The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-21
STOP THE PUMPS
SUGGESTION In CoN
NECT1oN WITH GAS
EXHAUSTION,
uop. w n. Conaway Thinks pumping
Can Be Enjoiued.

E',iruont, W. Va. March 10. 1913.
Hon. H. G. Ogden.
Editor Wheeling IntclIig"nccr
Ny Dcar Mr.. Ogdcn-llavc recclvco
and read with unusual interest," youi
namphlct entitled "A Natural Gas IAN
and agree with many or your C"'lC'u
ci,ns II isa step in the right dlrecllo''
although neglected for many years oui
in., 20 Of which and while inc pFouu'
Won to tho sub jcct. hut at that titnc llii"5
critics entirely ESCAPED taxation IN west
Virginia, and ut time when thcS "c''
worth millions Of dollars.
7 still have articles | wrote ana hi,u
prin,cd several years ago. ana ahtcua'-
ing the Dawson tax laws. calling a''cH-
ton to the subject. but 1T that tim many
of our leading citizens. now apptrch'i'
lined UP in favor Of Just laxatlo'l Gil
his class If property. were. for some
reason, against The moHrnI'l.:.. ful we
nov find them behind the Si"ptoc Dill.
you arc correct in your definition of
m,rliiicd ownership in This kird OF rr"r-
nr,v as held b. the crur.& uf many
I s.atcs.
owner uf the oil and gas beneath il. got
Il they escape into tlr land q: another
vho reduces th";a I" n":'S":$'"n u"
,,o.scs IN be tho owner If ;h"nl. and lh"Y
,,cIonr 10 tho on who frs, gets control
Of Them
,rh, courts have compared naturol "9S
and oil ton animals tfcrHr naturh")' IN"
tho rabbit. bear and deer. Th"H nave u
wandering and fugitive existence. travel
inr through the porous sands, IN Wh'ch
the. arr found.
JuIi there is still another important
nhasr of this question. II great ln'"r-
rs, TO land owners. which is rS'nHh:'
attention. and. il properly aGita'"d'
should greatly aid in your proposition
If taxation and The movement Oh 100,
10 restrict the piping OF gas out OF IN"
state until our local needs ar" i':St
locked after.
AS you well know. IN" gas h'af'hS
lands in West Virginia have he" huf'"'r
lease for many years. and the t'rT'l"'S
is now pretty well defined.
Tho form of gas lrasc is for stated
number rf years. and "as long there
afr.r as oil ar gas. or either "t them
arr found in paving quantities. "r the
rental paid" making II a r"rr"i"iI
lcasr.
'rhc leases uniformly call for quar-
tcrIy pay1ncnt Of So per quarter ("nch
three tnonthS) ~ advance. or SOU" per
wear in gross for all the gas. when
definitely fixes the amount the landowner
Is ,p receive There is no way he can
| increase his incnm" from III" we'll. som"
leases call for a less sum. and very l'w
| in advance of ,hcSr amounts. Ia" pay
| ,n,nls arc arranged quarterly. :" they
NAV be- stopped before the end III IN"
| wear. if gas a not produced in paying
| quantities.
| If the flow Of the we'll is left I" nat =
! ural conditions. rs they existed wh"l
! thu. lease was rx'cuIcd. and rontroii"d
! hy the natural rock pressure, they Will
! pruduc" gas III paying quantities Tor |"
! wears. or longer. yi"ldinG $4,000 or more
! pr we'll To tn: landowner
| TIN" producing EHS. company DOES not
| sell The gas for gross sum per ""li'
! rs !: pays for il. hut 81 much per th"u-
! sand cubic feet. and the quicker IL can
draw ,hr gas from the land. pipe ii 10
distance and measures Il. III" less rNp'hs'
| il * to the company. and the greater us
! profit.
! AS n rr.:ul: the lnrE" gas companies
hay" CONSTRUCTED gigantic pump stations
and installed tho mighty fore" ana sue
| tinr pumps; TO. quicken the draw III th'
| gas from the earth and force and hasten
il OIL To the market. which shurt"nS the
! life Of the we'll and lessons the. amount
| to be paid the landowner but increases
| the net income OF the gas company.
| For instance: IF natural conditions
were permitted to prevail. the landowner
| would receive $4,000 per we'll for his
gas in lump sums. Whereas. by install
| ING and attaching artificial means anC