Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-01-19
THE GAS QUESTION.
ANOTHER CONFERENCE HELD LAST EVEN
ING,
At Which Matters are Figured Down Pretty
Fine, and a Report Made TO the
General Committee.


ural Gas Company OF West Virginia,
which has been pending for five or six
weeks. will come to a head soon and be
settled in some manner fairly satisfac-
tory to all concerned.
Another meeting Of the sub-commit-
tee was held last evening, at the City
Hall, at which General Manager George
Heard and Mr.. w. II. Hearn, of counsel
for the Company, were present, in addi-
ton to Messrs. Farrell, Hall, Campbell
and Caddle, Of the Committee.
The Chair said that at the last session
of the subcommittee proposition was
drawn up and submitted to the Gas
Company, which he read as published
in the REGISTER OF yesterday. Mr..
Heard had informed him during the
day that he would like a meeting OF the
committee, and in accordance with his
request, the meeting had been called.
Mr.. Heard then addressed the Com
mittee, saying that he had received the
communication of the Committee.
While his Company would be glad to &C
cede to the wishes of the Committee he
did not see his way clear to do 1T. 1t
all turned on the supply of gas, and 1t
was a physical impossibility to supply
free gas to the city of Wheeling or any
one. He felt sure that il the Commit
tee or the city had proper apprecia-
tion of the Company's situation 1T
would release the corporation from
the burden which was dragging
it down. He did not care to dis
cuss the legal aspects OF the case, for
let that result as it might, it would DO
nothing in the way of bringing about an
increase in the supply Of gas. That all
turned on the work Of the drill, and to
drill wells took money, which the Com
pany could only get by selling gas. In
point Of fact, his Company was not at
all sure they could get gas enough
to supply the domestic consumers
Of the city much longer. That
could not be guaranteed. His Company
appreciated the situation Of the city as
regards the crematory, and had offered
to 90 on supplying gas until May, al
though they felt they were not bound
to supply it at all. II it was possible TO
help the city out in that regard, the
Company was willing to do it, but they
could not, in justice to themselves, do
more. They were willing to help the
city up on the hill, because OF the diff
culties Of getting coal there, except at
a very large cost. At the water works
and at the gas works the city could
get along at the bare cost of
coal. The committee might imagine
that the cutting of OF the water works
would result in an increase of revenue
to the Company, but that was not true.
1t had only been Of service to the Com
pany in enabling it to keep up its sup
DIV to consumers. The January colec-
lions, of December bills, footed up but
Sl3,42O, as against $50, 400 for the same
month a year ago. There was a falling
of of 1000. If the water works had
been on during December the service
and business Of the Company would
simply have been paralyzed. The Com
pany could not have done the business
because Of a shortage of gas. There
was no escape from the proposition that
the supply Of free gas must be cut off
If the Company was to go on; II not,
the corporation would rapidly drift to
point where it would be all the Com
pany could do to supply the free list
and. OF course, no Company would do
that. He said:
'If the position of the Company was
not desperate one, | would not bore
you and worry myself trying to get rid
OF this free gas. We are compelled to
do it. We are greatly discouraged, and
the most diScouraging fact is the show
ing of December business. That has
taken the heart out of us. Wemay pull
up a thousand or fifteen hundred dollars
in February, but for all that, for the
first four months OF the year we
are bound 10 drop $4,000 per
month behind the same months of 1891.
If things go on, it will be a question
for the Board of Directors to decide
whether they will provide fresh capital,
or 90 in debt for new wells, with the
certainty Of having to give away 30 per
cent. of the product-or quit. We ask
Won TO come 10 our relief in this matter,
and we will help you along with your
crematory. The city has gotten the
Juice out OF this lemon-now give US
the rine. What you people ought to do
and you will be doing your whole
duty to the citizens Of Wheeling-is TO
relieve us from free gas. We want to
keep up the house supply, and to do
that, and do that alone, will be all we
can do"
DR.. Caddle-Carrying out the propo-
sition of the Committee would relieve
you from S12, 900 or SIS, 900 worth of gas
a year. That shows that the city don't
want to cruelty the Gas Company.
Mr. Heard-That is true; that is q re-
lief, but it is not enough. l have no
doubt you are willing to aid us, and
think, when you study it over, you will
aid us more.
DR.. Campbell-Suppose we relieve
you, and you strike good wells-better
than you have heretofore Struck-would
you then give US free gas?
Mr.. Heard don't know,
DIR. Campbell-Suppose your condi-
ton should be as good as at first?
Mr.. Heard cannot say. don't see
how any Company could stand the strain.
don't think that you can find another
example in the United States or else
where, where any Company has been
obliged to give up so large proportion
of its gross receipts for nothing, as in
the case of the Natural Gas Company Of
West Virginia. 1t would drain our life
blood again-it would cut off any sur
plus for the time when gas would be
short again. 1t would be Improvident,
to say the least.
The discussion then wandered off in
to generalities about franchises, right
of-way, etc, and was carried on some
what at random for good while. The
yaptIamep travpled arOund in a ring for