The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-07-21
ONLY ONE IHlRD
GAS TERRITORY.
BENG WORKED.
susa.laSsd .toa ssss !. sas,

y four times rs pseaent cost, since
It has become almost a domestic
necessltya and, al u necessity Us
zeal yalte IS far more than ita sell
Ing ptlce today; the public Ii told
many thing bending ito make the
iae 81 natural gaa more popular
and 70 make tho companies them.
.elses appear - favorable light.
Tor such sort 81 publicity the peo-
pie ot West ylFslnia and othor
states 10 wen. haYe been given
iome INSIGHT into INC workings and
aspects Of tho gag industry. But
here Is niuc veto be learned,
They Don't soast About lt
The sss conlpatiies operating in
West virginln do not take the pains
and trouble TO boast publicly about
heir holdings. They do not like
tho bple TO know Just what they
are ping and how they conduct
~ afIairs. No! It is perfectly
and propsritpr the dear peo-
No know what the. gas com
hes want them! to know, hut any
lng else would not interest them
hatsceyer. The valuation, that Is
ylhe fair value of(the total gas In.
austry In West Virginia Is In round
figures approximately 100000, OOU
not counting the appraised value
81 the ieaseholds; which would add
about seo0oe,000 more There were
On December 81, 1918, 1918 pro
ductiye gas Wells In West Virginia
and 7,eie miles Of pipe line. In
West vifgtnias lis towns and cities
With a combtnedBpppnlation Of s59,.
llS lls2Q census)s are supplied
With natural gas, and the total
amount Of gas produced in 1919
In West Virginia was 164,341 900
cubic feet. IN 1918 there were CT
natural gas utilities operating in
West virginia Including seven big
companies which in this year pro.
duced ss.5 pef cent OF the total
production The natural gas COM
panies in 1918 owned or had under
lease s.sts, sss acres in West Wiz.
sinia an area alightly more than
,ne-fouTth % the total acreage Of
he whole stae.
Now that some conception Is had
II the size and Importance OF the
gas industry IN West Virginia let
is look more carefully into few
u these large items and see what
hey mean to the consumers in
West Virginia But let ii ,be borne
N mind that the seven large CON-
panies referred to above; control
about so per cent of the total gas
industry IN West Virginia.
Fhey Control Prediction
The large acreage held by the gas
companies IN West Virginia is wor-
.hy of no little comment OF the
easeholds fotaltng S,31s,S96 acres
less than one third IS developed
territory tie rest. IS being held for
future use. of course the various
companies nay rentals for these
leaseholds at approximately one
dollar per year per acre ii order
10 hold them, and by thus holding
hem they ave able to keep out com
petition and to- govern the supply OF
gas at will Gas wells do not flow
forever and gas territory gradually
runs out but only one-third OF such
territory now under lease in west
Virginia has vet been developed and
the rest g still virgin gas lands.
That q great portion of this terri
Dry contains gas can hardly be cues
ioned, since the gas companies hold
onto Y 50 tenaciously and pay such
large sum Of money each year TO
keep Y By keeping this great &C.
reage OF gas territory in their con-
trol the gas companies can and do
regulate the production Of gas and
are able by curtailing their devel-
opment 10 cause a decrease in the
supply ofgas ana to create the opin
ion that the total supply is fast
Eliminating and consequently are
able to get an increase Of rates
One Of the most paradoxlcal cir
cumstnaces IN the matter Of lease
holds is that the consumers pay in
directly thesrental Of his whole, ac-
rease. Tie gas companies are
permitted 70 carry this item as a
necessary expense Of operation and
me consumers are: forced to pay