The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-11-12
NATURAL GAS PRICES
Must go Higher or the Company
Cannot Furnish it,
50 THE OFFICIALS say IN EFFECT.
The Whole MattorIs referred by tho
Health Committee to Council,
without Recommendation How
the Proposition Came Before that
Body-other business Last Night

health held a meeting. called mainly to
sonslier tho matter OF gas fuel at the
atty crenatoEy, Capt. Bachelor, of
Pittsburgh, president Of the Natural
Gas Company OF West Virginia, and
General Manager Hoard, OF the same
company, were prOsonL The proposal
submitted by the former at tue last
lpseGIng, was opened and read. Il was
to the eject that the company would
surrender It's franchise, granted April
II, 1885, including the exclusive right
TO sell natural gas in Wheeling, ii the
company was granted in return the
right to do business hero on such reS-
lonable regulations as agreed upon by
representatives OF the company and the
city.
Captain Bachelor added to the very
brief written proposition the explains
ton that in order TO do buliness in
Wheeling the company must have
more gas TO sell. To secure more gas,
he said, required more money, The
stock OF the gas company is paid up in
full, and non.asseAsable. II tue stock
holders will not Voluntarily put up the
iunds required to extend the company's
operations in search OF more gas, there
is no way to compel them 70 do SO. The
company has been In debt for some
time, aud the debt has been increased
In the past year or so. The company
10 putting down two or three wells,
They are just rs likely. said Captain
Bachelor, TO strike oil as gas, aud II
they strike either, II will be God.send.
'Ii We furnish Wheeling people with
gas hereafter" said tho captain, i'm.
pressiyely, 1--WE must get abetter price. :"
He continued that the company had
mot declared dividend for sixteen
months, and the last one declared was
only 4 per cent. The company could
not furnish gas al fifteen cents.
He asked that whatever tue city did
might be- done soon, as the directors
wanted to know whether II would pay
them TO 20 on searching for gas.
When the company first came to
Wheeling, the CAPTAIN said, hs Ind
given his personal assurance that
Wheeling should no; pay any higher
price for gas than Pittsburgh. In that
city to-day thoro ara several competing
companies, and yet gas is sold at %
cents, with bu. 10 per cent discount
Tor cash.
Dr.. Jepson suggested that this was
scarcely tbs proper committee to con.
alder the subject. Tie matter came
here simply because oil tho shutting oil
OF the gas nj the crematory. Some other
committee or council itself ought 10 take
charge OF the matter.
Mr.. Halter moved to send the matter
10 council without Recommendation.
City Solicitor Royce suggested that ii
might be we'll TO recommend the refer.
ence OF the whole matter to special
committee, bat this was left to council
also. Capt. Batrheloi and MIR. Heard
thanked the committee aud withdrew.
The committee then tackled the bills,
and ii was found that there was 81, STA I'll
OF them undoubtedly right, one or two
undoubtedly wrong and very lew
doubtful. Tho amount recommended
made the committeeman look at each
other very grAyCIy. but they had TO BIO
paid, and they were recommended.
IL was OeCthbu W lob htNIEc " alb
and wife occupy the new smallpox hos
pitGl as a raaidencs in return for taking
care oil it, they 10 receive % per day in
case oismailpox casUs needing their at
tention and care.
The committee on ordinances recon.
meudsd an ordinance amending the
lieenas law go as 10 tax all wheeled
vehicles, telegraph and telephone poles,
aud OreWoIs. They also rScomme nded
tha. when telegraph or o;h"r poles arc
cut down the stump must be removed
ard the hole filed TO :he satisfaction OF
the board Of public works. safety gates
on the y. & .. road at Sixteenth and
McColloch streets were also recon-
Inended.
hofire department committee recon.
mondod lhs paYm6nt OF number Of
hills end tho painting OF tho tower oil
the NIAGARA engine house. Solicitor
Boyce gave /; a, his opinion that tic
city could rebuild on the Atlantic en-.
gins house ,iO, but could not use 1t for
any other purpose.
The real esla.n Commiltcc also met
last night and recommended to council
for payment bills aggregating SlOi TO-
-s
THE CnNFEfltsikAr. NOME