The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-18
A GREAT RECORD
Made by the Natural Gas Com.
pany ofWest Virginia
DURING THE LAST COLD SNAP.
was the Only Natural Gas
Town in the Country in Which
There Wasn't Shortage of Fuel
During the Week of Remarkably
Cold Wcathcr-Thc Company is the
Recipient of Many Congratulations.

The excellent supply of gas maintain
ed by the Natural Gas Company OF
West Virginia during the recent cold
weather. has been very favorab bly, com
nented upon. The consumers have felt
secure in the sersice siven by the COM
pany and complaints OF insufficient VOL
ume OF gas have been less than In years
wheE the weather, has been more mod
crate and the demands FOR gas less ur-
gent.
In conversation with an official OF the
Natu:aiG Company of West Virginia,
an Intelllgencer reporter referred to the
satisfactory service and expressed sur
prise at the increased volume of gas.
The official said:
when the people OF Wheeling. through
the city council, showed spirit of con-
Citation, instead OF the former anti
pathy which existed, the management
laid out expensive improvements which
have made the supply secure 70: years
10 come. and the pressure OF such y
force as to prevent any shortage. acct
dents excepted. \ new field OF 10000
acres in Greene county Pa, has been
secured. OF which the company has ex-
elusive control. thus insuring the use Of
economical and conservative methods OF
production. This field has been drilled
10 the Gordon sand, and the depth OF the
pay streak tnsurcs 4 lasting supply. BY
controlling the field new wells are dill
ed only when the demand becomes
greater. and all loss is therefore obvI-
ated. Heretofore. the gas supply In
fields where oil indications have been
promising. has been exhausted In order
to make the oil production more prolif-
&c.
The average person is not familiar
with the expense connected with the
development and maintenance OF a gas
'hcld. In the Greene county field the
supply Is reached at depth OF 5000 feet,
and each well costs $4,000 for the drill
Ing end casing. whether the well is
producer of gas or not. The care OF
such large tract OF territory is also an
item .of expense. In the recent cold
snap large gangs OF men were employed
night and day. patrolling the different
branch lines. building fires 10 prevent
the freezing of the mains and guarding
agaias: breaks and leaks. The low tenn
perature also increases the difficulty OF
handling the gas and the operation OF
the held. The crude gas from the we'll
Is accompanied by salt water. parafine,
and other impurities, which are elimi-
mated under ordinary conditions, by a
system of d-ips. and this also adds an
element OF trouble during cold wealth.
,er."
The reporter then inquired as to i'm
provemeats in the system and was in
formed that much new work had been
done during the past summer. which
made the distribution OF the gas 10 the
consumers more uniform and regular.
The system of regulators and gaSomc-
tiers has been bought 10 such state o:
perfection that the pressure can be re-
duced or increased at viii. and any de-
sired number OF ounces maintained In
definitely. Much OF the old pipe has
been removed and new lines have been
laid, while new mains have been placed
in streets, which hitherto had only in
dividual service lines The end Is not
reached vet. as new work has been laid
out for the coming season. which will ir !.
crease the Complny'S facilities for the
distribution of its product.
One great difficulty encountered in
portions OF the city, on the South Side
especially. is the fact that many Of the
streets have been flied and made from
cinders. glass house Stag, and other fac
tory refuse. Iron pipes laid in this ar
tlticial sol! Succumb readily to chemical
action and necessitate their replacement
in few years.
One OF the factors leading 70 some
friction between the citizens and gas
company IN the past has been the pop
ular idea that the gas company has
been making large sums yearly from the
sale OF gas In this city. 4 Fact not gen.
orally known Is that for the past five
years the stockholders have received no
dividends or their investment
The official called attention TO the fact
that the city OF Wheeling was the only
city in the country that had q sufficient
supply OF gas during the recent cold
weather. Pittsburgh. and the PenAsyl-
vania and Indiana gas towns ware fro
zen up and the supply of gas was prac-
tically nil. The company has been con-
Sratulat led from many sources upon its
good supply OF gas and feels repaid for
It's efforts TO maintain an ample volume
for all requirements OF the citizens o..
Wheeling. The promise Of the future is
exceptionally bright, and leads 20 the
expectation o. a continuance OF the
pleasant relations now existing.