Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-08-28
income TAX LAW
ALESSON TO GAS
CONSUMERS
Dr.. White Draws Lessons From
the Federal Laws of Interest
10 Gas Producers and Con-
SumerS
DOMESTIC CONSERVATION

pittsburgh. August Is. -, CuhSlueF~
able discussion has resulted among
natural gas men OF the Pittsburgh dis
trict-the greatest gas center Of the
world-regarding The many splendid
points Of the notable address of Or. !.
c. White. state geologist OF West NiG-
ginia. at the recent convention of the
Natural Gas Association Of West VIZ
sginia. held at Wheeling last month
Particular attention has been drawn
to what he said regarding the conser-
yation of natural gas for domestic pur-
poses.
How can our natural gas supply be
conserved for domestic purposes? The
enormous waste of natural gas that
has taken place in every state Of the
Union would not have occurred, and
would not still be permitted to go on,
could the masses OF the people have
realized the great inherent value OF
this gas When you tell them that its
actual value for light tWelshach),
heat and power is practically double
that of the richest gas manufactured
in the retort oven, and five to seven
! times the value OF producer gas. 1t
does not seem to occur to the consum-
er that this inherent superiority
should be reflected at all in the price
of natural gas. The producer OF nat
ural gas has probably himself mostly
to blame for this present frame OF
mind of the consumer. The producer
and marketer of natural gas has never
until quite recently had any proper
accounting system whereby he could
know what his gas was really costing
zone Of the splendid by-products of
the Federal income tax Is that 1t has
taught the careless business man, as
well as careless corporations, that
they cannot continue in business in
the old happy-go lucky manner Of a
decade ago. when very few business
men or organizations possessed any
really adequate accounting systems
and hence were often like practically
all coal and gas producing agencies at
that time, actually losing money
every month Of the year and did not
knowSit This stage in the evolution
of industry has happily passed, we
| hope never to return, so that under
! the spur OF necessity even the coal
and natural gas companies which
| prior to the world war had nearly all
been selling their products below ac-
tual cost, based upon any proper ac-
counting system, are now beginning
| to realize that they must secure more
adequate prices from the consuming
public, or they cannot command the
| funds necessary to continue efficient
service, or finally any service at all.
1.-THE city of Wheeling long time
ago when labor received a reward OF
| $100 to $125 day for day OF 10 to
| IL hours, and the coal baron Of that
ancient period received go to rs cents
! per ton for the best grade OF gas coal
could manufacture and deliver gas to
her citizens at rs cents per 200 cubic
/ feet and not go Immediately broke
! That she could not do so now with a
$500 wage OF to hours and $2.76
to $500 per ton for coal at the mines
admits Of no discussion.
with the known cost OF manufac
| tured gas, and the failing supply Of
! natural gas. what should the domestic
1 consumer do who does not desire tC
return to the use OF coal or wood in
| his household? That the natural gas
companies cannot much longer fur
nish an adequate supply for domestic
/ COUSuDlDilOu WltlltQL Bitdtif tul Toll
/ ing the industrial use of natural gas is
/ evident to all who have exact knowl
/ edge on the subject The main prob
! lem appears to be how best to bring
about the readjustment which will
conserve an adequate supply OF nat
ural gas principally to the domestic
! consumers for many years to come
/ To those who have studied the ques
ton most profoundly there would ap
! pear to be but one answer, viz, 4
large and immediate increase in the
| price at which natural gas is now
sold 1t has never secured an AIDE
i quate price Double the heating value
of the best manufactured gas, cleaner
and freer from impurities, it has al
! ways been sold at omiy 2 fraction Of
| the actual cost Of the manufactured
| article. This cheapness has led t.
waste at every step of its production
marketing and burning waste at tht
well mouth, waste along the pipe
lines, waste at the burner, waste in
using a precious, pure and refined fue
where coal would answer every de
mand for power. Let us suppose tina
the Public Service Commissions d
/ West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohit
/ and Kentucky would in the near flu
ture, authorize the companies supply
ing natural gas gradually to raise tint
price >ef this commodity to say 81
cents and finally 81 90 per 1000 cubic
feet for this priceless fuel and see
what would almost certainly happen
| The first result would be gradua
return to coal for most industrial pur
poses; the second would be the in
stalsation of more efficient burner.
and more intelligent use Of the same
thereby securing all necessary heat
for domestic purposes with less thar
one-fourth Of the quantity now burned
/ x,zhinh On ic r,l1t.a ts.