Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-02
CHEAP GAS ALMOST In SIGHT
Establishment Of Plantfor Its anufaoture
Said to Be Assured
LARGEST OF FIVE FACTORIES HERE
Concern That In to Put in the Factory
Represents n Capital of Three
MiIlIon-DetniIs of
Deal.
LARGEST OF FIVE FACTORIES HERE

Dispatches from Des Moines that the Uni
versal Fuel company, a Chicago concern,
intended putting in a plant in this city for
the manufacture OF coke and gas has
atoused much interest and speculation in
Council Bluffs, especially among the city
officials who are at present wrestling with
the light problem, and Alderman Casper Is
hopeful that 1t may result in the cheapening
OF the price OF gas. Kilian H. Seibel, the
representative of the Chicago company was
expected to arrive in this city yesterday but
so far he has failed to appear. 1t is under
stood that the company contemplates estao-
fishing five factories for the manufacture OF
coke in this state and that they VIII be
located at Des Moines Dubuque, Davenport,
Ottumwa and Council Bluffs. In recent
interview at the Capital City Mr. Seibel Is
quoted as saying the following concerning
the plans OF the company:
I'VE have already arranged for the estab-
lishment OF four factories In Iowa. Each
one will have 100 ovens, but we expect to
increase the capacity of the one at Council
Bluffs in a year or two to double or treble
the original output. We expect to make the
Council Bluffs plant the largest, owing to
its proximity to Omaha, as we intend to pipe
orr gas across the river. The plant in
Council Bluffs will give employment to be-
tween seventy five and one hundred men,
The Ave plants in Iowa will represent
capitalization OF S3,000,000. We have exam
ined the coal fields OF Illinois and Iowa ex-
tensively and find the kind Of coal especially
adapted to making coke. We do not lnteno
to pay much attention to illuminating gas,
but will make speciality OF fuel gas ana
in order to have a demand for this class OF
gas We intend to keep the price down as
low as possible. We contemplate furnishing
fuel gas to factories for not more than Az
cents per 1000 feet and at this price 1t VIII
be cheaper than the factories can secure
soft coal Iowa coal as analyzed by our
chemists gives from 5000 to $1,000 cubic feet
of gas to the ton. Illuminating gas, II we
decide on supplying it, can be furnished
for SO cents per 1000 feet. The coke made
from the Iowa coal is so much better for
heating purposes that no factory, we believe,
will use the coal after having once given the
coke trial.
AS far as can be learned the company has
made no attempt to secure ground for It's
proposed plant in this city and none OF the
city officials have been approached by its
representatives In order to operate here
the company would be obliged to go before
the people for franchise permitting 1t to
use the streets in which to lay its pipes.
This, it is believed, would be granted, pro-
vided the company really intended business
Mayor Jennings aud other city officials are
in favor of encouraging the company to es-
tablish its plant here and no obstacle will
be thrown in it's way. Manager Nichols OF
the local gas company stated yesterday that
his company would be willing to contract
to take gas from it at 35 cents per thou
sand feet, provided the quality of gas was
up to the standard for illuminating pur-
poses.