The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-07-22
ACCEPTS NON|NAT ton IN STRONG SPEECH
Fight Against the Gas Raise.
(AN EDlToRAL)

THE public 50 used to price increases that the announcement
that the Mononsahda Valley Traction company means to make
,rr,ion for an increase the rates charged for gas has attracted
comparayely little general attention has been productive Of
s,te q mind akin 10 CONSERVATION in the executive Offices OF the
oca industries that depend upon gas for fuel but The ordinary
not yet paid much attention 10 it. not realizing as yet
what means to him. And YET means great deal to the house
holder more in fact than any other rate increase that has ever been
made-and there absolutely way which he escape pay
na one form OF another grantedb the Public Service Com
mission Because that fact the domestic consumer ought be dong
lot Of thinking about the matter now may save him some OF the
paying aer
No other advance in gas rates ever contemplated IN this state can
compare with the one which proposed TOR Famont 1t the Public
Service commission permits the company x its charges at the rates
suggested IN The petition there will be fifty per cent increase the
rsts and material reduction the amount Of heat units that
delivered pes thousand cubic feet Of gas consumed The reduction
IN The quality Of the gas was effected some time ago when the
company without asking any ones leave introduced quantity Of gas
produced at the Lynn part on the South side into the MAINS The
Pbc Service Commission is now being asked sanction this pro
ceede only on larger scale and at the time permit an IN
crease in the rate If the commission agrees TO both Of these PROPOSE
tons will cost each householder depending upon gas about twice
as much as cost hun last winter What that will amount each one
can determine by multiplying last years bill by two.
In justification for an advance Of that character The company
points to the fact that Tie gas disappearing; hard to get and when
bought from the big producing companies expensive All OF
which admitted but the aspect Of the matter which ought to arouse
he greatest amount Of protest is that the proposed rates look
more Ike an effort to charge all the traffic will bcar" ey used
10 pt il in the worst days Of The railroads than they do like rates
established upon the factors named The rate proposed here is almost
as eh as the rate asked to be charged Pittsburgh They have
been ten or more years arriving at the rate they charge down there
vet the Faimont company has jumped from eight cent industrial
rate u and half cent rate little over three years and now
wants to 20 to 40 cents and at the time furnish s OF much
lower heating quality Moyeover while the accepted e for dis
tbuing gas purchased from the big producing companies Ve
cents per thousand feet at the proposed ae the toll charged tor
such service would be about IS cents Ioay that these things create
an atmosphere Of suspicion is to put it mildly.
As far as the householder concerned there no escape from
some increase The gas and does cost more even when
The company produces it in its own wells And man turns to
some other form Of heat he confronted with high coal prices and
the fact that nost houses this city would be impossible 70 burn
coal without making ateradonsn e houses costly business at
,me when The If mechanics is on OF above the dollar an hour line
and materials are also high Electricity might prove suitable alter
native for cooking but practically out Of the question for heat
mo and besides the mere cost Of the apparatus would be beyond the
average family
Thus there created situation in which the consumers of gas
which means practically every family Fsmont and all Of the
dusres are>Mtaly interested The question how protect
themselves and was to determine just such matters that the Public
Service commissions which now exist practically every Stale IN the
union were created But the commission will do nothing unless the
consumers invoke the commissions aid To be really effective they
should organize such protest will compel The commission to put
its egneeng and accounting experts he to determine what
fair price for gas in Fanmont really is
If the consumers themselves do not have the initiative 10 do this
the Chamber Of Commerce and The Business Mems association should
act for cm for this rate increase goes through The basis Of
the application going do the city Of amont ot Of damage
Even the people who cannot be persuaded act for themselves now
are certain to be extremely angry when he bills begin IN
under he new rate 1t will be too late Do anything @ but they
will keep on bowling way which will keep people from coming
here to live Indeed some Of those who already here will go
away.
In this latter aspect the action Of the company unique Former
increases both for the gas department the traction lines and the
meal electric service have been based upon the need of ad
oua revenues TO be able to supply the kind Of service that was e-
sena the growth Of the community In one Of ne former nereas
in the gas rate there was written promise that all the money thus
realized would be applied to the development Of the coany own
supply Of natural gas That promise BY the way not kept
There not the slightest suggestion the present application Of any
thing like that Ii purely commercial matter and would be
great wrong permit the company to get cent more than IS
elimatey entitled to, based on the capital actually invested the
business What that can only be determined after an exhaus-
tive examination Of the eompanys AFFAIRS And such examination
will not be made unless the citizens Of Famont organizations act
ing for them insist upon it
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