Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-19
FUEL in THE FUTURE,
Local Manufacturers Now Consider.
ing a Very Vital Topic.
THE THREATS OF OHIO PUDDLERS.
Builders Exchange Members Expelled for
Breaking Faith.
MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL ITEMS

The question of a fuel supply, on resump-
tion of work, is receiving consideration at
the hands of manufacturers They are look
| ing to the gas fields and figuring out for
themselves as to the prospects of the flow of
natural fuel during the winter. They are
| also calculating on whether, should they
| decide to use gas, the price may not be put
! up peg or two; and, as they can assure
| themselves or not of satisfactory supply
of gas are manufacturers arranging to use
| the fluid fuel or coal? The last industry to
return to the use of coal, if the use of gas is
| at all practicable, is that of glass making
Gas-made glass is granted to be superior to
the coal.made article and where owners of
houses are found departing from gas and
returning to coal or making gas for them
selves, it can be accepted as an indication
that the natural fuel finds disfavor. OF the
various lines supplying mills and glass
houses in the district, the Philadelphia
Company would seem to some of the manu-
facturers to be unable to guarantee con-
tinuous supply. -.
Forced to Consider the Fuel Question.
Several glassmen have been investigating
for themselves the probabilities of supply
from the NIurraysville and Bellevernon
fields, the chief source of supply of the
Philadelphia Company, and have concluded
that the company's cinch on the gas yield is
weakening. These observers claim that if
the Murraysville field can furnish only a
pressure of Is pounds at the wells,
and the Bellevernon territory but
y pounds, at season when the
natural conditions are presumed to be most
favorable to a flow of gas, the fall and winter
months will see such q diminution of, and
interruption in, the supply as will
render the use of that company's
gas an impossibility. Consequently many
of the makers are considering what system
of fuel they will adopt under the circum-
stances. While some are returning to coal
others are preparing to make their own gas.
Cunningham & Co., who had been supplied
by the Philadelphia Company, are putting
in producer, as is also the Ihmsen Glass
Company, also on this company's line. S.
Mckee & Co. are putting in producer and
William McCully & Co. have decided to
use coal. The Philips Glass Company, which
has been supplied by the Manufacturers
Company, is also putting in a producer.
The Manufacturers Gas Company is re-
ported to have prospects for good supply,
through Its elght-lnch pipes, but this COM
pany will only take in such houses and
mills as it can satisfactorily supply.
The Cost of Gas in the Future.
AS much the supply as any, probable in
crease in price is matter that interests
domestic consumers equally with the manu-
facturers. The domestic supply last winter
was not eminently satisfactory, and there
are those now willing to pledge their in
tegrity that it will be worse this year. The
question of cost remains undecided. On
this matter it was stated at the Philadelphia
Company's Office, yesterday, nothing had
yet been done. On both sides of the gas
question talk was had with General Man
ager George H. Browne. Asked regarding
the reported weakening of the supply in the
field Mr.. Browne said that five pounds
pressure in a 36-inch pipe was considered a |
good pressure.
''we are boring 80 wells" said Mr..
Browne, "and we will positively supply all
the gas we get our price for. Nothing has |
been done, so far, about raising the price;
that is further along, but it is very certain
we don't propose to give our gas away. We |
prefer to supply domestic consumers to
because there is more profit |
in it, but at the same time we shall supply |
any manufacturer who pays the price, and |
we believe we can do so satisfactorily"