Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-01

. Estimated.


ESTIMATED.
These figures in themselves are SUFFICIENT
10 show how the local gas business has
Kept pace with the growth of Omaha. More
than twice as much gas for illuminatinS
cooking and heating purposes Is now con-
sumed every day in Omaha than was used
less than ten years ago. During the last
Two years the company has been unable TO
get suihclent laborers TO lay promptly all
the mains demanded by the expansion OF
the city. Considerable work of this charac-
ter which should have been done last fall
had to be carried over to spring. With the
remarkable amount Of home building and
the rapidly settling up of the suburban dis
tricts the gas company has been forced to
put in more than eight miles Of new mains
during the last two years.
During the same period nearly Ron stoyes
and appliances, such as heaters, etc. were
sold by the company, which has by no
means a monopoly on this business Ap-
proNimately 100 old houses were piped-
that is. dwellings that were erected for some
time but never had gas connections Vice
President Clabaugh thinks this latter fact
Is an excellent indication OF the prevailing
prosperity. It is common enough for new
houses to be arranged for gas but with
old houses the incident is noteworthy.
In 1901 100 new meters were installed
and In 1905 l $50, making a total Of 2,7so new
patrons acquired during the period. The
city installed 1853 new street lamps eouipped
with modern Welsbach burners.
with the additional demands made upon
1t the gas company has had to make plans
for improving its distributing system so as
to maintain larger reserve of gas in stor-
age and to supply better pressure, particu-
larly in the north and northwest parts Of
the city. These plans include the building
OF large storage tank at a cost OF $40 oO0
TO $4,000. 1t will enable a much superior
service
IN 1870 the gas company made a voluntary
reduction in the price of Illuminating and
tuei gas, there being no distinction Letween
the two kinds. The cut took effect October
from aS5 to ;125 a thousand feet. This
VIII be followed in October this year with
further cut to S1.15.
Inc onlcers Of the Omaha Gas company
are; President, Frank T. Hamilton; vice
president and secretary G. w. Clabaugh;
treasurer and engineer, Isaac Battin; SUI
perintendent, George H. waring
Nebraska Telephone Compnnx.
STATISTICS show that Omaha has had in
recent years one of the largest telephone
developments OF any city of like size in the
United states. The officers OF the Nebraska
Telephone company estimate that in Ave
years there VIII be more than 10000 teIe-
phones in service in Omaha. On January
J. 1904, the company had a switchboard
capacity for about $500 phones and there
were a few less than 5000 subscribers
December 81, 1896, found the subscribers
nd he
pacity increased to 1900
Last January it became plain 10 the
officers that the main office with the largest
switchboard made would not be equal 10
the demand The city was subdiyided and
fine new exchange building erected Mt
Thirty-third and Harvey streets. A switch
board OF the same type as that In the main
office with capacity OF 6,000 subscribers
has been installed
The outside plant has been expanded TO
keep pace with the switchboard capacity.
aerial and underground cable to the length
or l'OOOVO feet having been strung some of
1t being for replacement and bettelments
In part of these cables are as many as 500
wires and In none less than thirty. Practic-
ally all the open wires have been roplaced
by the cables
In connection with the cable work mora
than 100 miles OF new poles have boon set
out, most OF which were for requirements.
In addition TO the new branch exchange
ground has Just been bought at Eighth ana
Douglas streets for a brick warehouse. e6x
1872 feet in dimensions and either three or
five stories high, 10 be used by the purchas
Ing and supply departments and the SUPER
intendent of construction.
During the past year the service has been
extended TO Florence and Benson.
In 1904 the average number of employees
In the company's service here was Sl5,
drawing S199, 50 annually in wages. In
1896 the average number of employees
jumped to 6l5, with an annual pay rollof
{371,l20. These facts in themselves illustrate
the tremendous advance In the amount OF
business done and the Improvements made.
The freight tonnage of the Nebraska Tel
ephone company for 1905 was exceeded only
by one wholesale house.
The management OF the Nebraska Tele-
phone company is vested in: President, c.
+. Yost; vice president. c. w. Lyman; sec
rotary and treasurer, L. NJ Morsman: gem
eral manager, II. Vance Lane; auditor, W.
A. Pixley; assistant treasurer, Lawrence
Brinker; attorney, w W. Morsman; SUI
pcrintendent w. b. r. Belt: manager
Omaha exchange, II. p. Ryner; manager
South Omaha exchange, ]. r. Carter
Omaha Electric Light and Power Co.
The Omaha Electric Light and Power
company operates in Omaha, Council Bluffs
and South Omaha and is the only concern
Of its kind in the three cities During the
past two years the company has spent
about $4,000 in physical improvements
A new central power station building and
complete equipment cost $1,000. the plant
being pronounced by experts one OF the
most perfect and modern in the country.