The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-02-07
Run1or on the Street
Cuntrlbuted.

Contributed.
1t is now current that the Mountain State Gas
Company Office here has orders from headquarters,
(0il City,. to give the West Fork Gas Company no
quarters but to keep on squeezing.
1t is an acknowledged fact this enterprise has
been of more advantage to clarksburg than all else
that has combined to push Carksburg to the front
1t is to this enterprise that the building OF several
factories are directly attributable.
Only few years ago the writer had occasion
to take the matter of manufacturers rates for gas
up with the Mountain State Gas Com pany's head
Office at Oil City. Their answer was IS cents
thousand feet' We wrote this Office asking them
to please give US cent rate, as the parties had
agreed TO build glass factory here all things
being agreed upon except gas rates. ard that they
would leave the town and build in Pennsylvania
unless they could get this rate The answer came
back promptly, aud to the point, I'VE make no
exceptions; our rate is cents per thousand. If
you want it we will furnishyou gas at CENTS.
The consequence was that the Pine Grove
Land Manufacturing and Improvement Company
paid to the Lafayette Glass Company $1,000 bonus
instead of $4,000, their first proposition, order
TO induce them to locate here.
Just as soon as the West F rk Gas Company
made their rates, "Oil City concluded to make ex
cep,iops, which you are alltamiliar with (Ques-
tion)-Should they have credit for this?
Factory No. 2-After having been induced to
locate here the West Fork Company having given
them site, which cost them several thousand COL
lars the Mt State Gas Company agent otfc"ed the
manager Of this concern better gas rates .h.n the
West Fork Company would offer and a free site for
their factory in Moundsyille if they wouil Change
their plans and leave Ciarksburg. Are Trey the
people Clarksburg citizens should patronze?
The West Fork Gas Company figured their
rates 33 10 80 per cent less than this AIT. State
Gas Company was charging you for very poor
service and likely Hooper cent less than they are
charging you now Judging from the rates they are
charging in Parkersburg, Marietta, Salem and
other places, where they have been able to run
out competition.
It's strange that business men. who depend
upon the growth of tile town and the patronage of
the people are SO narrow orso Ignorant OF their
interests as 10 patronize an institution. whose only
obiact in naming ruinous rates. ittiIg houses free
of charge making present: Of tile hearths, etc is
ro break down the West Fork Gas Company, huy
them out al as low q price as possible and then
charge such rates as will be runous TO The further
growth Of our city.
Grafton, as we'll as Fairmont, parties have
made appltcatipn 10 the West Fork Gas Company
for cas- rates Would it not BE- detrimental TO
clarksburg's future prosperity to make them rates
and put these two towns Gu an equal footing with
Clarksburgs
The West Fork Gas Company went into busl
ness 10 make money, and 1.-THE peoole do not pat
ronize this company literally, there Is number OF
ways ia which they can do business that will ne
II no Advantage 10 CIarksblrg Think this matter;
oyer XXX.