can be made to show trunk mains, nothing smaller than 8 inch being put on, and the general location of drips and syphons and valves, a separate map being used for each special purpose. For recording details an "insurance map" of the territory should be bought whenever one is available. These maps

show all settled parts of a city on a scale of 50 feet to the inch and the unsettled portions on a scale of 100 feet to the inch, and consist of a number of separate sheets bound in book form, each sheet covering several squares. On them are shown all buildings, and when they are purchased from the company that publishes them, arrangements can be made to have them. kept posted as to new buildings and changes in old buildings. They sometimes also show water mains, and in ordering them it should be stipulated that water mains are not to be shown on the set furnished. If no insurance map or other already prepared large scale map be available, a special large scale map in sheets will have to be made to take its place. On whichever is used should be shown the size and detail of every street main. The sizes may be marked in the same way as on the small scale map, or all the mains may be put in in solid black lines and the size indicated by figures and the use of lines of different thicknesses. The distance of the pipe from the property line and the positions of all fittings, drips, valves, sleeves, etc., should be located by writing on the map the proper dimension lines, the scale being large enough to permit this to be done with clearness in the case of all distribution systems, except those in a few of the very large cities where the underground situation is such as to make it necessary to use a large number of fittings, closely spaced. Rubber stamps of the proper shapes can be used for marking the various. fittings to facilitate the work. With cards made out and filed and maps drawn as described above, there will be no trouble in finding quickly and easily any information as to the street main system that is desired, and the information will have been obtained and filed as economically as it is possible to do it.

Articles which contain good ideas on the subject of street main records and maps will be found as follows: American Gas Light Journal, Volume LXVI, page 481; Vol. LXX, page 482; Vol. LXXIV, page 449, and Progressive Age, Vol. XVII, page 128; Volume XIX, page 114.

9. What are the respective advantages of wet and dry meters for use as consumers' meters?

Ans. The principal advantages of well-made wet meters for use as consumers' meters are the accuracy with which they register the volume of gas passing through them and their simplicity of construction, by reason of which they are able to maintain this accuracy of registration over long periods of time without the necessity of being brought into the shop for repairs.

When made with a compensating device, which will, within limits, automatically keep the water line correct in spite of the evaporation of the water in the body of the meter, and with an anti-tilting valve which will shut off the gas in case an attempt is made to tilt the meter in order to cause it to pass gas without registration, a wet meter will measure with great accuracy the gas delivered through it, and as there are no diaphragms nor slide valves to get out of order, by drying out or by friction, it does not require the periodical testing that is necessary to make certain that a dry meter is measuring correctly. On the other hand, the wet meter requires more frequent visits by the employees of the gas company, in order to maintain a sufficient quantity of water in the meter, and to see that it is properly leveled.

A

The great advantage of dry meters as compared with wet meters for use as above is their freedom from the danger of freezing to which wet meters are liable in cold climates. second advantage derived from the absence of water is the reduced danger of the collection of water in any trapped places in the house-piping, with the consequent greater freedom from the jumping or complete shutting-off of the lights on the far side of such places.

Other advantages of dry meters are smaller first cost; greater ease of setting on account of their lighter weight, size for size, and of their not requiring to be so accurately leveled; greater ease of removing on account of their lighter weight, and of the freedom from the difficulty of disposing of the gassaturated water which is experienced with the wet meters; freedom from risk of the nuisance which may occur through escape of gas, and possibly the spilling of water saturated with

gas, when the water in wet meters is replenished, and, consequently, the possibility of being put in places where wet meters would not be wanted by consumers.

In a general way, the advantage of the wet meter is, that it will, with moderate attention, which does not require the meter's removal from its position, continue for a long space of time, to measure gas accurately, and the advantages of the dry meter, are its cheapness in first cost, its freedom from freezing, and its convenience, in spite of the fact that it requires periodical removal for testing and repairs. The choice between them is determined mainly by comparing the cost of maintaining a high average of accurate registration with the two types. In cold climates, the freezing of the water in wet meters increases so greatly the inconvenience of dry meters, as to make the use of the latter more economical; but in warm climates it may easily happen that the use of wet meters will be more economical than that of dry meters. (Trustees.)

IO.

A complaint of a leak of gas is received from a consumer. Assume that it is your duty to investigate the complaint and tell how you would handle the job.

Ans. The person investigating a complaint of a leak of gas should, after reaching the house and making known his identity and errand, obtain from the occupants all the information possible as to the size and location of the leak. If they can give definite information it can be acted upon, but failing such information a thorough examination of all the fixtures and piping will be required.

When the leak is noticable in one room only, the keys of the fixtures in that room should be examined to see that all are shut-off and that there are no leaks around them. Finding the keys tight, the joints between different parts of the fixtures and between these and the pipe outlets should next be investigated. In every case the examination should be made. by smelling at the suspected points, or, in case the sense of smell is deficient, by means of soapy water. In no case should a light be used, as it is dangerous. Moreover, even very small leaks can be located by smelling or by soapy water more

quickly and accurately than strike a match or attempt to found. Where the smell of gas is noticable more or less all over any one floor, the leak cannot be above the floor and should be sought below it. In such a case it is well to start the search in the cellar, examining the end of the service, the meter and its connections and all exposed piping, and, failing to find in any of these a leak sufficient to produce the smell noticed, the points at which the water pipe and sewer enter the cellar, and also any open joints in the masonry of the walls through which gas might be coming in from a leak outside the house. If gas is found to be coming in from outside, steps should be at once taken to have the leak located and stopped. The nearest telephone should be used for communicating with the office if necessary. If no clue is found in the cellar the examination should be continued on the floors above until the leak is found or until all the fixtures and exposed pipes have been gone over. If the leak cannot be located on the premises, investigations should be made of the adjoining properties and the search continued until the leak is found.

by the use of a light. Never light a leak after it has been

When no one leak can be located in the exposed work, its location in the concealed piping can often be closely approximated by smelling at the openings around sliding doors and along the baseboards.

Having located the leak, if it is inside the house, it is well to determine the rate of leakage by means of the test hand on the meter, it having been made certain that no gas is being used at the time. This done, the leak, if it can be gotten at and is such that it cannot be immediately repaired permanently, should be stopped temporarily with soap. If it is around the service, meter or meter connections, the consumer should be told that it has been stopped temporarily, and that the company will have it fixed permanently as soon as possible. This should always be done for a leak in a fixture or in exposed house-piping when the gas company does such work, otherwise the consumer should be told that it is necessary for him to have a gas-fitter attend to it.

If the leak is in the house, and is bad, but cannot be located,

or if located cannot be gotten at, the gas should be shut off at the curb cock, when there is one, or else at the meter. The fact that the gas has been shut off should be at once communicated to the office, using telephone if necessary, so that an official letter can be sent to the consumer explaining why the gas is off and what the consumer must do to get the gas turned on again. If the leak is outside the house and is bad, the cellar windows, and, if necessary, the first floor windows as well, should be opened for ventilation, and the consumer instructed to keep them open and avoid the use of lights until the leak has been found and repaired. When the leak is small the gas need not be shut off in case of inability to locate and repair it, but the consumer should be instructed to get a gasfitter to attend to it, or told that the company will take further steps to stop it, as the case may be. Such steps would probably include the use of an air pump and ether to locate the leak, and the opening of the floor or wall to afford access to it.

If, on calling to investigate a leak, it is found impossible to gain access to the premises, and there is an odor of gas coming from the keyholes, window joints, etc., the gas should be immediately turned off at the curb cock, if there is one, and, if the house is apparently occupied, the police authorities notified. If unoccupied, access should be gained to the premises by securing the keys from the custodian. In either case, the office should be notified at once by telephone, if necessary.

If a leak is found to be dangerously bad, street help should be secured at once from the office. The occupants of all the premises in which the gas may be finding its way should be notified, and the houses ventilated.

If, when answering a complaint, a careful search reveals no leak, the occupants should be questioned further. Occasionally the statement is made that the odor of gas is noticed at a particular time of day, or a certain condition of the weather. An appointment should be made to call at such a time in order that the consumer may be completely satisfied.

When an escape of gas has caused sickness, or an explosion or fire has occurred, the office should be notified at once, using the telephone if necessary. (Trustees.)