The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-04-05
To Our Consumers In Oakland and Neghboring Towns In West
Virginia and Maryand

have been receiving consumers say that
GAS IN THE FIELD 1916 WAS WORTH THREE TIMES AS
MUCH AS IN 1907. We have months
consider proposition for selling the field price per
cent of industrial your vicinity only
price which have been offered any
90 per cent in of industrial and to purchase this
would necesstate building pipe line approximately sxfv
miles in length in order % obtain such supply
The average of pipe, casing tubing fittings and other
material which drilling and in the pipe lines
and the maintenance and upkeep of properties
PER CENT AND $50 PER CENT HIGHER AT THE PRESENT
TIMETHAN 1T WAS TWO YEARS AGO, AND THE PRICES ARE
STILL RAPIDLY INCREASING and deliveries greatly delayed
and uncertain Labor and hauling charges much higher and
the TAXES properties including tax approx
m9tey $50 per cent higher now than they werein lg08
g. We are holding in connection with operations and under
lease for possible future operations total of 80 IA OF this
total of 500 annual rental of 522 10000
only be termed possible territory and located advance
of other developments WE HAVE SPENT DURING THE LAST
EIGHTEEN MONTHS ON ONE PORTION OF THIS TERRITORY
FOR LEASES, RENTALS AND EXPERIMENTAL DRILLING AL
READY IN EXCESS OF s6OOOOOO experimental drilling
this acreage proves lines
will require additional expenditure of about S25OOOOOO make
the In addition above, past years
up other blocks territory drilled without
favorable result anda attendant wi considerable loss.
During the year 1916 leases in Lewis Harrison
ties, West Virginia. where securing present supply of gas
WE DRILLED A TOTAL OF EIGHTEEN WELLS BUT NOT
UNDERSTANDING THIS WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER ONLY
70 PER CENT AS MUCH GAS IN 1916 AS IN 1915 These wells
drilled at cost ofappoXmaey $600000 and addition
que royalty Of 100000 per year The interest the
in these wells alone and the royalties add the OPP
aon approximately SlSS000 without consideration
interest the investment in field lines required them up
We propose continue attempts obtain additional
supply and contemplate drilling up such remainder territory
available and conditions and have been doing
past continue efforts find fields and develop them
supplement supply, fit possible by the purchase of any
the field that may be available a reasonable price
S. WHEN OUR GAS is EXHAUSTED OUR PROPERTY
AND THE VERY GREAT INVESTMENT WHICH WE HAVE
MADE WILL BE OF LITTLE VALUE, and remaining
years OF the business is for obtain only adequate
annual upon the capital have invested in order you
but also return Of the capital itself In this regard the
that natural gas not being recommended and cannot be manufactured
the business continued be done by Artificial companies
street railways electric light and power COMPANIES and other public
utilities which have but to manufacture their product have
limited source Of supply from which to draw It is mining
with great operating hazards ard with immense investment
the property We look with great aPPrehenon toward the future.
Due to the depletion Of our field the Of which has drop
ped from an AVERAGE OF soc or goo lbs to IL or Y lbs at the wells and
the production Of the wells which completing being
only fractional part Of what they five years will be
necessary order to keep the business going and enhen
much possible eXpnd large operating
receive the which applied for and
do