The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10

Doesn't Like tho Idea or Its Being riped Over
to Us mt Low Prices.

QUEBEC, Oct. S.-Thc latest Canadian griov-
ance against Americans concerns the piping Of
Canadian natural gus across tho frontier for
consumption in tho United States. Already
nine-tenths OF the product of certain Canadian
gas wells, valued at SO, 200. 900 year. is pipcd
across tho boundary Into the United States.
Tic contention Is made by would.b be consumers
in Canada that tho industry is being absorbed
gradually by United States companies who
have bought out tho interests OF Canadian in.
corporators, and an agitation is in progress to
have tho further export of the gas prohibited.
Tho Standard Oil Company has commenced
operations in Essex county for the purpose, SO 1t
is said, of supplying Toledo and pcrhl ps u por.
ton OF Detroit with the gas. Tho dread OF the
people in this country is that il the Standard
people once get a hold on the Ontario fields they
will practically exhaust them, as they did the
Ohio fields. in a few years, depriving the resi-.
dents of Essex towns of IA wonderfully cheap
fuel supply, and leaving the corporations of
bennington and kingsville with u large deben-
ture debt incurred in the requirement OF plants,
with no means of wiping 1t out. Tho commotion
in tho district is great, and delegations have
been organized to petition the Ontario and
Dominion Governments for legislation which
will tend to conserve the gas for Canadian use.
The great whiskey d~islillcry nrm of tho
Walkers Of Walkerville, John Atkinson Of De.
troit, the Hon. John Haggert and the Hon. j. &.
Patterson are leading members OF tho Ontario
Natural Gas Company, which was one OF tho
first companies Incorporated by dominion char
ter for operating the gas wells. Several Of the
existing companies are under contract TO fur
nisn gas Tor illumination and fuel to consumers
III the United states and to exclude customers
in Canada. Where Canadians are supplied 1t IL
INTENDED that they have TO pay W least double
the price demanded to the south OF tho Inc.
In Wellanu ana Haldinianu counties there are
gas wells which Tor years have supplied the city
of Buffalo with gas, and when, some time ago,
the company Ill control put i'll a. compressor plant
WAS made to prevent its dong 80, on the
ground that 1t meant The very carry depletion OF
the gas field. Though a committee Of the Lcgls-
lature decided that the province had no right to
interfere. the evidence tended TO show that
Canadian fears were well founded.
When ii is borne in mind that the gas supply
for a heater that is equivalent to a coal stove
can be furnished to farmers in the gas country
OF Ontario for ST. so to - II month it can be un-
has practically ceased III that region. A lew
wears ago the volume anu pressure OF the gas
were 80 great that ut ono we'll where 1t was
struck at 700 iect it came to tho sur
face at the rate of S.OOO,OuO feet u
day. In a little while this escaping gas
caught fire, amt the flame continued Tor three
weeks, despite the constant efforts OF those in
that the gas shot UP fully twenty feet before the
flame was reached. The Ontario Gas Company
still has twenty-five wells in reserve, with u ca
pacity of 80. 900, 900 feet daily, but nobody can
tell when the supply may commence TO give out
here. as lthas done elsewhere