Evening star., 1924-04-10
YEARS GAS OUTPUT
80,0O0,00O,O 900 FEET
Reports to Conference of Manu-
facturers on Progress of the
Industry.
-
DISTRICTS BIG SHOWING
DISTRICTS BIG SHOWING
Total of $500, 100000 Cubic Feet
1923 Production.

PHILADELPHIA, April 10.-The
manufactured gas industry in Pennsyl-
vania AMI ;4ujacent states reached an
output of approximately $4,000. 600, 900
cubic feet last year. That was shown
yesterday in the report of L. r. Dutton
of Jenkintown. secretary-treasurer of
thte Eastern States Gas Conference
The conference began two-day ses-
sion in the Bellevue-Stratford, with lead
ing gas men from this state, New Jer-
sey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia
and the District of Columbia in at
tendance.
Mr.. buttons report showed that in
1923 Pennsylvania had an output of
50, 600, 600, 900 cubic feet; New Jersey.
2S, 900, 100000 cubic feet; Delaware,
], 900. 200, 900 cubic feet; Maryland, 12.-
00o,000,000 cubic feet; West Virginia.
100000 cubic feet and the District
of Columbia, 1850, 900, 600 cubic feet.
The number of new customers Sc
cured was $3.50, with some of the
smaller companies to be heard from
New Jersey outshipped Pennsylvania
last year with a total of $4,000, as
compared with $4,000 for this state
toners; the District of Columbia, 1890 /;
West Virginia, 100. and Delaware, $50.
Cost of improvements.
Pennsylvania. the report showed. had
spent nearly $6,000,O00 for improve
ments, with smaller companies to be
heard from. New Jerseys total was
s5 100000 and Maryland reached $2,-
100000. In West Virginia the expepdi-
ture was $4,000. in Delaware, s220,000,
and in the District of Columbia, 100000.
That the municipal ownership bug
aboo is not feared by the conference
was brought to light further In Mr..
Dutton S report when he showed that
only four municipality owned and OPP
Grated plants are doing business in the
conferences territory. Their combined
output was only 56,000,0 600 cubic feet.
P. H. Gadsden, vice president of
and director of the United States
Chamber of Commerce, who is presi
dent of the conference, was the prin-
cipal speaker. After Mayor Kendrick
had welcomed the conferees. Mr..
Gadsden sounded the keynote of the
conference by asserting that a COM
munity can grow no faster than its
utilities.
He explained that the ordinary
laws of economics prevail in the pub
lie utility just as much as they do in
the mercantile world and that service
can be obtained only by paying for 1t.
while it is necessary that a COM
mUnity should see TO II that the rates
charged by public utilities are at all
times reasonable" Mr.. Gadsden con-
tinucd. the important thing is that
the service upon which the commu
nity's life depends shall always be
maintained in a high state of effi-
cheney. The loss TO the community
from poor or inadequate service is
much greater than the loss to the
stockholder through rates which are
too low.
hnI
"The stockholders interest in par
ticular public utility is necessarily a
limited one whereas the convenience,
comfort and the business life of d
city and it's future growth and de-
velopment are wholly dependent upon
efficient. reliable and adequate serv-
ice from its public utilities.
What tremendous responsibility,
therefore, rests upon the officers of
every public utility not only to see
that the present needs of their COM
but also to look ahead-to visualize
communities for years TO come. and
to take steps to anticipate such de-
velopment by the necessary enlarge
ments and additions to their plants,
so that the prosperity of the public
served shall not be retarded or ham
pered by lack of the necessary public
utility service.
"On the other hand, what an equally
serious responsibility rests upon the
officials of our municipalities, and to