Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-02-26
MUCH INTEREST
Being AROUSED
Many Replies To Letter Of Man
ufacturers Light < Heat Co.
SPIRIT OF FAIR PLAY EVIDENT.
Hundreds Of Answers Have Been Re.
eslved, Many Of Which Are Favor
able, and But Few Question the
Position Of the Company.
Ry Star Correspondent


Pittsburgh, Pa, Feb. 16.-John Z.
Gill, president Of The Manufacturers
Light G. Heat Company, stated here
today that he has received hundreds
Of replies from citizens Of West Viz
ginia to the Open Letter addressed to
the people of the State by his com
pany and published in this paper and
throughout the State last week as an
advertisement. Mr.. Gill sizes that
these replies contain great variety
Of views, about so per cent. OF which
are favorable to the gas interests, ~
per cent. differ in minor particulars,
and the remaining 20 per cent. are
unfavorable. Mr.. Gill says he is de
lighted with the interest being shown
throughout the State in this open dis
cussion and believes the result will be
to bring about a closer understanding
between the gas interests and the
people Of the State.
1--WE have received hundreds of let
ters," said Mr.. Gill, "in answer to
our Open Letter, in which the people
state their views courteously 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
70 develop the State and find market
for their products where possible
About thirty per cent. disagree with
some Of the ideas suggested. About
Is per cent say they are not sufficient
ly informed about the questions to
venture a reply and ask for further
information, and the balance simply
state that they think the rates for gas
are high enough or too high. very
few, not over q dozen or so, are
abusive and bitter In their remarks,
which is such a small percentage that
II shows the people OF West Virginia
are practically all fair minded and
without prejudices.
1T is q pleasure to us to know that
we have such an open minded class
OF people before whom to state our
case and we shall go on with these
Open Letters In the newspapers, feel
ing that we are being impartially and
honestly judged and that our case is
in the best of hands. Our first letter
was prepared with the purpose OF get
ting an idea Of how the people OF the
State looked at this great business OF
producing and marketing oil and gas
and now that we have clear Idea oil
how It Is regarded throughout the
State, we shall be able to go ahead
and furnish the information 80 many
OF our correspondents have asked for,
and shall await their further opinions
with interest and confidence.
1.-THE unprejudiced attitude OF the
newspapers Is also a matter upon
which West Virginia is to be con-
graduated and augurs well for a safe
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 a collection
of a 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.