Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-02-26
MUCH INTEREST
BEING AROUSED
Many Replies ToLetter Of Man
ufacturers Light 4 Heat Co. !.
SPIRIT or FAIR PLAY EVIDENT
Hundreds of Answers Have Been r.
ceived, Many of Which Are Favor
able, and But Few Question the
Position Of the Company.
[By stan Correspondent


!. Pittsburgh, Pa. Feb. 16.--John n
Gill; president OF The Manufacturers
Light q Heat Company, stated hers
today that he has received hundreds
OF replies from citizens OF West Vir-
ginia to the Open Letter addressed 70
the people OF the State by his COM
pany and published In this paper and
throughout the State last week - IN
advertisement. Mr.. Gill states that
these replies contain q great varsity
Of views. about 80 per cent OF which
are favorable to the gas interests. 30
per cent differ In minor particulars.
and the remeining 20 per cont are
unfavorable. Mr.. Gill says he II de-
lighted with the interest being shown
throughout the State in this open dis
cussion and believes the result will BE-
to bring about closer understanding
between the gas interests and the
people OF the State.
I'VE have received hundreds OF let
ters,' said Mr.. GILL; I'm answer to
our Open Letter, In which the people
state their views courteousiy and with
intelligence, which is very gratifying
and shows a spirit Of fair play and
Justice. Fully fifty per cent OF them
favor helping the gas and oil people
to develop the State and find market
for their products whore possible.
About thirty per cent disagree with
some of the ideas suggested. About
Is per cent say they are not sufficient
It Pr, "a ok -.
venture reply and ask for further
information, and the balance simply
state that they think the rates for gas
are high enough or too high. A very
few. not over dozen or so, are
abusive and bitter In their remarks,
which is such small percentage that
1t shows the people Of West Virginia
are practically all fair minded and
without prejudices.
1T is pleasure to us to know that
we have such an open minded class
of people before whom to state our
case and we shall 80 on with these
Open Letters in the newspapers, feel
Ing that we are being impartially and
honestly judged and that our case u
In the best Of hands. Our first letter
was prepared with the purpose OF ct.
ting an idea Of how the people Of the
State looked at this great business o.
producing and marketing oil and gas
and now that we have clear idea of
how 1t is regarded throughout the
State, we shall be able to 50 ahead
and furnish the information 20 many
Of our correspondents have asked for.
and shall await their further opinions
with interest and confidence.
1.-THE unprecedented attitude Of the
newspapers is also = matter upon
which West Virginia 10 to be con
graduated and augurs veil for 1 safs
solution of any question which may
come before the public OF the State
at any time"
Mr. Gill stated that the next Open
Letter will probably be ! collection
OF number OF the typical letters re-
ceived, which will show all the people
Of the State just how others in the
State look at the matter. He stated
that these letters will be taken from
all those received and will show all
varieties Of opinions, both favorable
to the gas companies and otherwise.
This public letter will appear shortly
In this newspaper and should be read
with interest and studied carefully.