The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-02-02
SAYS STATE GEoLoGIsT /. c. WHITE
ABOUT THE GAS PROBLEM IN
WEST VIRGINIA.
ADVISES THE ELIMINATION OF
THE PRESSURE FEATURE OF THE
COLE AND MAXWELL BILLS.
Makes Startling Disclosure Of the Ruth
less Waste of This Great Natural Re-
source, Asserting That 1t Has Already
Amounted to Two Hundred Million
Dollars in Value.

DIR. ]. g. White, Of Morgantown, state
lgsologist. is out in an open letter on
Inc gas problem in waicn he says among
other things: @aInHF
III is now too late 10 forbid the use
Of pumps witaout causing more injury
10 the cities and towns within the state
than it would bring banefits, since many
of these towns will soon be land all
iinallyl dependent upon the use OF
lpumps for an efficient gas supply
Hence in my statement before tae judi.
ciary committee of the house yesterday
I advised that this prohibition of .in
creasiug the natural pressure in taa
fsas lines. be eliminated from the Cole
and Maxwell bills. not only for the rea
son just statsl but aso because il would
be unfair to the capitalists who nave
been permitted and encouraged to in
vest many hundred dollars IN tness
pumping stations. If West virgina. ex.
poets to attract new capital to aid in
developing ncr boundless resources, she
must deal justly ana fairly with tae
enterprises already here. Capital is
timid and win not 90 where injustice
amounting 10 confscation OF invest
nlents whicn were ma,la in good faitn
and in a perfectly lawful way, can find
Legislative cndors 'mqnt
"It would have been M IDEAL condl-
tion Of affairs. mad our legislature,
|recognhing onr priceless hsritaga in
natural gas, forbidden is ruthless waste
" well 4, transportation except by its
natural pressure, and thus preserved ii
largely for TIE u.s. Of It's own citizens
10 tha far distant future. For reasons
best known to themselves however. tne
members Of our previous iegislature,
nave fail I'd to enact single line for tar
statute hooks that would save tnc state
from being despoiled Of thes, vast re,
sources BY the inexcusable waste and
greed Of toe oil and gas operators II
i no exaggcration q affirm that within
tile last fifteen years, there has escapes
into the air without any attempt all
utilization from enclosed gas wells. from
leakmg pipe line joints. from oil welis.
from necessary escape valves. and
other wastsful and cxtravagant methods
Of using this precious fuel, even if we
reckon its value at no more tinan five
cents PER thousand cubic feet. a quan.
tity of natural gas taat would amount
TO somewhere between 100000 600 and
S20e-000,0O0. tand much nearer the lat
ter figure tnan the formcrl. The mere
statement Of the case should enlist the
active aid and interest Of every man
worthy Of seat in our legislative nails
If the coal mines of the state were on
fire. and being rapidly consumed, the
whole power and financial resources Of
the state would be enlisted to stop Inc
eonhagration. but mere is n fuel infinite
ly better and more valuable than coal.
because il transports itself to the points
Of consumption and leaves no rcsidum
in buining. and yet in spite of all this
criminal waste and extravagant methods
Of burning. not a single dollar inas been
spent by the state to put a stop 10
either No one can plead Ignorance #
conditions for in every biennial report
since state geologist was appointed in
1897 especial attention has been callcl
10 this subject. and bota Governor At
kinson and Governor White have nc.
eentuated the same in their massagss
y far the large portion Of our gaseous
fuel has already been wasted and unless
the legislature takes drastic action at
this session. Ieaobod, will soon b. writ
ten on the rsst OF it. It Is not too late
to save remnant Of this. tine states
bast fuel. hit action must be taken at
once. Or it win soon be too late. ana
We snail finally awaks to fuI our gas
fields in the condition Of Indiana's.n