Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/621

 THE PHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS 607

to its own admissions, the United Gas Improvement Company had given several years' consideration and upon which its engi- neers had been at work for months.

The councilmen were not the only ones, however, connected with the city government who showed this unexpected and as yet publicly unexplained change of official opinion and reversal of attitude on a public question. Director of Public Works Thomas M. Thompson in his last annual report, dated January 21, 1897, said in reference to the improvements introduced at the Point Breeze plant :

"The introduction of these machines will result in a great saving in the labor account. Four turn-tables for the conven- ience of the charging and discharging machines. With the increased manufacturing facilities at the Point Breeze works we require an enlargement of the coal shed for the reception of coal by rail. When this is provided we will have a thoroughly equipped plant at these works, equal, if not superior, to any in the United States.

"The increased amount of leakage or unaccounted for gas each year is due to the insufficient size of many of the distribut- ing mains, which are extended in length from year to year, as the growth of the city makes it necessary to supply gas in new territories. To force the gas through the small mains and reach these extreme distances requires greater pressure at the works or holder stations."

Further on in the same report he says :

"The gas manufactured by the Philadelphia gas works is of as good, if not better, quality than that made by any gas works in the United States ; but when we are compelled to torce gas by great pressure through many miles of small-sized or inadequate mains, the candle power will necessarily be reduced by reason of the excessive friction to which the gas is subjected, thereby'rob- bing it of the hydro-carbon, which is its light-giving quality ; hence the complaint of poor gas.

"The fault is not in the quality of the gas manufactured, but in the system of distribution ; this was again demonstrated dur-