The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-02-01
GAS RATE JUMP
(continued from Page ons.)

CONTINUED from Page ons)
ates. and not representing the gas
Pmpany. Mr.. Handlan replied that Mr..
Dyer came at the invitation OF the gas
bmpaRy TO give figures Of the gov
Mr., 9Brten then asked when the
atural Gas Company ot West Virginia
as organized. President Ratcheior
hswercd that il WAS organized IN teo-
harry. 1885.
The next question wG,S as to the cap
Nal stock AZ the organization. and MT
OBriru was told that 1t was one mil
lion dollars.
Refused to Answer.
Nj. O'Br.Cn next asked what amount
OF the capital stock was actually PAID
IN. Mr.. IIdndlan and President Batchc-
Tor objected 10 replying u this question
saying that II had no bearing on the
proposed increased gas rates. Mr.. y
Brien replied that this information IS
of interest in arriving at a knowledge
OF the original state OF the company
business as = basis upon which 10 worN'
Chairman Hah!G ruled that IN" gas
company officials might answer the
question. hut Mr. uandlan and Nj
Bachelor both declined 70 give the IN
formation.
expressed N" view thar III" conference
was 4 public meeting and that citizens
present have the right TO know the en-
p act situation as K bears upon the cues
ton at issue. he moved that Mr.. -
Bricn be instructed to proceed with ms
CUES iOnIng. There was chorus or sec
pndS. and upon the question being stat
ed. there was an uproar % ayes. Mr.
Handlan then sud thIt all questions
would be answered. but II that was the
attitude OF the meeting. the conference
might ~ well De termin1trd aS nothing
would 6e accomplished.
For . Fair Deal.
We expect TO give the gas COM
pany 4 tar hearing" Mr.. O'Brien ans
wcred Il feel satisfied We are all will
ing 10 see the gas company get what IS
coming 10 H. but We want to Know X
the application for u new gas rate would
be justified. l only wanted 10 dc;er-
mine this. II there Is pCofi,cering We
want TO know where the profits are
going"
Mr. O'Brien's next three questions
were: What IS the capital stock Of the
company What amount OF the CAPT
tai stock is paid ir@'' What dividends
have been paid" lie declared that the
public is entitled 10 answers 70 these
questions.
chclor said they could not give Theses
figures At lh.S time.
Mr. O'Brirn then said. If there j. any
disposition on the part of this COM
Pany 70 hide It's books. the meeting
might a. well be off. for We are entitled
70 know.
II th,S meeting breaks ur tonight"
Mr.. lIund.Un replied this will d" I'll"
Last vhan," to near the company's side
u tins proposition"
Chairman Nabig tneu asked Mr. Hand
Ian: "w.u YOU answer these qurs-
t!onS?"
Mr.. HaUd!an then replied: We Will
answer them IN due course
An Uproar OF Ayes.
r. II. Mckee then moved that It he
tie sense uI the meeting 10 10 on record
demanding that. If the gas company does
apply FOR Increased rates. the Public
Service commission sit in wheeling 10
hear the application. and that the public
might have :, chance 10 attend the hear
Ing. Tn. molten WAS seconded and car
rted with An Uproar OF ayes.
NJ O'Brlcn then declared that Z was
MS understanding that the conference
was called at the instance Of the gus
company TO s!vc and hear explanations,
and answer questions.
Some one in the audience inquired
why gas is taken from West Virginia %
other states aad Wheeling : served with
gas brought from Pennsylvania and
ohio. g. which Mr.. Handlan replied with
an inquiry.
III the S,sptoe bill = upheld and gas
- not brought ~ from Pennsylvania and
ONO. wErre would ~" be
w would use West Virginia gas and
get g,,s for jaN,'sH cents ter thousand
,eet instead o: c.l-tE-twO ,eCts.
Audience Impatient.
Albert NJ. SneGekcr TOOK the floor and
said that "A molten had been PASSED ANA
the chairman ruled That the sas COM
pAny representatives. should answer Mr..
D-Br,rn's questions. and ADDED: 4 have
hearcrexpertS before, and 10y the time We
would D" ready - sra.e. they would be
about h.if way through.
Then came calls from over the audi
ence Questions" questions"
Prof Wyer then arose and said that
ne could explain the entire situation in
TWO minutes.
Predicts Exhaustion
Let aim 20 for TWO minutes" came
from the audience Gle then said In
few words that the gas supply in thI
country il rapidly being exhausted and
that uIfTesS industrial consumers are cut
of. the supply IN West Virginia VII. be
other hand. II tney are CUt OF the sup
ply will last probably twenty-five years.
r. II. Mckee inquired OF FroC Wycr
IL the Natural Gas company does not
buy gas in West Virginia IN addition 10
the supply from It's own wells. lrot.
Wyer answered in the affirmative 10
this question and 4 few others from
Mr. Mckee. Prof. Wyer then said that
he could complete hi, statement in ten
minutes. Mr.. Hand,an objected 10 this
limitation saying that Mr.. Wysr should
be given full hearing. Mr.. Wycr in
sisted. however. that he could finish in
ten minutes.
Prof. Wyer then proceeded with the
reading Of an eight-page statement on
the Wheeling Natural Gas Situation"
Froi Wyer hrgau with a statement
showing the difference between natural
gas and such natural poductS as food
mateials and water. saying that there
Is no regeneration in natural gas. ami
gone forever
utility service on an entirely G.ncr"n;
basis than any other public utility ser
vice, in that the hazard and uncertainty
is much greater
Referring to depletion OF the gas sup
ply. he said: The natural gas re-
sources Of the Natural Gas Company OF
West Virginia have suffered a very
marked decline Il Is not generally APP
prCciatod that all of the gas served by
The Natural Gas Company Of West NIr-
Einia is produced in Pennsylvania ana
Ohio ard transmitted in interstate COM