The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-09-03

last at the present rate of production
for something like 300 years. And
by that time you and probably will
not be worried by low temperatures.
There are forty-eight mines in the
county, some of which are on the edge
of the city and at least one of which
is in the city limits. 1t has been said
that it is almost possible to walk I'M
derground from Clarksburg to Fair
mont through coal mines.
The coal is mined almost at the very
doors of the factories, and natural gas
is piped to every home, Office building,
manufacturing plant and place of bus
mess. recall that on my first visit
to Clarksburg, more than ten years
ago, was much impressed by the
ever-present evidences of coal. Some
of it could be seen sticking out of the
hillsides and there was one place
where coal was being dug from the
surface. There were so many wagon
mines-that is, small mines, from
which coal is sold at retail-that there
were no retail dealers in the city.
1 also recall a trolley trip from
Clarksburg to Fairmont, through the
heart of the mining district. Men with
lamps on their caps boarded the car
from time to time and at various
points l could see coal being trans
ported over the tracks by means of
overhead cables.
There is much natural gas in the
vicinity of Clarksburg, but those who
control the supply are not permitting
is to be wasted. Indeed, they are en-
couraging industrial consumers to use
coal where coal can conveniently be
used and thus leave the natural gas
for the heating Of homes. One thing
that surprises the visitor from the
East is that the family gas bill in
Clarksburg, where natural gas is
used, is just about the same as in
Washington, where artificial gas is
used.
The presence of natural gas in West
Virginia was known long before a
wav was found to make efficient use
of it. One can only guess how many
years the Indians knew Of it before
the white man came and first used 1t
in the process of making salt.
A long time ago West Virginia took
first place among the states in the
production of natural gas; it main
tanned that commanding position until
recent extensive developments in the
West.
The force of gas pouring out OF
new well is tremendous. A well
drilled on the Slussar farm in Dod-
bridge county in 1891 poured forth
gas in such volume that it was yeal
before the flow could be controlled.
The roar of the we'll could be heard
for several miles and people living IN
the vicinity could not converse with
each other on account of the noise.
In the early part of 1892 there was
completed at Weston the first pipe
line in the Clarksburg district for the
carrying of natural gas.
Much money was spent in the con-
struction of a pipe line to bring the
gas from the Slussar well to the city
of Clarksburg, a distance OF fifteen
miles. Years after it was completed
it was discovered that practically
every farm which this pipe line trav-
ersed was underlaid with great guam
titles of natural gas and that there
was natural gas under the city.
In the search for oil that has taken
place from time to time turnout the
State, it has often happened that a
we'll produced no oil, but large guam
titles of gas. The production of nat
ural gas was at one time so great that
it gave the producers much concern
as to what to do with it all. Indeed,
it was considered unfortunate to dis
cover gas in drilling for oil. If the
well produced no oil and no gas it
could be abandoned. But if it pro-
duced no oil and much gas, the owner
of it had to care for the gas in some
way that it did not become a men
ace to others. Gas wells discovered in
the search for oil were often plugged
and abandoned; those with a volume
so great that they could not be plug
ged, were permitted to blow open
until exhausted. No effort was made
to conserve the gas; it was worthless
and nobody thought that it would be-
come valuable or that the fields of
gas would become exhausted. 1t was
expected that West Virginia would
produce natural gas forever, and it
was considered a waste of time to
turn off an outside light in the day
time.
About 1895 what has always been
considered the largest gas well in the
state was drilled on Indian Creek, in
Tyler county, and was known as the