Gas vs. oil heating

To the real estate editor: On Jan. 18 you printed a question from Joan B. Mangum of New York which asked for a rational way to decide between heating with gas and heating with oil over the next 10 to 15 years.

I can't predict future prices, but if New York's current prices are similar to those in the Chicago area (42 cents per therm of gas and 95 cents per gallon of No. 2 heating oil), then $1 of gas produces about 1 1/2 times more heat than Steven R. Wennerstrom Elgin, Ill.