The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-12-24
JOINT COMMITTEE
CANNOT RECOMMEND
Acceptance or Granting Of the Franchise to the In
dependent Company-Fear Supply is made
uuate for Needs of Canton.

VINO purchased gas IrOm Jne COlupel-
iting company would certainly feel
much aggrieved, when the supply had
failed, that the unequal competition"
had ever been permitted to enter our
city We question the wisdom OF
council assuming this responsibility.
The committee is informed that the
real producing gas fields in Pennsyl-
vania and West Virginia show pres
sure of from 500 pounds to 1900
pounds per square inch and from such |
wells at a depth of from 1900 feet to |
3400 feet are the present known, |
commercially permanent gas supplies
obtained.
We must ask your indulgence for |
this long preliminary but in view of
the great interests involved, affect |
ing so many persons, we have felt 1t
our duty to examine and consider ev-
cry possible side to this question
within our power-and by giving to
our citizens full information of every
suggestion that has occurred to us,
satisfy every reasonable mind that our
conclusion is based upon fair and
conscientious reasons.
Now as to our investiation of what
we may designate as the stephens"
field.
Upon Thursday, December 10, in
company with Mr.. Stephens the COM
mittee travelled to the village of Am
sterdam in jefferson county, Ohio, and
were thence driven west about three
miles into Carroll county where the
field is located. We were met by some
of the owners, Messrs. Tope and Tin
Ion, and together we visited the BUR
rier" well drilled about three months
ago; this we'll and the one adjacent
to it distant about one-quarter of
mile, were blown" for our benefit and
the strong pressure displayed seemed
quite impressive. This and the otner
wells are about 1925 feet to 1860 feet
in depth, first passing through a sup
ply of gas at about 465 feet and
again a supply at about 700 feet; the
main supply however comes from the
lower depth which reaches a strata
which is said to be the "Berea" grit
and gas sand averaging about as feet
| to SIS feet in thickness. None of the
wells had been tested accurately at
! the time of our visit, but 200 pound
steam guage is said to have register
ed full upon them, and it was said that
! the pressure would show from $50 to
300 pounds per square inch. The. line
pressure upon this day showed $50
at the 500 pound gas guage in the
gas house, from three of the best
wells; the line is 3-inch pipe. The
second well was "blown" also and
produced a similar effect.
Four wells are on this field forming
an irregular line of about one-half
mile from the first to the last These
wells supply Amsterdam and Berg
holtz, producing a revenue of about
$500 per month at rate of 25 cents.
Adjacent to this field and these four
wells and continuing the irregular
line are four more wells owned by an.
other company which has been supply.
ing gas to the city of Carrollton for
about two years. Relative to the de,
mands of city like Canton the whole
Iof this consumption is of course small
but it is claimed that the supply can
be largely increased. The commit,
tees best information is that at pres
Vent our city consumes on an average
about five million or more cubic feet
of gas per day and in extreme cold
weather perhaps two or more times
this quantity, and we pay for it al
} the rate of about $1400 per day. We
} have no official data however for the
correctness of these figures.
} The Stephens" field covers about
, 500 acres and they control amout 1906
: acres more which they claim will al
produce gas. The field lies adjacent
to the Amsterdam oil field, now pro
ducing oil in moderate quantity ant
"a Of hn Ioi hof &c
geological condition gives the gas field
prospect of unusual durability anC
! permanently, together with the strons
pressure of the gas wells now opened
: Since the visit of the committee OF
: the 10th inst, Mr. Stephens in com
pany with Messrs. Tope and TinleI
! met with the committee and repor
) that the wells have recently beer
tested as to volume by expert ga!
: men, who say that the wells will fur
nish from about six million to eigh
million cubic feet of gas per day, bu
no details of the method or manner b.
which these results were reached, no
t the names of the experts making thu
! tests, were given to us although thu
+ information was requested, and Meth
er of the gentlemen was PERSONAL.
e present at the test. The committe,
5 was also again invited to make a sec
ond visit to the field to observe tes
4 that would be made in an expert way
: but we did not feel that our duties
e required that we accept this invita-
j tion. The committee had reason t
i believe that such a test would b.
I made on the occasion of our first visi
d but for some reason unknown to IL
t no such test was made for our benefi
t at any time.
I These statements of fact compris
g about all of the physical condition
L observed by the committee.
S The only method used to reach ou
T conclusion was to gather facts an
u former experiences and present cond
/ dltions, for comparison. from sue
d sources as might be available and thu
e judge of the probable permanency O
d the field. The committee had no el
q pert knowledge or information I
guide II and Is free to say that laps
/ of time might possibly show that ou
l. judgment may be In error.
: The committee has learned tha
u some FIVE years since a field of ga
was developed in Marlboro township
8 this county, and the gas therefor
II was used by the Cement company 70
y about two years when the field wa
g exhausted and abandoned The we'll
II In fBfo 6ald aVapaUad aho,,t Inn Zoe