The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-24

There were a great many prominent
citizens in Salt Lake yesterday that
were very hot under the collar over
the way that the electric company has
acted in this natural gas business and
it would not be surprising if they did
not make it exceedingly interesting for
she company before this controversy
regarding the natural gas supply is
settled, and it is believed that before
an indignant public is through with the
company that that body will wish that
there had been no gas Wlthln 1O,UOU
miles OF Salt Lake City.
In the first place, the public says IL
is preposterouS for the company 10
persist in stating that the supply OF
natural gas is failing when 1t is known
that such a statement cannot be VerI-
fed; especially when the meter at the
receiving house in this city indicates
a 12-pound pressure, and when 1t is
also known that the electric company
was turning out a small fraction OF
pound. into the mains of the city;
while in the second place the Whole
affair, so il is stated by those who are
familiar with the situation, looks as
if this fight was made for the express
purpose of killing off the natural gas
Industry.
AS il is. in view of the fact that
wells than the electric company could
use if every family in the city were
consumers, it is safe to say that if the
company attempts to cut off the nat
ural gas from the city mains and sub
stitute artificial gas in its place, it is
likely to have a lively row on its hands,
as a number Of wealthy patrons of the
company have expressed themselves
that as surely as this is done that
they viii sue the company for damages
and The, Herald was informed yeSter-
Gay that il was possible that hundred
or more OF these suits might be planted
against the company.
1t is also stated that if the electric
light company should succeed in its
efforts to discard natural gas, that it
was more than likely that a strong
company would soon be formed for the
purpose Of putting in a new line be-
tween the wells and this city, and if
this is done a gas system viii be in
stalled in Salt Lake City that win
make the electric company exceedingly
sick.
On the street car yesterday morning
an old pioneer stated that he was
sorry for his English cousins. as in
the first place they had bought leaky
gas system in this city and that then
gas wells, and now are trying to
make up thear losses oUi o. 49, ol--.
more familiar with the subject of nat
ural gas and that tney uuds - 80
themselves If there is any danger that
the supply is becoming exhausted, 1t
has been suggested that the railroads
run excursions out to the gas fields the
same as they did when the wells were
first opened. There is every reason TO
believe that such excursions would be
well patronized, as the people are more
interested in The enterprise now than
they were then, and now they are using
the gas in their homes and many of
them have gone to heavy expense in
putting the gas into their houses. There
is also reason to believe that if the
railroads would give cheap excursion
rates out to the fields that the gas
companies would light up the wells and
give the excursiOnists chance to wit
ness a first class illumination. If the |
companies would agree to do this and
then should fail then, and not until |
then viii the public believe in the state |
ment of the electric company that the |
gas wells are failing and that the sup
ply IS insufficient
If the gas company is willing to put !
up any money on this proposition it |
will find takers until it cannot rest.