Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-10-16
ALLIANCE, O.,
TO BUILD
GAS PLANT
Bond Issue Of $525, 600 Passed
With Very Small Per-
centage Voting
IN THREE PARTs-pART III

city was written by small part Of
the voters on Saturday, September 6,
when they voted favorably on the
bond issue ordered by the City Coun-
Gil to raise S525 600 for the purpose
Of building gas-produeing plant that
will settle the anxieties OF the gas
consuming residents Of the town
However to show how apathetic the
people are as to the seriousness of
the situation, out of possible vote
Of about $500 there were only 1,243
men exercised their franchise priv
ilege and recorded their vote. The
count was 992 in favor OF the bond
issue and 251 against it.
1t is still a problem whether the
plant will be built, as there are so
many angles to the proposition that
it may be long time before the first
spade is dug into the ground. 1t
seems that bids were asked from
several gas plant builders as to the
probable cost Of the undertaking, and
the highest bid was $525, 900, al
though there was one Of $150,000.
Members Of the Chambe1 Of Com
merce committee prepare a set OF
questions that will be ash ed * every
applicant for the erection OF the build
ing, as to their experience in such
matters in the past and also for a
demonstration OF methods to be used
in the production OF gas. AS to the
bond election itself, George H. Shauf,
clerk @ the county election board at
Canton, estimated the cost of cleo
tion at $1,000. AS it required two
thirds vote to carry the issue, that
meant out of the 1,243 voters all it
needed was 1923, therefore it will be
seen that it carried very easily, the
one great drawback being the utter
lack OF interest on the part OF the
voters of the town to take part in the
settling OF the most serious problem
In civic way that they have ever
faced
What of the future for Alliance?
A Women's Gas Consumers League
has been formed to study the situa-
ton, and 1T is hoped that steps will
be taken to have them become ac-
quainted with the best gas-saving
appliances that can be had, in case
the plant is built or that the Alliance
Gas and Power Company succeeds In
getting full supply of gas from the
Natural Gas Compa of West Vfr-
ginia. The latest rd from Alliance
is that the gas and power company
there has Offered to sell out to the
city-franchise, equipment and all
and the matter is under advisement
by the City Council This viii mean
that il the new plant is built tne town
will be ready as far as pipeage is
concerned. but tho building of the
plant viii take considerable time and
money.
MI. N. u. d natural 6dS CA
pert OF nationwide experience, in
speaking OF the small appreciation
given to the fuel at late convention
of natural gas men, said "The nat
ural gas industry faces grave situa-
ton in which the public must share,
and in which the solution of the fu-
ture rests almost entirely with 1t, and
not with the companies. No amount
of drilling in the Appalachian gas
areas, upon which the Central States
depend for their service, will ever
bring the supply back to normal or
relatively near that stage. Those once
great gas fields hasI been dawn upon
| to such an extent that three present
day producing wells are necessary to
equal the output of one well of few
| years since; and the resulting ex-
I pense necessary to produce an equal
! volume Of gas, considering the great
/ ly increased costs of material and
I labor, is IL least five-fold Whether
I or not the various producing com
panies can continue these operations
depends entirely upon the public's
J willingness to Immediately provide
I adequate and substantially increased
rates that will 81 cain the companies
and their credit, d, in addition. are
/ high enough to stantially restrici
consumption.
Natural gas has been the leas
appreciated and consequently tn.
most abused Of the mineral resource.
in popular use. The pub has nevel
paid more than a small part of it:
value in usefulness, expediency ant
comfort. The selfishness in human
nature, coupled with its modernl,
acquired love of convenience. viii
continue to assert itself: i. l. tn,
dominant factor in bringing about de
pletion, and so long as the price 0
natural gas continues anywhere at
rate less than Is cents per thousan,
cubic feet. the records OF consumI
tion, as shown by the consumers gs
bills. conclusively indicate that tn
public will continue to use it. and Il
such quantities that, unless properl
checked early extinction OF tn
,ipply is a certainty.
THE public's true interest today. a