The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-11-30
Bottle Company Man
Testifies Regarding
Lynn Gas
GUESSESAST00UTCONE
B e elie We d the Service
Charge Will be Dis
allowed

with the brief examination Of
three witnesses at the afternoon
session yesterday the taking o.
evidence in the gas fight case on
Ithe petition OF the Monongaheln
Valley Traction company to the
Public Service commission to in-
crease It's rates for gas in this city
was concluded, and the next STEP
| is to make up the records. AIler
the copy is in the hands Of the ap'
pellant's lawyers, they have 70 days
to make up hitter brief. and atteT
the appellants brief Is submitted 70
the nroteStants' attorneys they Will
have 10 days to submit their briet,
and then the appellants have hVe
days to answer. Counsel for bol9
sides in the fight, as was intimatea
yesterday. may submit the case
without filing briefs. and save some
time in getting the decision.
The three Witnesses examined
yesterday afternoon were ]. I.
Sloan, OF the Ovens Bottle COM
pSny, who told OF quality Of the gas
supplied to the firm before and az
ter the Lynn EastrSaE pl1nlpe "a -intn
the mains; and showed that IL TOOK
more gas to get the same results
with the mixed natural and pFoduc-
er gas than with the natural gas
alone.
T. L. Burchinal gave some infor~
nation as to how the new gas rates
would hit the consumers, showing
how much more It would cost seY-
eral local people per year for gas
under the new rate than the old,
which in most cases was over twice
as much. He also told how many
people would have to go to great
.Cxpenselto remodel the chimneys IN
their homes to burn coal in their
furnaces instead Of gas.
ALI Richmond gave personal tes-
timony as to how the gas raise
would hit him.
Attorney Osman Swatz tried to
trick Richmond with a question,
but got fooled: IF you were con-
Yinced that this raise was absolute
IL needed to insure the company a
reasonable return on its invest
ment. would you be willing TO pay
the increase?" said Mr.. Swartz.
IF l was completely CONVlNC-
ED that the raise was needed, 1
would pay the new rate IF !
COULD" Richmond replied.
A great list Of names Of protest
ants were filed In the records yes.
terday. The coal and gas bills for
the Lynn plant we're not ready yes
terday afternoon, but will be for
warded to Charleston and entered
In the records, this decision being
reached by agreement to allow the
commissio nto get away yesterday
Afternoon. Any questions concern
ing the bills which It may be deslr-
EDIT to ask Mr.. Pryor will be made
"a part of the record also.
Just what the outcome Of the
case will be was a mater of specu-
latIon with many yesterday. 1t was
the opinion Of the majority OF the
spectators that two things seemed
sure. namely, that the service
charge sought would be wiped out.
and that, II the company got a
higher rate for gas, they would
have to furnish pure natural gas
and not the smelling mixture,
which Mr.. Pryor says is just as
good as the natural gas.
Frank Raymond shot large holes
In the service charge program and
also in the mixed gas efficiency the
ory, and the company witnesses
having no facts to sustain any ar
gument on these two points, as we'll
as many Others simply spent the
time on the stand in evading ques-
ton after question.