Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-07-15

men that the local gas interests
cannot be obligated to serve gas
unless they see fit to do so. In 9TH
a position of withdrawing their SER
vice if the pipe lines are taken over
by the village. The gas company
would not in any way be interested
in selling gas at wholesale prices to
McConnelsville, due to numerous
large markets they have recently
added to their system Summarize
ing the above, it seems as though
McConnelsville might have gas
less" gas plant on their hands, un-
less arrangements can be made to Sc
cure source Of supply elsewhere.
Several rumors have been closely
followed which would purport that
negotiations are being conducted to
interest other producers in serving
gas to McConnelsville. However, IN
each case these reports have been
carefully checked, it has been found
that the Independent producers are
not interested in gambling in this
matter. The fact Of the matter is,
one executive of the local producing
company took it upon himself to
openly inform the council that his
company would not be a party to a
program whereby they would in any
way attempt to serve the needs of
the McConnelsyille customers. Evi-
IDENTIFY, considerable misunderstand-
ing exists relative to the source of
supply.
The voters should bear in mind
that McConnelsville has always been
a thriving community, and the prop
erty values would be considerably
lessened if natural gas service were
removed from the community. The
taxing problem has been discussed
on several different occasions by one
of the present municipal officehold-
ers. Certainly, there should be no
misunderstanding whatsoever when
is given to fact that
the $4,000, as referred to by this
individual as being on the tax dupli-
cate, does not include installation
labor, cost of replacing street pa7-
ing, and the like. A good qualified
group of engineers would be in
position to quickly clarity what the
total investment would be over and
above that which was taxable In
other words, it should be generally
known that the labor cost of install
ing complete piping system would
be three or four times the cost of
the actual physical equipment. Then
too, in the following of the law
which prescribes that utility must
base it's rate problem on reproduc-
ton cost new as of today less OBJ
served depreciation, the cost Of
breaking the paving and replacing
same after the installation Of the
pipe, would add many thousand dol
lars over and above what has been
previously referred to- The COM
mission had occasion to clarity this
problem when the mayor and other
attorneys from McConnelsville visit
ed the Columbus court on numer-
ouS different occasions.
Possibly, few may be misled by
erroneous statements which have to
do with the differential in the value
Of the company's property and that
which is listed for taxation purposes.
However, the majority of we'll
people will be quick to un-
derstand that it costs money in the
way of labor to install a complete
gas plant such as in McConnelsville.
The commission stands in readiness
to make rate surveys, if and when
the various communities insist that
such work be carried on. This work
can be carried through without cost
to the village. The advantage of
having such a qualified body make
an intelligent study can be appre
ciated when consideration is given to
the fact that they do not have po-
litical aspirations, and are not at
to use any vehicle such as
has been referred to as a medium
TO elevate themselves in office.
The gas company feels that if an
other source of supply is available
% meet the requirements of our GUS
.omers for many years hence, that
he contract should be made public
information and be published in the
paper SO that the many local gas
consumers are sure of their posi-
ion before they take a step in the
wrong direction.-The Ohio Fuel
Ias Company, z. w. Shuler, Local
Manager.
Naxxfor p;Tpa Homecoming