The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-16
THE IMPOSSIBLE
is ACCOMPL
President Of American Gas Association
Tells How Ii Is Done Throughout
the Country.

Of a match, day or night, $50 days
years no small job. 1t is one OF the
accepted marvels of the present age.
Yet TO the average gas user the story
D. how his fuel supply IS made posi-
bic Is as much a mystery as the secret
of the sphinx.
Charles A. Munroe, vice president OF
the Peoples Gas Light & Coke Co. OF
Chicago, who as president OF the
American Gas association, represents
all artificial gas companies OF the
country. In an Interview answering the
question How do you do it?" gives
some extraordinary information as 20
how "the impossible" is accomplished
"WeH. you take $4,000, 10000 worth
Of plants-that's about 500 Of invest
ment to every man, woman and child
that enjoys the benefit of gas-l0,Oo
600 tons of coal, 100000 tons Of coke
and about $50 600, 600 gallons OF oil
You have a couple of hundred thou
sand employees who stand by loyaiiy1
day and night, winter and summer.
Through the cooperative effort OF 1ns
investors, the big supplies OF iuei
and other commodities and the Iaith-
full employees, the householders ana
industry get enough gas to last them
4 year" he answered with smile.
"some times when I haven't any
thing else to think about, marvel az
II myself" he continued. It is 81
gantic accomplishment that has put
concentrated. economical and clean
fueI in a pipe in our homes, ready 20
cook. heat or illuminate at the mere
t,,rn of 4 faucet. And to think that
this wear it is going into S.5Oo,OOO me
/ terg. through gas mains $500 miles
1org--anough to encircle the world
! three tirngs-furnishin fuel to 1,0Oo'-
900 cooking appliances, to over LOW
900 gas water heaters and 10 over =
million home heaters"
.sE4as the use Of lectricity curtaileo
consumption of gas?" he was ASKED
.sp1ot 4 bit" was the quick reply.
"Gaa and electricity occupy two entire
ilv separate fields in their service -
the nation-gas for cooking and heat
inc. electricity for light and power
/ q +ba sharp division. AS an example
! Of tbia in 1910 approximately 14s,OoO'-
0ao 600 cubic feet. of gas was used n
the TTnited States. Last year $4,000
mn no1 cubic feet, or double tnae q
ten years ago, was uSSu -
the tremendous use OF gas III liz
homes of the nation, the gas era mas
Int merely opened. Gas is now enter
| ING it's period of greatest service 70
mankind: its employment in industry
! for which already there are upwards
| Of 1000 uses. -
ave must count on gas TO MAKE
our cities smol1eless, to do away with
the dirt and dust from coal and asnes'
~ remedy unhealthful atmospheric
Iconditions of the cities and to make
not only factory conditions more pleas
Inc 70 the worker, but also his nome
living conditions more enjoyable With
nroper public co operation, the present
smoke and CRIME of the cities should
be a by word not many years away.
.Do YOU believe in customer own
ershin Of the utilities?" he was asked.
apo YOU know that today the owner
shin NJ the utilities of the country con-
Lstitute the greatest public ownership
crown the world has ever known" ne
countered. TT is the logical ownership
an ownership OF the securities repre-
senting the plant and equipment ny
the man who buys the product. No
safer investment can be imagined, TOT
under our. present form Of utility regu-
llation the public, meaning the citizens
have a definite hand in that regulation
he sees his property every day. II
Iian,t IKE buying stocks in q gold mine
~ fantastical oil well off some
l,,,re,-a The securities Of gas compan>
lies which represent the plants. equip
lnent and ali investment of these SER
l,yfra companies, are owned today Dy
internally hundreds of thousands q
i thrifty men and women"
what do you believe to be the prln-
lcipal problems hampering the gas IN
ldustry today?" he was asked.
Lack Of information on the part O.
the nublic. / would say. is the prinei'
nal one he said. Then seriously NJ
said
II believe firmly in the fairness q
the American people. In any contro'
versv where they have the fun facts
lbefore them. / am willing to trust Z
ltheir decision or good Judgment. Bu
lin some localities the people nav
been for time misied by extravagan
and untrue statements
eNow take the problem OF rates tina
was made much OF IN Some A0Sahta0-
over the difficult war period. Ever!
householder who went out to buy a tor
of coal. or every employee who drew
{, wage knew what these item
announced to. Tho gas companie
;,aven't any mysterious method
OBTAINING production commodities o
llabor cheaper than anyone else Ye
1--we has the somewhat si!IJ contradic
f.,or OF an insIstent dema.. that eff
,.ienf gas service be maintained and o.
Tho ether hand that the companies nc
be allowed enough money In the shap
Iof rates to buy commodities used 4
rrclucsng the, gas. let asals pay tn
Investors the reasonable interest re
turn for the use of their money :
which they are entitled under the Law
I0ften the noisIest DIRECTORS We're thos
enjoying the greatest war profits
Tor course that was un-American.
But the fact is that rates did not ad
vance commensurate with other prices
The fact that all Of the utilities wer
& / ,-ag-{r1 has hae