The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1891-09-03
TIE SUPPLY or NATURAL. GAS IN
PENNSYLVANIA Is BECOMING
EXHAUSTED.
PRoLIFIc FIELDS BEiSG ARAN-
DoNEp AND PEARS ENTERTAIN
IN THAT CONSUMERS CANNOT
I'M SUPPLIED.
IspecIal o rmr woAlp.l

PTTTsBUR0, Pa, September g.
Figures surreptitiously obtained to-day
from tho books II the Philadelphia
Gas Company, the largest supplier Of
natural gas in Pittsburg, SO to show
retty conclusively that the supply Of
that materiA, i giving ont.
Gas was generally k.ssoduced az
fuel here about 1885, and since then il
has been used in every branch Of
manufacture, and BY countless thors.
ands 81 families. The Murraysville
field was the first great centre Of pro
duction. In 1884 the pressure there
was $40 pounds to the square inch.
Last winter II was AZ pounds, and to-
day ii ii 10 pounds. From this field
the Philadelphia company, At one time,
had 100 lines; at present il has ono
36-inch line, and that not full.
The Belle Vernon field, once prolific
is being abandoned and the company
Is pulling up its lines in that district.
The pressure there has fallen off from
TAO to pounds. From this source there
may possibly remain enough gas TO
supply Braddock, but the city Of Nc
Keesport will be shut On entirely.
In the Cannonsburg and Hickory
field the pressure, which in 1885 was
8OOpounds, Is now lOl pounds. From
this field since the failure Of
Murraysville, Allegheny City has
obtained her gas. In order to over
come thisshortage the Philadelphia Go.
has gone into the Ccraopolis field, results
there have thus far proven unstisfac.
tory. The McGabey field, Of which so
much has recently been said, Is also a
failure, very little gas having been
found there. The number Of good
wells in all the old fields Ii being
largely reduced.
The famous Haymaker well at MUIR
raysville was abandoned eight weeks
ago, the tubing drawn, and the hole
plugged up. The remaining wells,
are by reason Of the falling Oft in the
volume Of gas filing up with salt
water and will soon be useless. There
is a pressure Of only about ten pounds
on the thirty-six inch main line, which
is pref that in Pittsburg proper and
on the south side, where 5000 people
1.-Two, the natural gassnppIy the coming
winter will be reduced to shivering
dimensions.
1t is stated that before next Spring,
the price Of natural gas to theconsum-
or win be 30 cents per 1000 feet net.
The company recently gave notice that
on and after September / the price
would be Is cents per 1000. It was
formerly sold by contract at 80 much
per fire, regardless Of the quantity
used, but about two years ago metre
was devised and the natural fuel sold
at 10 cents per 1000 feet.
Since then the price has steadily adj
vanced, while the supply has diminish
ed One result has been to cause q
serious depreciation in gas stocks,
while hundreds Of iron and other man
ufacf rers have had to return to bitum
nous coal as fuel. On the heels Of
the figures quoted, the Philadelphia
company issues hopeful bulletin to-
the effect that it will increase its sup
ply shortly by bringing in five new
fields, claiming that it has 10000, 900
feet per day available in the Coraopo-
lis district, to which q pipe line is be-
ing laid.
Hon. Edward Stake, Of Hagerstown,