The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-05
THE NATURAL GAS ON
In NIL tho city Works from which It
was shut of.
BUT THE PIPE is CUT-ARRES7S BY
The Police on Guard Mt tho Conncc-
,ion again last Night TO keep tho
Gas on.--Ninnagcr Heard, Of tho
Company, aud u Councilman Talk.

Yesterday morning Engineer Cum
Minis, OF tho city water works, turned
tho natural gas into tho furnace ut. the
works again. At the gas works il had
been turned on, turned off. by tho com.
pany's officials, and again turned on,
and it was still on last night, and ut the
city crGmatory it WIS allowed to re-
main on after tho council committee on
health, acting on the advice OF the city
solicitor, had turned 1t on, SO that last
evening all three OF tho works from
which the company had turned it OF
were using the gas again. There was Il
rumor in police circles that IN effort
would be made by the company's en-
ploycs TO turn it oil again last night,
but the officers were On guard with in
struCtions to arrest any person who at
tempted to turn it oil. This rumor was
probably not well based, and no doubt
originated from the presence OF the
general manager, Mr.. George Heard,
who is regarded by most people here rs
the real head OF the company.
TIE GAS cOMPANY'S D
So far nothing has been said III the
newspapers as to the position OF the
Natural Gas Company OF West Virginia
in the matter OF the shutting of OF the
gGs supply from the city gas works,
water works and Crcmatory, for the
reason that no explanation could DO OBJ
tanned IRON the clerks in the Office.
Mr.. George Heard, the manager, was
down from Pittsburgh yesterday, how
ever, and an 1STELLrGENCER reporter
had 4 talk with him last evening OH the
subject. Mr.. Heard said that the gas
was shut oil in pursuance OF notice
served on tho city in last September
that when cold weather came on the
company could not supply these large
consumers with gas.
Not only did | tell every member OF
the health committee and the water
board" said Mr.. Heard, "but volt will
remember that Mr.. George Caldwell,
representing IL company, went before
Council in open Session and told them
The same thing. The city ought not to
exact Of Us that which will, without
power to prevent it on our part, result
IL the severance OF all relations between
the company and this community. We
have given the city all hat We con-
tracted to, and are still giving it Il great
deal ofgas. 1t is furnished free to the
school houses and the engine houses,
and the amount OF gas they use is very
large in the aggregate. 1t is simply n
. question whether We cease TO furnish
domestic consumers or these large con
sumcrs. We have shut off every large
mandatory that took gas from u
line. The last one SO shut off was the
Central glass company, and in shutting
it Off Lieut. off q monthly income to the
company OF Just $500. We cut Off the
Belmont and the LaBellc mills, the Full
ton paper mill and Schenck & Son, sim
ply to save enough gas TO sapply the
domestic consumers"
"llow many people are taking gas
now?"
"Wc have twenty-sevon hundred
services. II We cannot supply them
itincOnvcnicnces an average OF five peo-
pie TO each service. 1t is fair to say
that shut the gas off the domestic con
sumcrs would be felt by twelve thous-
and people OF Wheeling. To shut it off
the large city works, while it would
cost the city something Tor fuel, would
make Il difference so generally dinused
that it would not be directly felt by
anybody. Beside the inconvenience OF
4 change back to coal on the part OF the
domestic consumers, the loss in fixtures
and the like would make Il considerable
sum. The question is simply whether
on cold days we shall have the twenty
seven hundred individuals using our
gas suffer from the shortage, or save
enough by cutting off the large consum-
crs to give them an abundant supply"
Ilr. Heard added that ii the company
could not control its " pipe lines, il
would have to quit the business and
sever all relations with this commune
". In another part of this mornings
paper is Il card from President Batche-
Tor, OF the company, warning all per-
sons, including the City Council, that
the tamperingwith the company's valves
and pipes is dangerous, and might re-
suit i'll the gravcst disaster.
%TnEnEAITm COMMITTEES POSITION.
After hearing the company's side OF
the matter, the reporter met DR.. George
J. Caddie, OF the health committee, and
asked him on what theory the COM
m!ttcc had proceeded. He answered
that it had acted on the assurance OF
the city solicitor that the action it pro-
posed 10 take was legal, and on the con-
riction OF all the members that it was
not only morally right, but necessary
for tho hnnlih nj tho ri+p M, ,, 49,.
turned OF when the furnace was full OF
unburnCd garbage and filth, and several
loads were waiting to be burned. 1t
was regarded by tho committee rs n case
OF grave emergency, and they acted ac-
cordingly. The members did not seek
the cooperation OF the Water Board or
the Gas Trustees. because those bodies
could procure coal more conveniently,
being on level ground. 1t is almost inn
possible rs the roads now are to get
coal hauled to the crcmatorv, and ii il
were the committee on health has no
funds 10 buy coal. They went on the
idea that the iuel for tho crcmatorv
was supplied, and in making their an
nUal appropriations up they had made
no provisions for coal.
rs it true" DR.. Caddle was asked,
that you were warned last September
that the gas would be turned Off ut the
first cold weather."
We were told by tho company that
it might have 10 turn it of. At no time
has it been said that it would be turned
oil. II the company had given us
reasonable notice that on n certain day
the gas would be turned off, and that it
was necessary to turn it of to supply
Tho LARGO pun,har ~ lo,,o-,;, -