Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-12-01
Committee to Confer With Officials of Gas Company
 Monday Morning.
DATES INCREASE
 ~ COST $100,o00
 vould Be Necessary for Pine Bluff Company to Raise Rates on Elec-
 tricity and Water, Says
 Manager Woodward.

Action will be taken by officials of
 inc local industrial plants in an ef-
 fort to prevent the increase in the
 rates of the Arkansas Natural Gas Company, which that concern has an- nunced will be established: on Ja1- uary the first.
 Steps toward this end were taken last niglt at a conference of the owners and officials of the local industrial plants held at the Chamber of Commerce and a committee com posed of President H. l. Hnlderness, Secretary E. B. Bloom, Mayor Simon Bloom, Leo M. Andrews, ". B. Nor san, c. E. Philpot, c. H. Cunning, Ray Mcintyre and H. V. Bahlau will leave this city Monday morning for Little Rock, where the will confer with tne officials of the Arkansas Gas Company.
 The meeting last night was called by number of local business men, affected by the increase in the gas rates, and was attended by abour twenty-five of the managers and of plants, oil mills, public service utili- ties, etc.
 It was stated that the increase in the gas rates for industrial plants will average about 52 per cent and this will mean that the new rates will bring about a cort of over $10O,0OO
 ahually to the industrial plants alone
 Ins amount is not inclusive of the
 cost to the private consumer but is
 eontned strictly to the factories,
 nAl and other industrial concerns in
 this city.
 Minor 0. Woodward, general man. ager of the Pine Bluff Company,
 stated that the new rates which the
 gas company !propose to iestablish would mean an increase in the fuel cost Of his concern of over $50 per day and that if the rates were en-
 iorced the Pine Bluff Company would le forced to increase it's rates on el- ectricity and water.
 The increased rates would make practically impossible for the city Of Pine Bluff to secure any new in-
 oastries, according to Secretary E. B.
 bloom, of the Chamber of Commerce, as the hardship that would be work ea upon them through the increased cost Of fuel would more than offset tue advantages that could be offered
 mem. number of officials of the
 .alious plants made talks, in which
 a,sy stated just how the rates would s.lecl s. them and all probability the in-
 .lease Of the gas rates would mean
 sa increase in the price of every com
 'uuully %n manufactured in this city.
 me officials of the. Arkansas Gas
 uoupany Will be asked by the com
 %l.'ee or local indutrial men to aban-
 sU sUa U! !ae idea of increasing the rates
 as II no agreement can be reached
 tss. tween them, it is very probable
 at me matter will be appealed to
 san, ,s. couch, the United States fuel
 .ui'nlsrator for the state of Arkan-
 sas: Every available effort will be
 .hs @sue oy the local men to dissuade
 ;ae. ;as Mllclals of the gas company from
 increasing the rates.
 x ASecIstary Bloom states last night
 p".. ss. 'ne officials of the Little Rock
 S Va.a '; Of Commerce would be asked
 So,. !oin the; local committee in the
 jtfa;a1nce jt,Ilence with the Hgas contany
 SroSah;,,. S.alS Monday and that in ali
 sitsaoltty they would lend their as.
 '''nce to the project.