Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-11-22

rive some revenues from the Gas Com
panies for the use Of the streets!
Mr.. Heard am almost p0slolVe Ihey
do not; 1 an positive there IS no con-
s.deration at ell. They did everything
they could 10 induce gas 10 come. lhey
wanted to get rid of the smoke ana iiI
they. are pursuing tine same policy sun.
I think Il perfectly right that corpora
tons should pay for the privilege oil 40
ing business: but, as l said before l
think we have paid the DILL
The Chair-But we have let you out
Of a good deal
Mr.. Heard-Yes. We stuck to the
original contract as long as we could
And all I said ct that sime mas come
true. I was willing then TO try me LOU l.,
rate although l thought 1t was Kan,
ing rate. and we stuck to ii just as long,
as we could.
Can't. Otto-What is the money Value
Of the gas you have furnished me &c cil coo !;
Mr.. Heard-We estimate II at 95O,ueL,
q year. T nut The whole amount o. rev
gas furnished the city at $2OO,OOO. Ihey'
the CITY. relieved us of all but the cl0-
matory and the City Han. we nav :
been carrying them for three yea a. ooa
think the cremat0ry consumes 9o'Voo
or $500 worth Of gas a year, ana inc
City Hall furnace 500 or SSUV.
Mr.. Butts-If you raise the price you
will want TO cut off the crematory ana
City Hall? hovo
MIR. Heard-Yes; we think, as ! nave
said. we have paid the bill. But we
will make special rate for the crelIa-
tory We appreciate your dif1culCies
+Lere We think it would not
be right to yourselves - 70 say
nothing of us-to load us down any
more We are the only Company aDso-
rutelv. which ever paid the clty a-y
thing. Take the Street RaliWay ~ ~
panies. They, of course 'aiioru ne ~ ~
lie better transportation taclill-es, ~ y, y.
tnev have never paid the cl1y any '-i-'-o
for the use Of the streets. ,.ho4
The Chair-D.dn't you accept "n''
was offered by ether companies
Mr. Feard-ves: that is all rlght; YET
there are no set Of men, either n FIVl Is
hung or Wheeling, who have stoou up
tc their agreements as we nave
The Chair-What becomes OF Iue p-P0
line in the street?
Mr.. Heard-That would be under our
control. .,:. h,,s,
The Chair-But suppose you out OuS--
ness? -. p,
Mr.. Heard-Then we would De N
much the same fix as a man who drllls
dry hole. He can take up the olo
casing or LEI IL alone No one else couic
do n. You know you can't take prop
e,4v for public uses without just com
pcnsatiOn.
tract.
Mr.. Heard-Of course.
The Chair-But suppose that contract
is broken?
MIR. Heard-Well, that opens up a
pretty question.
The CHARTS not a very pretty
question, either.
Mr.. Feard-You would have TO sue
for damages, in case we should fail to
perform our part of the contract and
Won would have to fix the measure OF
damages, which would be very difficult,
AID when YOU set Il, you would nave
to collect il the best way you could.
Then the question Of exclusive franchise
would come in, and Fl the city failed to
show that it had that right, then you
would have o suit on your hands for
all the gas you have gotten and not
paid for. But those are all legal sup
pcsitions. want nothing to do with
law. and presume that you want moth
ing TO do with it, But you must pay
more than 15c. After relief is finally de-
MED us. which I do not believe, we will
lust quit. We VIII find another market
for our gas. / believe We can do better
with it. We can sell Z in bulk. Our
net profit out Of gas IS less than 100000
i'm nine years. 20 say nothing OF the de-
probation in the investment. Our stock
IS Of no value. We cant sell it at all.
Wen sell out under the arbitration
clause of the ordinance at zoe on the
dollar. And Wen sell all or part Of
cur line. Wen sell the city part, from