Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-12-07
NATL RAJ GAS.
TNE LOSS tSTlNA led Al AN
IMMENSE SUM


: lee sat" .'"f'o.'.~' - In.iAna : :
''.... lr'-'r'- % -, ,.urcr.up
" '' '." .l'.-t ',rc,u,'.u~ 81
>. .rl... :,.-a...t.-- .t.....r.--. i.,f IA, Iral
"a ... a-.'..- t....,.. ...,.,r-~ uf q ..ui'
E. ,.... t. f'-'uAlrt.-r n,. en.>.
'' I".a. 4-', r-..n ;., 49,. u..,!r 81
r fl:.. .i.'. - ,,..~ I i.a~ been
'N'ta a.t''.. aat 't,.lj~hh wasted
a.. . r.'.i. .'A - t,.lr', one var tArr.
Wa s. a. waste ~ ~, STATE - In.
1.aI.A "..ll. e u,rr than lou. U0o. 900
Cui..' '..' I..r daily f"~- To- the pco-
lie II lLd.Aha un accuun. 81 this
Cn"ru"u~ vast" was more than Slu.u"t.
Il = r>i mated that go. uuo cui,,. feet Of
ga III lhr Indiana hc!I i, equal H. a
ton e t.r best coal in stoves or fur
Hacc>. coal delivered an the Indiana
gaN fields j. worth -. - per ton II j.
not an cNtravayaI' statement L. assert
tAar TIN cash vain. Of aatural gas
Nn>trd IT, Iniiana since its discovery
Wuuid 90. u.urr than S.u.uuo. uuU an
amount greater ~ Tar than the total
capital invested in those fields on ac-
count IL cheap ft.'' The vast, !, Still
going "n ~ the rate az b GUo. o. cubic
feet daily s!uudrcd> Of ilami.aus.
consuming 81 an average 1000 cubic
feet ~ "a per tiuur have been allowed
I" burn day and night, without inter
ruptI"n. ever since the beginning Of
DEVELOPMENTS in the gas area Hun
drrIs Of Improbable wells are not
plugged .but are left Wild. open. and
the gas allowed L. escape in the air
This l. especially true of the section Of
the 1icid where petroleum Il found In
connection with gas Scores of isolat-
ed wells that have been drilled for oil
yield gas i'll large quantities. hut they
are not connected with pipe lines. and
the oil is saved hut the gas permitted
to escape.
Reckless extravaganza also prevails
in the use Of gas, both in factories and
private houses. tias in the Indiana
field is not sold by measure, but it is
supplied for factory or domestic pur-
poses at fixed price per month. 1t
makes no difference whether much or
little is consumed, the price is the
same. II costs no more to continue
the fire twenty-four hours in the day
than i'll does one hour. With this state
OF things existing, the consumer has
no interest in practicing economy.
Fires are allowed to burn continually
In unoccupied rooms and unused fur
naces. without regard to the value of
the fuel consumed. If gas were sold
by measure for all purposes consumers
especially would practice economy.
The statement may seem extravagant,
but it is doubtless true, that at least
forty per cent. of the gas consumed in
the Indiana field, factories, dwellings,
etc, is actually wasted.
But one result can follow this extrav.
agance, and that is a quick exhaustion
Of the field. A final exhaustion is in
evitable under any circumstances, but
the profligacy that now prevails is de-
strOying the field at q twofold ratio.
With economy in its use natural gas
will bring capital and prosperity to
the field for years to come, but the
quick exhaustion that is sure to follow
the extreme prodigality Of the last few
years will necessarily result in the
abandonment of the field to a certain
extent for manufacturing purposes.
Gas is most beneficial when con-
sumed for domestic purposes. In this
way it benefits much larger proper
ton of the population, and there is
also more profit to the producer in SELL
ing it for domestic use. As the volume
OF the supply gradually decreases it
will necessarily be withdrawn from
use in the factories and the supply
confined exclusively to domestic use.
1t is well to note that at this time
there is a united action ON the part of
the various companies producing natu-
raj gas throughout the various fields
looking to its preservation and endeav-
oring to secure rigid economy in its
use. If these efforts are successful the
period of prosperity now prevailing
throughout the gas areas will be ma
terially heightened.