38 ANNUAL REPORT 
for this sale, as near as we can find out, was, “too much politics,’ for the major 
portion of the citizens were adverse to the sale and an action was brought to 
enjoin the consummation of it. The question of the Council’s right to sell the 
plant was carried to the Supreme Court of Ohio, where it was decided in favor 
of the Council. 
The receipts from the sale of this plant were used for the purchase of city 
of Findlay bonds and the redemption of the existing gas debt. We have now in 
the gas sinking fund seventy-five thousand dollars in the city of Findlay bonds, 
drawing interest at from 4 to 6 per cent. The company purchasing this plant 
immediately advanced the price of gas from twenty to twenty-five cents per 
thousand feet, and seemingly are not giving any better service than did the city 
under the trustees’ management. 
‘Altogether, the gas plant at Findlay was a very successful venture and a 
most fortunate investment for the citizens, as it not only maintained and paid for 
itself, but also helped out on other investments and improvements and left a 
tidy sum in the treasury besides. 
Hoping that this information will be of benefit to you, I am, 
Yours very truly, 
WILLIAM L. DAVID. 
Professor John A. Bownocker. 
Columbus, Ohio. 
The early history of natural gas at Findlay was in all essential re- 
spects repeated at Bowling Green and North Baltimore. 
Bowling Green lies 24 miles due north of Findlay, and after gas in 
large volume had been discovered in the latter place it was most natural 
that the citizens of Bowling Green should test the underlying rocks. In 
January, 1885, the Bowling Green Natural Gas Company was organized, 
and on February 4 following work on the first well was begun.t The 
summit of the Trenton yielded very little gas, and accordingly the drill 
was kept at work until the rock had been penetrated to a depth of 200 
feet. This, however, did not improve matters; then the well was tor- 
pedoed with 300 pounds of rack-rock, and a fine flow of gas was secured. 
Arrangements were at once begun to pipe the town in order that the new 
fuel might be put into use. Before the year closed the company had 
drilled all told six wells; but three only of these could be rated as pro- 
ducers, the last one completed yielding more gas than all others combined. 
Other wells were drilled with fair success, but the results all told did not 
meet the ambitious ideas of many citizens of the town, and accordingly 
the legislature was asked and granted the municipality the power to issue 
bonds to the amount of $25,000 to construct a municipal plant to furnish 
free gas to manufacturers. Drilling was at once begun and soon there was 
a supply adequate for all demands. ‘The earlier wells were drilled in the 
main in Portage township, but later the municipality leased 500 acres in 
Bloom township, the richest of the Wood county territory. With a large 
amount of free gas offered the town began to reap the desired reward, for 
with such an inducement factories were easily secured. The establishments 
 1@eol. Sur. of Ohio, Vol. VI, p. 156-162. 
