The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-18
'EA|RNON1 ASKS

FhllIIVIUN ASkS
Continued From Page "a
crease the supply OF gas for the
Fairmont consumers.
The resolutions which were adopted
by the directors were introduced by
Mr.. Cunningham. They read as fol.
lows:
WHEREAS. By reason of the fail
ure OF al, adequate supply Of natural
gas our manufacturing plants have
been compelled to shut down. throw.
ing large number Of persons out Of
employment; courts, schools and
churches have been closed. depriving
our children OF educational advanr
tage and many Of our homes have
been tnadequately heated, resulting In
sickness and suffering, and,
WHEREAS, Large quantities of ma.
tural gas produced in this state are
being transported daily out Of the
state and there furnished and sold
to consumers for manufacturing and
domestic purposes;
That at least 40o.O00.ooo cubic feet
Of gas 10 daily being transported out
Of Northern West Virginia and sold
In Western Pennsylvania and East
ern Ohio; that this gas Is produced
and obtained in close proximity to the
manufacturing centers In Northern
West Virginia and In convent reach
Of the more thiclkly populated por.
tons OF said section where suffering
and in convenience Is greatest be.
cause Of the lack Of sufficient gas.
That the regular and continued op.
erations of these manufacturing
plants is necessary to the material
prosperity Of this state and the per.
sons employed in these industries and
those dependent upon them; IL these
industries are closed because OF lack
OF fuel much suffering must necessar-
lily result to the persons thus thrown
out OF employment and those depend.
ent upon them; that the regular and
continued production is necessary to
enable the state to do its part toward
the support Of the government and
the prosecution Of the war: and,
WHEREAS. Only a comparatively
small proportion Of gas so transport.
ed and sold out Of the state Is used
exclusively in the manufacture Of ma
terials and munitions directly requir.
ed In the prosecution of the war, and
that sufficient gas 80 transported and
sold out Of the state can be retafne.
ed IN the state to meet the require.
ments Of our own people without In
any way interfering with the manu-.
facture Of war materials and mum.
lions outside the state, that a daily
diversion Of from ten to fifteen mil.
lions Of cubic feet to the counties OF
Harrison, Marion and Monongalia
would probably meet all their require
ments, relieve the suffering and per.
NIT the factories to operate: and,
WHEREAS, 1t is the Judgment OF
this body that persons residing and
engaged in business in a community
producing large quantities of natural
gas are entitled to have their reason.
able requirements Of this fuel sup
piled before the same is transported
out of the state, at least to the extent
that want, sickness and suffering be
prevented; that II the governors and
other state officers Of states and
cities are permitted to confiscate coal
In transit through their states and
cities to relieve want and suffering
the governor Of this state ought to
have authority as police regulation
for the protection and preservation OF
society in the state to take sufficient
OF the gas produced in this state to
reasonably meet the actual require
ments Of our citizens and industries:
and,
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this
body that the governor Of this state
should be commended for tho strong
stand has already taken to secure
for our people an adequate supply OF
gas out OF the great. quantities pro-
duced in the state to meet their rea.
sonable requirements: end that he be
requested to cause sutt. .sIS:aer pro.
ceedtngs to be had ana taken before
the Public Series Commission of the
state as will insure the furnishing
OF such reasonably adequate supply;
and that II under the laws COW on our
statute books the Public Service
Commission is not vested with nuthor>
ity sufficient to meet tee situation
the governor be requested as speed.
lily as possible to call the legislature
in extraordinary session for the pur.
pose Of enacting ssch lass as will
enable the commission to require and
compel persons and concerns trans.
porting gas out of the state to first
provide sufficient OF such gas to meet
the reasonable requirements OF the
people OF the state.
THEREFORE, RESOLVED, That
we commend the governor OF this
state for the steps he has already
taken to protect the interests OF his
own citizens in securing for them an
adequate supply Of gas.
That we most respectively urge up
on him that he cause such proceed.
ings to be had and taken before the
Public Service Commission Of the
state as may be necessary to require
CHESTNUT