and the
supply applied in a small way to illuminating
and heating purposes. More than 81 years
elapsed before its practical utilization for both
light and fuel In 1878 some men were drilling
for petroleum at Murraysville, Is miles from
Pittsburg. A depth of nearly 1923 feet had
been reached. when the drills were thrown high
into the air and the derricks broken to pieces
and thrown around by tremendous explosion
of gas. which, with hoarse shrieking. rushed
into the air, alarming the population for miles
around. Upon application of light there i'm
mediately leaped into light fierce dancing
demon of fire, Kissing and swirling about with
the wind and scorching the earth in a large
area about it. For five years did this continue
At last, however, the gas was captured and by
means of pipes was conducted to the city and
utilized.
The discovery of the gas in Ohio (the sup
plies of which are practically confined to the
counties of Hancock. Wood, Auglaze and
Mercer) was made in November. 1854, at Find
lay, when it was found that the Trenton lime
stone underlying the fiat country of North
western Ohio was, in certain places. charged
with highpressure gas. In January, 1886 a
well was brought into use large enough to ac-
credit the new gas rock as a frst-class source
of production. one which could safely endure
comparison with the most prolific horizons of
the new fuel of Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
Business News and Gossip.
The deed for the Moorhead property, Oak
land, was delivered to MIR. Samson, the pur-
chaser, by W. A. Heron & Sons yesterday
This completed the deal.
An addition is to be built to the hospital on
Main street, Wheeling, at cost of $4,000.
Plans and specifications are being prepared
for the bridge to span the Youghiogheny river
at McKeesport. Work on it will begin early in
the new year.
The most important mortgage on file yester-
day was for SOS, 600. Eight of 80 were for pur-
chase money.
The CHARTERS Electric Light Company has
broken ground for a new plant in that
borough
Three first-class dwellings are going up atthe
corner of kirkpatrick and Webster streets,
three at the corner of Wooster and Webster,
and one on Erin street. near Webster.
1t is likely that good business block will be
put nm early next year on the corner of Grant
ing.