The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-07-16
GASOLINE SUPPLY
IS ALL IMPORTANT
Col. Fred Paul Grosscup In
an Illuminating Interview
Defends Gas Companies.

| West Virginia. through her prodlc-
ton nr natural Enn and itn hi-pr"-
duet. Eunnllno. will win thn war for
tho United Hlntnn nnh "nr nIil"n.
This nrnlrimcnt whn mudn hy Hon,
Fred I'nul Uronnrup. prominent '.hhrI"h
| ton manufacturer nnd urrnlil"ml nf the
| Wrrl Virginia NnIuInl tinr l'rohir"Ir
Innrurlnllun, whllr IN Whr"llnE Hniui
hny.
! Wnri VirKInIn. col Erurn"un rhlH.
/ lr lIir,vlhinE ON" ui the muri "nr"n''hl
| rnrIorr Of th" ru"rrrnrul conduct "I
: tho wnr t,nrnlIn" prnhuc"'i IN mus
rtntn Iu tho iUrnnr nf carrying 100"
Rnh clnIhlnE in tho American anu
/ allied nrrnI"n nnd comfort To ~"
wounded noIhirrn at th" frOnl. Th"uH.
nnhn mud hundrrtIH uf lln,IGnndr "l
motor truckn being uR"d for war P'lr'
pou"n both hrrn and IN Europe nr"
hrinE operated with GnE0liu" prndic"d
from Went VirRInin gas.
| "conl." HaIh tul GrnssCnp t0 nm IN
tclligcnccr rrpnrtrr. Saturday "v"n-
! nE, before returning 10 CharlcSi on.
] "Ia un important factor but without
Eaaulinn II would be practically nm
pnaHibln 10 Cnrry on thn war.
Leads In Gas Production.
| ThlH declaration was made by C0i.
IGrOsscIID durinG the course or mn IN
| trryicw with reference to the work
nf the West Virginia GnH Producers
uYHocintlnn. Largely through the "l-
| forts Of this organization. h" SAID.
; Nest Virginia hnE been placed al tn"
head OF tn" korlyriGht states IN IN"
production of natural gar, producing
| al nf
cubic feet.
West Virginia pr"hmccH almost
! twice HH much gnS na any other t"o
Htuicn I'm The lIninn." Mr. GrnH%nr
said. "Nrnrly Hcv"nty PER cent or W."
rnH rnnl Of The Mlmhnuvi river comes
rInm ihIr niuIr Tho most prnducilv"
nrld I'm III" world in lncnl"d ln ltnnnn
land Kunnwlrn 'rnrnI!rH. II !" hh"ui
! fourteen mile" uulnr" md IhH 80"
wrllH. all big pr"hur"rr
[ II ina fact not generally known. ia"
colonel n,IiIrd. that IhiH ntni" pr"'lur">'
| murh uunuIIti"" ri Ea%"lin". fulIY NJ
! per cent Of III" gas paHsrH through
| romprrYsurY. and III" hi.prnhuci II
thug obtained without in tn" least
tlrprrciating Ia" liraI-prudurinE prop
critics of The gas. I'm Fact. many
claim that The pas is really better for
! fuel purpusrS after the gasulin" is "X'
! tract"d." h" declared.
! Gas Question Misunderstood.
| "rhn gas question is greatly mis-
| understood" Colonel GroSscup SAID
Il believe not moro than one person
| in hundred understands the stu
alton in its various phases Knocking
fhn gas companies seems 10 d"
popular diversion.
: Il, knnw u-lDt tho rODUlfl0nS
arc in the northern section OF West
Virginia. but | am fairly well convrr.
| SAINT with he situation in III" south
rrn part OF the state. | Will CT" an
| example Of what | mean when ! say
the problem is mi IundcrStnOd
"rhc United Fuel Gas company. nl
! Charleston, has prIili0npd the pubic
! service commission for permission 10
| jncrcasc It's rates tO sight cents Il
! thousand cubic feet Ia industrial con
.umcrs and % cents 10 domestic con-
sumrrs This has accustomed YER
| liable storm nl protest from the con-
slImors.. | am sure they do not under
stand how necessary ii Is that ,hr
/ increase ahnuId BE- granted. II Is TOOL
! ihh to resist II mudrrai" advance. 10
! do 40 IL To help defeat IN" very ihlnK
for which there IH Il general cry--lh"
| conservation Of natural gag.
"lip until lnHi tall Tho United fn"I
| company had been charging g.. cents.
| but H. COmprOmi%" was reached nj
| seven cents. The consumers were
notified. however. that another In
crease would be necessary about
July !.
Production Costs Advance.
."rhc cost nf producing gas has ad-
yupccd greatly and in som" Instances
doubled In the past two years. Land
rental, have inCrrag"d 100 per cent
! in eighteen months. Wo are now pay
inr 200 and $50 in acre ON terri
tory which less than two years ago
rented for u dollar IN acre. Thr roS1
Of casing ha" taken tremendous AZ,
| vance. Two wears ago "" phid ~
I cents n foot for 4 IS casing which
! now costs 81 Gu n foot TnnknEn ana
! uprruting cXprnTrH hhrr nt loaHl
doubled IN The past eighteen mnhlhn
I'll must also b" taken INT" c"hrld-
| rrnIinu thai Ilir riuCG ur Ena hhh h.
| come exhausted hv forty per cent ana
| can only hr kept up through the
| development ui new Territory. All
| this In done III II hiE "NIrhn" ana M
tC"n,inuod ON rnHo r""r)