Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-12-10
G.'hiiCkepiiD6

county is something like 900 or $780,
goo. and in the city about $4,000. l
think the annual city taxes is some
where near $500 or S700-I forget just
what it is. But that is matter of
record. l can't recollect it.
Mr. Boyce-A $4,000 assessment
would be $500 or $500.
Mr.. Heard-Yes. We have never
tried to get relief at all in that matter
and we have
NEVER COMPLAINED
of the assessment. l don't think the
people of Wheeling and Ohio county
can complain of the Natural Gas Co. of
West Virginia. We have been paying
royalty for the right to do business here.
Mr.. Butts-Yes, you have paid right
smart.
Mr.. Heard-There IS another way out
of this thing. You give us 20c rate.
net and we will give YOU certain per-
centage Of our gross receipts, or We will
give YOU a larger percentage of the
gross receipts if YOU will allow us to do
business without limitation, with the
consumer.
Mr.. Butts-TH not agree to that. God
help the consumer! Oaughter)
Mr.. Bodley-You mean ourselves, Mr..
Butts?
Mr.. Butts-Yes.
Mr.. Heard-You have no law to COM
pal YOU to take business at a certain
price. Mr. Butts?
Mr.. Butts-NO; but they would like
to have one. if they could get it.
Mr. Heard-If we had no limit we
would only charge 2Oc
Mr.. Butts-You'd charge 25c.
Mr.. Hared-No; % cents. That would
be fair and we couldn't go higher, for
YOU have a safety valve here IN coal. |
don't see why you folks stick to the
crematory so.
DR.. TayIor-We can't get coal up
there.
Mr. Heard-But We give it to you at
a lower price
DR.. Taylor-It is cheap enough, if we
couldn't get il cheaper.
Mr.. Heard-We can't do business here
his way If We can't get an increase
wSll quit.
Mr.. Butts-Well. think they'll never
give it to YOU. and you might as well
SHUT II Oft NOW.
Mr. Heard-Oh, yes; they'll do it.
am sure it viii 90 through
Mr.. But.s-I am wiling to pay Is
cents.
Mr. Heard-They will all do it.
Mr.. Bodley-Dhey don't talk that way
much i'm my ward. l have talked to
some of them.
Mr. Heard-Why, on, in the country
they pay 90 cents, and they think they
have bargain of il az that.
Mr. Bachmann-What 3 the rate in
Benwood? How lJout the lamps down
there?
MI Heard-We give them some lights
for -he right of way down there. All
through this portion Of the Ohio valley
they have placed heavy restrictions up
on the gas business.
Mr.. Bachmaln-HOw much gas do
those lights burn? Don't they burn as
much as the crematory?
Mr.. Heard-Oh, no; not nearly SC
much.
Mr.. McKelyey-What are the rates in
BenwOod?
Mr.. He9rd-Tbey are the same as
here in Wheeling. We have just LET
them run along that way. We only
have a few consumers down there
The Chair-HOW much gas does the
lights consume?
Mr.. Heard don't know; we never
had a meter on them.
Mr. But,s-If they had a meter on
them like mine, they'd show a good
deal. Laughter)
Mr.. Heard Another matter. There
is an impression that f the IS cents is
in3ugura.ed if VIII yield us $4,000 more
money each yc3r-that it VIII be that
much more Of a burden on the con-
sumner. That is
AN ERRONEOUS IMPRESSION
as I can show you.
Mr.. BUys-It would make my bill sc
cents a month more.
Mr. Heaord- -Four or five dollars a
year Our statement shows that the
gas we sold last year brought us in S101,-
GOO. but YOU must remember that a con-
siderable amount Of that is consumed
outside Of the city-out the pike.
have taken the trouble to find out how
much gas was measured by The meters
I'm Wheeling, last year. and it fOOts up
55O.00O,000 feet An increase of 3 cents
per 1000 on that would be about
$4,000 and not $4,000. Now,
think we ought to be able
TO fix this matter up here to-
night, and # Council don't adopt It, all
right Or let the consumers decide the
matter. We are not afraid of them
So far as the contract goes, / have no
fear of that / think there is nothing
in that contract, for in making it l be
lieve the city exceeded its powers. But
We have lived up to it, and we VIII
continue to do So But # we wanted to
take the bull by The horns and put up
the price Of gas and any private con-
sumner goes into Court we'll beat him
Wen beat him at every point Of law
and If that is done, he whole thing
falls to the ground But we don't want
TO do that We want to cut eff the free
gas and take the increase If 8 cents
That is a big furnace mp there and il
runs day and night. We have no con
troll over e. and it runs the year round
and .t IS nine years ohis November since
we began to run it, What other bust
ness could stand that? l think we are
the sofJest people on earth, when I re-
feet over it. We are willing to run you
along TO May 1st, and
AGREE ON A PRICE
for the gas burned after that Give us
something to 50 on. Or, if you don;
want o 90 that. don't fix the rate now
but let the free gas end on May LIST, and
after that fix the rate.
DR.. Taylor-If I was making the new
contract, I'd make IL a little differently
Ia make the is cent rate less, and pay
fer the gas for the crematory. Instead
of taking it all off the consumer. I'd
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