Telegram-herald., 1890-10-26
A STEP BACKWARD.
n Is fsrosd upoa Industries IN
nEtssargA.
Thss Are Noossa Thss Thsf MI ne
Leassr Es F1ruishea Fosi Ca.
sad MIST Rstsrn - Co.A



prrrssrHes. Pa. Oct zA-An an
noanesDsRt las beea ma4s hy TIE
directors ot ths Phils1slphis Gas
Company whi<k wsn create = sensation
IN the iEoa saa steel ~orl2 eese.
sGeh As las net seen sxPeriezesd since
shs diseesery ef RAsaral gaS At =
meeting of she officers of the eonpsny
Friday &ftefnooR "a Hss decided shat
hereaitsr 10 p0dallng furnaces In the
city ~ yieialty should receive Rstural
gas - feel No date MAS mentioned.
bat II Is said TIE order Will take effect
very soon
There are l.0oo puddling furnaces in
this city. and over oBe.h&lf Of them Will
be shut Of ss the result Of the order.
This slll necessitsts an enormous ex-
pease IN the changing Of the constrnc-
tion Of the furnaces 50 that coal can DO
used In addition 10 this there will be
higher price OF coal. IS most OF the fur
naces had contracts with thu company
for gas at prices maryelously lev. Be
sides. IL is feared that something in
prestige will be lost BY this sudden and
awkward move, as Pittsburgh has long
been known as the head and center Of
the greatest natural gas belt In the
world. The manufacturers prefer this
as fuel above all others owing TO its in
tense heat IL Is peculiarly adapted TO
the use OF pudding furnaces, and this
has given Pittsburgh an immense stride
forward in the iron and steel business.
Al the Office Of the company. how
ever, IL was stated that the move was
not made on account OF the scarcity OF
gas, but because the gas conld be used
TO greater advantage In private houses,
as the price psid there Is many times
greater for the same amount OF gas than
when used in the furnaces, as in the
latter 1t has been found impossible 70
place meters OF any description, and, as
a result, there is al On ormous waste.
Q The Philadelphia Gas Company at
present furnishes natural gas TO 750
different manufacturing establishments.
including furnaces, glass factories. etc. !;
also 10 "A. 900 houses as per the secre-
tary's report January /, 1859. This num-
Der has grown immensely since that
time, as the company has been steadily
exte ndirg its lines, but even 1t those
figures the daily consumption was 500,
coo. 900 cubic feet per day. This is equal
20 e5, 600 tons OF coal per day. The
consumption now is far greater, az the
company claims It has more gas than
ever. but that the demand from that
valuable source OF income. the private
residences, is also far greater.
The company also decided to 60 into
the illuminating gas business. This
will be done on a scale never before at.
tempted here, as the Philadelphia com,
pany has a capital of SIS, 900, 900. with
George Westing ghouse st it's head, and
will push into this new industry at once.
These two cases com mbined, the shut
ting of of gas from the furnaces espec-
lslly, will give an almost Incredible
impetus to the coal business OF this
vicinity, which has lain dormant since
the finding of natural gas. Many mines
have been abandoned. others are
working on but half time. and
altoge ther the trade has been in bad
way, The new move, however. will
stimulate operations at onco, and the
only fear Is scarcity OF miners, as the
poor prospects have driven 30 many
away that even now men can not be Sc
cured to work what mines are running.