The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-04-25

ing stations, the meter repair shops,
the distribution department, both gas
and electric, the engineers offices.
both gas and electric; the new bust
ness department, the bookkeeping de-
partment and they are also often times
employed in the construction work.
These men come to this work with
trained minds so they are competent
70 readily learn the lessons of each
of the various departments of the
business and as they are ambitious
men they apply themselves with vigor
to their tasks. A lecture course is
given during their two years stay at
Denver, which supplements their work
in the various departments of the bust
ness. 1t will be seen that this meth
cd produces men who have a definite
working knowledge of the public util-
ity business from every point of view,
From this school a man can be draft
ed to meet an emergency, and the
=, training of the men is such that they
may be used in any branch of the
service, whether engineering, account
ing or commercial.
It. is interesting to note that of the
total number Of men that have been
recruited into this school, seventy five
per cent are still in the employ of the
Doherty companies, and the remainder
includes not only those who have left
of their own accord, but those who
have died or have been found unsatis-
factory to the company. 1t is of
further interest to note that of all the
cadet engineers who are now in the
service of the Doherty companies, al
most one-half of the number were in
attendance at this meeting, which is
an indication Of the important place
which they attain in the organization
The meeting occupied five full days
A program for the discussions had
been prepared by the central office
which submitted a great array of sta
tistics and comparisons, all of which
were offered for consideration in 6
spirit Of helpfulness and cooperation
and not with any view of fault.findins
or criticism.
The financial plan of Cities Service
Company, which is the holding com
pany owning the majority of the com
panies represented at the meeting. wa,
explained. The important advantage
or holding companies were explained
and attention was called to the neces
sity for prompt financial reports from
the various subsidiary companies ir
order that the holding company's earn
ings statements may be made I'D or
schedule time.
A study was made of the relation
snip OF the public utility company tc
the public, state, and city commissions
ana emphasis was laid upon the i'm
portance of good service and public
courtesy in the conduct of gas and cleo
trlc companies. The relation of the
auditing department of the New York
Office to the various companies was
described and explained for the bene
mt OF the managers of the newer prop
critics, and it was pointed out that the
best interests of all properties demand
ed the highest type of accounting eff
hclency in order that the position and
progress Of the properties might at all
times be accurately shown in their
earning statements.
The subject Of natural gas was dis.
cussed very fully. This subject was of
particular interest at this time owing
to the fact that great deal of work
Is being done among the. natural gas
properties of the Doherty Syndicate
In the matter of pipe line extensions
and exploration.
A session was devoted to the discus
sion OF the problem of the commercial
or new business department. Methods
were described and analysed for in
creasing the sale of fuel gas and cleo
trio power particularly. One company
brought out the fact that it had made
one Wholesale contract which had in
creased its electric output to three
times what 1t was before. Another
company reported the aquisition of a
gas customer who had increased their
business In a very large amount. 1t
vas pointed out that very large fields
we're opening for the wholesaling of
'as and electricity for fuel and power
hose present agreed that they were ON
he threshold of an astonishing de.
'elopment in this direction.
The relation of the central office
ngineers to the operating properties
vas deliberately explained and here
90. 1t was pointed out that the CEN
raj nf6n0 g.