There was a time, and not so
long ago, when the torch bearer
was as important as the taxicab
driver of to-day.
His torch light flitted about the
dark streets of city and town to
light citizen and traveler on his
way.
Until a century ago the torch
was a chief means of outdoor
lighting and the bearer was a
necessary personage. But science
is cruel to the few and magnani
mous to the multitude. A single
scientific discovery took the torch
from the hand of its bearer and
placed it back of the door to ac
cumulate the evidences of disuse.
This scientific discovery was
gas. And gas was laughed at as
a foolish fancy—something mere
ly to be played with for amuse
ment. The torch bearer scoffed,
and the people believed he was
right in his scoffing.
"Surely this personage of
thousands of years cannot be sup
planted now by a mere toy," they
said.
That was a century ago. Look
about you. It does not occur to
you. now to question the practic
ability and economy of gas for
lighting the streets and the
houses.
Yet, no one could foresee what
you can see to-day, and you can
not foresee what the next gener
ation will see, but do not take the
attitude of the torch bearer and
refuse to see what is actually at
hand.
Gas has experienced marvelous
development. When gas became
practical as an illuminant, it was
looked upon merely as an illu-
HARRISBURG OAS COMPANY
14 South Market Square
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minant, because it had been
sought tor to fill that great void,
but other voids than darkness
have developed.
The cost of fuel and power has
opened new avenues for the econ
omical use of gas until it is in de
mand in over a thousand differ
ent ways in the home, store and
factory. Gas is capable of effect
ing every branch of home and in
dustrial life, and it is to the ad
vantage of all who need light,
heat or power to understand the
many uses of gas.
So in this story we are going
to discuss some of the most vital
points and uses of gas and tell
how the Harrisburg Gas Com
pany handles the gas situation.
Gas in the Home
Gas is one of th© most potent forces
in home life to-day. Its importance as
a home factor has been the result of
careful development, and the element
of economy has been uppermost in the
minds of the scientists who have ef
fected the many appliances and acces
sories.
Convenience is only for those who
can afford it, is an often repeated
statement. There has never been a
doubt about the convenience of gas.
In every respect it overshadows the
appliances which were in use in the
home before it came.
For this reason gas appliances are
in demand in all branches of home
life as soon as they are ready for the
market.
The main concern of gas companies
and manufacturers of appliances was
that each and every appliance should
be more economical than Its less con
venient competitors, and economy has
been developed In practically every
appliance offered for use in the resi
dence.
Cooking With Gas
The first field, after light, In which
gas excelled for use In the home was
as a cooking fuel. Years ago gas
ranges were developed, which were
more economical even for the average
housekeeper and far mora so for the
woman who had learned the best
methods of using the gas range.
The recent development of newer
and better types of ranges has given
gas still further advantages of econ
omy as a cooking fuel. The sim
plicity and convenience of these ranges
makes it possible for the housewife
to exercise many hints in saving. It
is not difficult to learn how to use
the gas range economically as it is
merely a matter of cooking practical
ly everything in the baking and broil
ing ovens while doing the baking,
broiling and roasting.
In its efforts to help the house
keeper to minimize her cooking fuel
cost, the Harrisburg Gas Company
maintains a special corps of instruc
tors who go to the residences of con
sumers when requested and there
demonstrate the best and most econ
omical use of gas.
Heating Water With Gas
The success of the gas range, its
economy and satisfying results for
the housekeeper, opened a new field
for gas as a fuel. The question now
was one of heating water economical
ly so the housewife could banish for
ever the coal bucket, kindling box and
the ash pan. The gas circulating
water heater was soon developed to
fill this demand, and it has proved
especially adaptable because It can be
adjusted to the hot water tank form
erly used with a coal range.
With this water heater the house
keeper can heat enough water In a
few minutes for the dish washing, and
even enough for a bath can be heat
ed for less than a cent's worth of
gas, and there is no bother with coal
fires.
Automatic Gas Water
Heaters
The Automatic Instantaneous Gas
Water Heater is one of the most as
tonishing of all gas appliances. It is
so accurate in Its results that it is
almost human. In fact, it never for
gets and the human Is liable to for
get. It requires no thought on the
part of the housekeeper and is al
ways ready for service.
The automatic Is placed in the cel
lar. When a hot water faucet is open
in the bath room, kitchen or laundry
the gas Is automatically turned on
faARRISBURG &££s& TELEGRAPH
and lighted, and the water is heated
Instantly as It passes through a long
copper coll. The closing of the hot
water faucet Instantly shuts off the
gas and expense stops.
The Harrlsburg Gas Company, and
the water heater companies as well,
backs this heater with its guaran
tee, and what the company guaran
tees, it makes satisfactory.
The economy and convenience of
this water heater has given its exten
sive sales in all cities because hot
water is as necessary In the home as
heat, and It is a great convenience to
be able to get hot water Instantly at
any time of the day or night without
the bother or worry of starting the
Are.
Gas Appliances
The development in the use of gas
'ln residences did not cease after the
Invention of these most necessary ap
pliances. Invention marched steadily
on until there is a gas appliance for
nearly every purpose, which gives
more convenience and more economy
than can be furnished by any other
form of heat or llluminant. Where
the housewife formerly used 5 or 10
cents' worth of fuel for her ironing,
she can do it with a gas Iron tc-day
at a cost of one-third of a cent an
hour, or about 1 cent for the three
hours' Ironing. Thousands of these
gas irons are being used In the
homes of Harrlsburg people with
moro satisfactory results than were
obtainable in the days of the old flat
iron.
Coffee percolators, chafing dishes,
toasters, waffle irons, cake griddles
and a variety of other small appli
ances and accessories find their place
in modern Harrlsburg residences.
, Few residents would think of dis
continuing the use of gas for light
ing. Both the illuminont itself and
the lamps and fixtures used in con
nection with it are deserving of the
term "modern." The clear, white gas
lieht can be had from an Incandescent
gas lamp at approximately one-third
of a cent an hour. It is always neces
sary to have a good gas light for read
lng and all close work. When the
modern type of gas lamps are used the
consumer has the comfort of a light
that Is restful and easy on the eyes..
Gas in the Industries
In its industrial uses gas is just
now assuming the place it should have
taken years ago. The invention of
gas engines, furnaces, burners, boiler
heaters, forges, etc., has made gas
practically indispensable in many
manufacturing plants. This is especial
ly true where speed, economy and ac
curacy 'of results are demanded. Many
of the leading manufacturing plants
of the city either use gas as their
only fuel, or for the greater part of
their work.
As power for operating engines, gas
'las especially proved its efficiency.
Recent developments in the construc
tion of gas engines have made them
so economical In consumption and
so reliable In operation that they are
fast replacing other engines.
For special application, gas seems
to have no limitations. New industrial
fields are opening daily and gas com
panies are being called upon con
stantly to perfect the engine,, special
burners or heater to meet the de
mand. «
Steam in many manufacturing
plants must be kept going in sum
mer when other demands upon the
boiler are very small. For this pur
pose a little gas heated steam boiler
from one-half horsepower to ten
horsepower is on the market. Many
trades have adopted these. Automo
bile and repair shops use gas heated
steam boilers for vulcanizing tires;
bakeries for steaming ovens and crust
ing bread; brewers and bottlers for
sterlizing bottles, pasteurizing liquids,
distilling water; confectioners, for
cooking candles; cleaners and dyers
for heating benzine and drying rooms;
electrical goods manufacturers for
drying motor armatures; hat manu
facturers for heating molds; jewelers
for baking enamel and cleaning
jewelry; laundries for heating mangles
and drying rooms; metal workers for
heating lye kettles, etc.; paper box
manufacturers and book binders for
heating glue; printers and newspa
pers for matrix drying and restaur
ants and hotels for heating steam
tables, etc.
The bakeries which furnish the city
with bread, cakes, pies, etc., are de
pendent upon gas bake ovens and
steaming tables. Leather goods und
shoe manufacturers are dependent
upon It for stamping, edging, etc.
Tailors in every part of the city use
?as heated Irons for pressing and
clothing manufacturers find a Hoff
man Pressing Machine a decided ad
vantage because of Its speed.
All textile manufacturers have
found gas the most desirable fuel for
singeing. Tinsmiths and sheet metal
workers use gas for soldering and
shaping parts. In all big machine
shops and paint shops paint burning
torches are used for removing paint.
In fact, gas has taken its place as
an indispensable part of nearly every
Industry and has done much to per
fect construction and bring down shop
costs and expenses.
Making Ice With the Gas
Flame
It seems unbelievable that ice can
be made with a tiny gas flame. Tet,
this Is being done to-day. Small re
frigerating plants are being placed in
a box-like arrangement, similar to an
Ice chest, which are capable of keep
ing the temperature down as low as
zero. And there are small compart
ments in which ice may be frozen for
table use or for other purposes. These
lVttle plants are proving economical
and may soon relieve the housewife,
the hotel keeper and confectioner of
their troubles with the iceman. Anoth
er unusual invention recently placed
upon the market Is the Ives Daylight
Producer Cabinet. Thousands of
these little cabinets are being sold to
manufacturers of silk, cotton, woolen
and all other goods and textiles, to
merchants, haberdasheries, and all
other industries which find It neces
ary to match colors. The cabinet is
arranged so that a strong gas light
is passed through a series of screens
which eliminate all rays which are
not found In ordinary daylight. The
particular advantage of the cabinet
Is that color matching may be' done
accurately whatever tho condition of
ordinary light.
Store and Industrial Light
ing
Gas is the most economical light 1
for stores and manufacturing plants.
The gas arc gives an enormous vol
ume of light at far smaller cost than
any other llluminant, and, because
of this economy, gas la most general
ly used in the Harrlsburg lighting
field.
The Harrisburg Gas Com
pany
The present gas company has been 1
furnishing gas to Harrisburg for
thirty-one years. During that time the
company has steadily increased its et»
flciency and broadened lta service. At
all times the gas company has been
a moving spirit in the civic improve
ment of Harrlsburg, and It has dona
everything in its power to help make
Harrlsburg grow.
In every respect the company htl
attempted to co-operate with the cltj]
government. During the last ten yearn
over seventy miles of streets have
been improved in Harrlsburg. In ord<
er that these streets might not be dis
turbed the company preceded the lnv*
provements with fh-st-class mains oa
the proper levels. This was done aM
an enormous cost, because many o<
the mains which had to be repl&oed
were good for several years»of ser
vice, but the gas company felt thai
It was for the good of Harrlsbura
and Its business as well, that the ser«
vice mains be as perfect as possible
before the streets were completed.
In addition to furnishing gas tm
Harrlsburg, the following'suburbs re
ceive Harrlsburg Gas Company ser«
vice:
Steelton, Mlddletown, Hlghspiret
Oberlin and Enhaut, East Harrisburg;
New Cumberland, Penbroolt, Lew
moyne. New Market, Camp Hill, P&x*
tang, East Pennsboro and Wormleya
burg.
Extensions are now contemplated to
Enola and Fairvlew.
The progressive, up-to-date man*
agements of the men who have been
in charge of the gas company has
given the people of Harrisburg a gas
service which even the largest cities
of the country might well emulate.
The company has extended its mains
to leach nearly every part of the city
until now it has practically 185
miles of mains in Harrisburg and sur
rounding districts. Three years ago
it was necessary for the company to
construct a new holder as the two
old holders could barely take care of
the consumption- When this ques
tion confronted the company it was
thought best to install one immense
holder of 1,500.000 cubic feet, be
cause such a holder would insure a
highly satisfactory pressure and a
more steady and oven gas service than
several smaller tanks, so the large
holder was installed.
No institution in Harrisburg to-day,
gives the people a better, more con
stant and more courteous service than
the Harrisburg Gas Company, and the
company is always wide awake to
suggestions for improvements of Its
service, and keeps its men keyed to
the point of doing the right thing by
the people at all times.