The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-23

The writer was detailed by the man.
ogement of The Herald Saturday even
ing 20 go out TO Lake Shore for the
purpose Of ascertaining if there had
been a failure in the natural gas sup
ply; and he was instructed to spare
neither time, money nor pains in the
endeavOr to get at the true facts in
the case, and he was also instructed
to prepare an article from the facts
and data so gathered from an impair
tial standpoint, SO that the public
might know the exact condition of af-
fairs so far as they related TO the sup
ply Of gas. the amount being furnished
by the New American Gas & Fuel
company and Driver e. Co. to the Salt
Lake & Ogden Gas & Electric Light
company, and the outlook for the per-
manency of the supply.
The reporter was also instructed to
notify the electric light company and
H. L. Driver that he had been detailed
to make an inspection of the gas
fields and to invite representatives of
both parties to accompany him to the
wells.
The electric light company was noti-
fed the same evening that the reporter
would be going out the next day
Sunday on the dummy train which
Left Salt Lake at 1:4O' p. m, and it
was requested that representative of
the company be sent to accompany
him. Mr. Driver was also notified and
accepted the invitation. The electric
Eight company did not
Leaving Salt Lake at the time desig-
naced above, The Herald scribe. ac-
conpanied by Mr. Driver, arrived at
Woodman on schedule time, and it was
not long afterwards before the gas
fields were reached; and here the re-
porter was introduced to Mr.. L. Drake.
who has full charge of the gas wells
owned by Driver & Co. and Mr. Drake
was instructed to show the reporter
everything connected with the wells;
to give him the readings of the meters
and to assist in every way possible
that he might be able to give to ehe
public the true inwardness Of the gas
business.
A tour OF the wells was Immediately
made, and it was ascertained that
there are three wells, owned by Driver
& Co, that are flowing at the present
time; and the fact was also estab-
Hshed that these wells were not taxed
to their greatest extent in supplying
the electric light company with gas.
The facts and figures on which this
aTr%iu1n. fc hoSc1 of ord
with the gas company, and the re-
porter has no hesitancy, whatever, in
giving them to the public, which can
judge for itself whether or nor there
has been, or is likely to be, failure
of the gas supply.
The Bryan WE'LL which is owned by
Driver & Co, is a new we'll that was
virtually opened ON Oct. % Of this
year, and the guage at this Wen
showed a pressure of $50 pounds; and
by this pressure it is not meant that
the well is furnishing this amount of
gas, but thar this is the strength or
volume Of the we'll; for, in fact, a very
small portion OF this volume is turneG
into the mains of the electric nGke
company.
The Woodman well. also owned By
Driver & Co, indicated a pressure Of
100 pounds. This we'll is about 10
months old and has been flow
ing most of this time On the 10th Of
July of this year the well became
clogged, but it was opened again on
the 24th. On the 9th of September
the we'll clogged again, but on the 18th
of November it was again reopened
and it mas been flowing steadily ever
since, and the supply from the wen is
as great and even greater than ever.
The Johnson well began flowing in
September, 1885. 1t clogged during the
month of August, 1896, and was re-
opened on the Sth of October following
and yesterday it showed pressure OF
14S pounds.
The BeIler well, also the property Of
Driver & Co., which has always been
a strong vel. has been clogged since
Aug. %, but this well is now being re-
opened and it viii not be long before it
will be ready for service; and besides
these four we'll the company has three
others that have become choked up,
but which can easily be reopened at
any time.
Arriving at the meter house. where
the pipe lines from the three flowing
wells already mentioned are connected
with the pipe line of the electric com
pany, a glance at the guage demon
strated the fact that the pressure at
thar end of the line was Is pounds.
How much gas does an 1S-pound
pressure mean?" asked the reporter.
I'VE cannot tell by the guage,'s
answered Mr.. Drake ITO find that out
it will be necessary to read the meter,