Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-11-22
THE EXTENSION
Of the Franchise of the Manufacturers
Gas Company,
Now Pending Before the City Coun-
Gil and to Come Up Tuesday
Evening superintendent Rogers
States the Position of His Com
pany in an Interview.

In view of the large public interest
which is being taken in the matter
OF the application of the Manufacture
ers Natural Gas Company, for permits
sion TO widen their local market for
gas. through an amendment TO the or
iginal franchise of the company by
Council, a reporter for the Register
yesterday saw Assistant Superintend-
ent w. w. Rogers of the company,
and asked him TO make public state
ment of just what his company want
ed. for the information of readers Of
the Register In reply, Mr.. Rogers
said,
What we desire from Council is an
amendment 10 our franchise of 1886
which will permit us TO make rea-
sonable extension of our business and
at the same time give the public an
increased amount of fuel gas
What facilities have you for doing
this"
"The best. We have a very large
supply of gas, procured at very large
expense. and we naturally want to sell
it. The people of Wheeling want gas,
and we therefore think the amendment
now before Council would be mutually
beneficial"
rs this movement on the part of
your company based upon an actual de-
mand?"
Yes. sir; we have had many appli-
cations from citizens for gas for bus
mess houses and manufacturing es-
adjustments. yet we are not permitted
to supply this demand under our pres
ent ordinance
"WiH you not be cutting into the
business of the Natural Gas Company
of West Virginia in carrying out your
plan?"
'To a very limited extent only. We
have neither the desire or intention OF
entering into competition with the Nat
ural Gas Company of West Virginia as
to their domestic consumption bust
ness. and the extension of our right
to sell to manufacturers would cut lit
tie or no figure with the company nam
ed. We believe, however, 1t was the
original intention of the incOrporators
of our company to serve the business
interests Of the city with fuel upon
larger scale than is authorized within
the narrow limits of the original grant
by the city. and we also believe that
business men should have the right,
in Justice to themselves. to take gas
from whatever source will give them
the largest measure of satisfaction. In
other words. the citizens have rights in
this matter. as we'll as the gas COM
panies. and the best interests of the
citizen should receive mature consider
alton at the hands of Council"
"Then it is to be inferred that you
do not really consider the proposed
ordinance as an extension Of your or
iginal franchise?'
mo. we do not. We are already in
the streets with out pipe lines, and
merely desire the right to supply gas
from those pipes to such citizens as
may wish to do business with us. We
are convinced that our request has
both merit and Justice both for our
selves and for the public at large, and
our application to Council was con-
ceived and presented in that spirit
We have an ample supply of gas for
sale and certain of our citizens, with
in the general limits and spirit Of
our original franchise, are asking for
it. II would be simple fairness for
Council 10 so enlarge our rights as TO
permit this moderate extension of our
business.