The frontiersman., 1963-03-14
ONE HUNDRED AND TEN REASONS

One hundred and ten employees of the coal com psnies working and living n the Matanuska Valley might fake exception 10 recent statements by Mr Baldwin of the Anchorage Natural Gas Corp. a recent dissertation appearing in newspapers of general circulation
 He contended that the chaneeover of military bases To natural gas from coalfred boilers would result an alor economic upset In his opinion. perhaps 10 persons which incidentally is about double the number of employees that his firm has the payroll at the present time would not miss waking up ing 10 find that their jobs were non-existent.
 The gas company should be complimented on the advantageous timing of aer release coneided with the start of the National Security Seminar being held in Anchorage Ii is questionable whether the high ranking officers of the military forces presently attending she Seminar will be duly impressed by the erroneous attenuation released by the natural gas company.
 Alleged savings by the federal government in the Ghangeover have and will continue 10 be efuted by the coal eompanes-fgUres be made to talk any lan- guage-depending on who IS doing the figuring.
 conendng that the total investment of coal oper- atofs is less than 100000 indeed snine In actual my the investment is in excess of $3. COG, ,0OO.
 Mr, Baldwin quoted as saying that ona-term bids were received by inc military from coal oil and natural gas firms; is legally impossible for any coal oil firm 10 receive contract from the military for a period longer than year That problem is benq rec- lied by Sen. Cruening with bill presently before Congress 10 give oil and coal companies inc same priv- eee as natural gas companies enioy-namey the right To bid on onsterm basis. Surely, he would not argue shat the solid fuel companies should have the same right ~ss his brand of fuel.
 Apparently the consumers presently usino the roducf of Anchorage Natural Gas would be subsidzino hhe military basesas the difference in cost to inc con somer and the military would have wide divergence of monetary value Why sell 10 the consumer at the rn'tary price or reasonably close 10 #?
 Cost 10 military and civilian consumers alike for coal does not vary 10 appteeiabe degree thoUqh The civilian product of coal not comparable with the Npe of coal sold 10 the military
 The city council of Anchorage and also inc present and future customers of Anchorage Natural Gas Co., should make mental and fake much interest in inc proposed Q per cent in natural oas rates IF THE MILITARY BASES ARE NOT CONVERTED TO NATURAL GAS
 Total volume of business accrUnq 10 inc natural gas company by conversion of the military will entail approximately Sl ,500000 year; whether or not the bases are converted within the few years should fsd"e no bearing whatsoever the ability 10 cut natural 9ss costs by 10 per cent.
 The total market potential for gas in inc Greater anchorage area itself is far greater than the military portion and within inc foreseeabe future the gas com pany should be doing larger volume Of business
 When the time arrives that it has added additional volume ot business comparable 10 what the present mi- tary market is. without conversion of the bases sho await the announcement by the gas company of the 10 per cent reduction.
 THE CONSUMERS CERTAINTY SHOULD RECEIVE IT!