The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-02-14
Wheeling Municipal Gas
Works Was Chartered By
Old Virginia Assembly


Laughlin secretary.
Refuses citys Proposition.
Al that time ID. Lamb, so the story
goes, made a speech setting forth
the object OF the meeting" George
X. Tingle, who was the first secretary
OF the gas company. and Jacob Horn
brook, who. IL seems. was not in
favor OF the gas companys passing
into the hands OF the city, made
statements. Or. Campbells resolu-
ton called a meeting of the directors
and empowered them to proceed in
courts at equity to force the city TO
give up its hold on the works. The
directors met June 10. 1871. and voted
TO refuse the city's proposition as
fixed by the board of arbitration.
At the January term Of court Judges
Hoffman and Moore affirmed the de-
! cision OF Judge Melvin that the city
had the right To the gas works. enter
| tanned the motion to Quash the pro
ceedings. and that Judge letters did
right. Judge PAUL did not sit in the
case. IL being shown that he was a
resident tax payer Of the city OF
Wheeling. EXorbitant prices for gas
which was being sold TO consumers
al the rate of $3.50 per thousand cubic
feet, Is given in the declaration as the
reason for taking over the works.
Plant Rehabilitated
| After this decision the gas company
again entered sut 10 test whether the
| report Of the two arbifers was prope,
and the courts held that IL was This
was the beginning Of a clear slate for
/ the city municipal plant. II was re-
J habilitated and many improvements
made until IL was one OF the best in
( the country. and Wheeling enjoyed
| lighting fuel which they were receiv-
| ing al almost a nominal price.
Later the city granted certain
| franchises 10 electric light concerns,
/ in competition with it's lighting plant
/ As soon as they did this the Natural
! Gas Company Of West Virginia began
10 sell gas for Illuminating purposes
An injunction was applied for by the
J city. which was granted by the circuit
! court was later overruled by the
state supreme court OF appeals
City Loses In Business.
! With this decision before them. the
gas companies BEGAN making inroads
into the business % The municipal
gas plant 10 such an extent that all
hope Of maintaining II at a profit was
! soon abandoned In the midst Of this
keen competition. substances and
combinations OF substances used in
! the manufacture of the ilumlnant
] arose so rapidly that il was necessary
10 raise the price OF gas 20 break
even.
Il was not long. however. until ppo
pie. aware OF the fact that they had
a right 20 use the natural gas in their
! homes. began 10 have the municipal
gas meters taken out and substituted
therefor the natural Gas product. In
other cases electric lights were in.
stalled. making IL hard for the city in
that way
The fight 10 discontinue the gas
plant hung fire until after the render
ing Of the supreme court decision. al
though 10 was still smouldering With
IFS adverse decision 10 the city more
than a year ago. a resolution was
immediately adopted calling for IN.
closing Of the plant Upon an inves-
tteation il was found that substitute
could be obtained for less money than
the product being used i'm manufac-
turing the gas was costing
Further than this. 10 was found that
the city was making about $1,000 a
Z year profit This continued until tho
Z election OF the present council when
p a resolution was introduced asking
the close % the plant AZ the time tho
. annual BUDGET was made nm This
Do was adopted by the Second branch
D but developed fight in thc First
: branch where a special committee was
I appointed
% Decides 20 Abandon Plant.
This committee claimed that i-
L found leakage lu expenses at the
(. plant sufficient 20 warrant IT'S dfscou.
a tinuancc for n time 90 least with
Pc This report before them. council 1D
Z r-onriatcd money to run the plant
s until This spring bur in the mean
7 time report was fo he subuittc1
j. monthly tO show tho receipts and 90
$ pendifuree From fho r-at these 20
. ports showed consistent lo-eea s.
p l7ef when tho plant failed 20 rccour
p lis lo sos during the month Of Uocew
r. Der resolution was adopted aImor'
y unanimously calling for Tho CLOSING
q of the plant March 81
Do Tho ulanf is now located ON what
was formerly IiraIv street ON fofs
90. 80 and 80 rho 0-iriraf Grant under
a me first deed OF CONVEYANCE Dr. ha.
/. been improved from fIwc to tim,
II until now ~ represents FL neat sum
o. JUST what disposition wIT ba mad.
+. ~ mo property .a MOI known tr
(. standing a- DO docs ir clo.c r-ovir-ft,
o. fo fhe railroad Tine. Dol Ea.t WhaD
81 irr b. could Boz easily turned otar bod
fu some other Bind ~ faf'n-.
s. nicotine of tfr Ig.f a.F rr'r.
II, committee vUI likely is called Boo
d. few d1r. f0 consider fh. resolution
ID adopted hs council .a'Hrr fIr an orb
F, nance.
WNT"T~