Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-11-20

be disturbed until something IS paid FOR
the privilege.
Mr.. Clarke-Have you any idea OF what
we ought to pay?
Mr.. Butts-Don't you think that if the
city would give this franchise the olher
Company might cut Off free gas f;om the
city?
Mr.. Clarke-They are charging Us very
handsomely by the consent of the city
twenty cents.
Mr.. Butts-Yes-it's not twenty cents.
It's only eighteen, unless you fail to pay
your bill-and the city is getting a very
handsome thing out of the Company.
They might cut US off.
Mr.. Clarke-Then you might repeal some
Of their ordinances. It's something that
would work both ways.
Mr.. Butts-Let's repeal EN- all, and .heu
get something from the Companies.
Mr.. Hare-On the question of the price
of gas: this city pays less than any other
city in the country. The other Company
has been getting eighteen cents on the
other side of the river for years. In Pitts
burg they pay over twenty cents.
Mr.. Robinson-When the Natural Gas
Company of West Virginia first came
here they had an ample supply of gas for
manufacturers. Then the supply de-
creased. and the manufacturers had to be
cut off. The Wheeling Natural Gas Com
pany, at great expense, laid a line twenty
five or thirty miles long and brought in an
ample supply of gas. Now, it appears to
be hardship to prevent them from sell
ing that gas to a few more citizens. The
RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS
ought TO be considered just as much as
the rights of the Companies.
Mr.. Hare-The Natural Gas Company of
West Virginia has no objection to the
other Company supplying manufacturers;
but it does object to the supplying OF gas
for heating purposes.
Mr.. J. a. Britt then moved TO refer the
matter to the Solicitor. when Mr.. Clarke
suggested that the Solicitor already had
the papers and the entire question before
him. He cleared up Mr.. Britts misappre-
henson by a short explanation of the
whole situation. Mr.. Butts then read the
original franchise of the Manufacturers
Company, giving the corporation the right
to sell TO its stockholders. and then said
the object now appeared to he to enable
the Company to sell to anyone, whether
members of the Company or not.
Mr.. Clarke-Yes.
Mr.. Butts-Why not sell them a share
of stock, and operate under ycdr old
charter?
Mr.. Clarke-Because that plan would
not meet the objections of the city Soil
citor. He holds that permit cannot issue
to any one who is not a manufacturer,
and then holds that the Dillon. Wheat &
Hancher Electrical Company is not
manufacturer within the meaning of the
ordinance ] think this decision is wrong.
The Dillon. Wheat & Hancher Electrical
Company is as much a manufacturer of
electricity as is the Wheeling Electrical
Company. and Wheeling, Coffee Company
are as much manufacturers of roasted
coffee from the green bean as the La Belle
iron works is of nails from the steel billet.
Mr.. Hare-We don't object to manufac-
turers. large or small. But We do object
to selling gas for purely heating purposes.
Mr.. Butts-Then the woman who roasts
a pound of coffee or makes a loaf Of bread
is also a manufacturer.
The motion TO recommend the rejection
of the ordinance was then adopted, ayes
three, noes two.