The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-11-18
PROPOSED INCREASE IN
GAS RATES BEING PR0BED


under the law of the United States
curtin, the public service commits
SION. In the proceedings as initiated
under the law of the state aud under
. tue procedure adopted. are ia viola
= ton of the constitution. the bill OF
. rights and the law of West Virginia
I Mhich guarantees TO all interests the
] ilsnt TO own property and transact
business without the confiscation OF
At the afternoon session General
manager Sullivan stated that IL was
MS opinion that the supply of gas
IN the northern West Virginia fields
could be completely exhausted with
IN ia zen years. Judging from the pres
ent rate OF consumption. The aver
age NE OF gas well. he said. was
3 ten years. IL Is likely that the now
productive fields in this section OF
me state will be exhausted In a de
cade or. at most. fifteen years.
General Manager Examined
Aside from the completion OF the
reauing OF the statement begun at the
morning session, the afternoon was
devoted To the examination OF T o.
SULLIVAN, the general manager OF the
company. His testimony concerned
principally the data contained in the
statement and an explanation OF the
charts and maps exhibited, showing
the gas fields. wells. leased proper.
ues; plants, rights of ways. etc Ac-
OF lines are in operation. The first
are the feed pipes which carry the
ehS from the wells TO the trunk lines
Next are the trunk lines which run
through the country. conveying the
gas a great distance from CITY 10 civ
The intermediate lines are next
winch tap the trunk lines and fur.
hlsh gas for the towns or large man.
ulacturlng concerns. Completing the
system are the smaller lines provid.
ing gas for domestic users
Mr.. Sullivan described ia consider.
able detail the method OF regulating
the pressure OF the gas through these
INES through a system of pressure
gates The pressure through the en-
TIRE system can be evenly regulated.
he said. He described the different
methods by which gas is purchased
and sold
So closely connected are the sys-
tens OF pipe line. he said. that il is
hardly possible To tell where the gas
comes from. although II is likely. he
admitted, that much OF the West Nir.
glnia gas goes TO Pennsylvania. but
ms Is onset 10 a considerable extent
by the quantities. OF gas We receive
from the Keystone state However.
much West Virginia gas is shipped
10 ohio and none Is received In re.
: turn from that state
Morning Session.
- 'AAf HlbiNluE session. following
me Objections 20 the hearing being
admitted 10 record. Mr. Wells contin.
ucd 10 declare that IL was the desire
OF the Manufacturers Light a. Heat
20. 70 submit all books and records
pos Die 70 the commission. and
withhold nothing that would prevent
a iull and conn lete Investigation To
transport books OF the company 10
the court. he declared. was impossible
as they were sufficient TO cover tho
moor or IN" court room 10 n depth OF
az least three feet. and would tie IN
the business OF tho company com.
ll'icly, creating confusion and caus-
ing serious financial loss In lieu OF
lhdi. officials had prepared state
ments that would be presented under
oath. However. thnre would BE- fes.
'ureS iddf ~ would be impossible to
develop for The commits sion. The
manufacturers Light and Heat Co
was inc operating company. control
ing and owning the capital stock in
the subsidiary companies pipe lines
puhll lnE stations. wells. and leases
were used iudiscrim inatelv so far ne
any OF the minor companies were
concerned so that an accurate sen.
ard.ion of figures rs pertaining 10
ttch company would d. Impossible.
, .r . i,'.'. lh. cGmianv had for
years con ier'd abandoning their
''rIl charters 100 W.-t Eirginia and
"Ftdulh.n+ GO. biz cOmuauv. fr be
uh-iI .Fit To- f'n Iiffs hur-n COMPANY.
'". 't &C.. bad mot been taken
o.. '.. Impossible O." separate
ln'. .I.tlIt ANA 10 would Dee
..' '. t.t' separate estimate r.
If'u one another dur
If"I". I fu .HHv fuc present .afu. ~
th" h".dIrcr OFF Tine controlling ro,rr..,,,
Ii IH" aggregate tf, market value ~ lee
~, ''.h Hfd bonds and fhe asss .s-