I" x 4" strap iron for the use of the lamp lighter to suspend. above the projections which are usually on an iron lamp post about three feet from the ground.

The small step is much handier, much lighter, and will serve same purpose as a 4 or 5 foot ladder which is usuallycarried by the lamp lighter.

Scraper for Refilling Ditches-St. Paul Gas Light Company, St. Paul, Minn. A scraper that can be made in any blacksmith shop and has been found very useful in refilling ditches after laying main in the outlaying portions of the city, will save a large amount of labor that is otherwise found necessary.

With this scraper, as shown in the figure, work that would require fifty men working without the scraper, can be done with thirty men working with the scraper. A team and two men can fill one thousand feet of ditch in a day.

See Figures No. 32.

Scraper for Filling in Trench.-St. Paul Gas Light Co.

Maintaining Outdoor Gas Arcs—Mr. R. A. Field, Rome, N. Y. We found that it was necessary to wash the globes oftener than it was to renew the mantles, but while the globe was being washed the wind would often blow the mantles off the lamp, necessitating a complete mantle renewal every week when the globe was washed.

We now send out two men with one extra globe and collar. Placing the ladder on the windward side of the lamp so that the body in a measure protects the mantles, one man removes the globe, passes it to his helper on the ground, receives the clean globe and collar and slips them unto the lamp. The whole operation does not take more than 20 seconds.

The globe which was removed is then cleaned and carried to the next lamp.

By this method mantles are rarely lost, and there is an actual saving in the cost of labor per lamp on account of the rapidity with which they can be gone over.

Securing and Training Meter Readers-Mr. J. M. Robb, Peoria, Ill. One of the most vexing problems of the average gas man is to get his meter read without interfering with his shop work.

We have tried the following scheme in Peoria for two months with such good results that I feel warranted in offering our scheme as a Wrinkle.

In July, we advised the Y. M. C. A. and the business colleges that we wanted a number of young men to read meters. We very soon had a number of applicants, each of whom was requested to be at our office at a certain time a few days in advance of the beginning of our meter reading.

At this appointed time we had ready about twenty-five old meter dials, which were set at points where mistakes would be most probable, and the applicants were asked to take the statements. The dials were then changed, the statements noted and again taken by applicants. The process was repeated until each man had read a hundred meters, when his work was checked up. The applicants making the best showing at the examinations were selected to read meters.

The results have been satisfactory. The men so chosen

have in some cases turned in more statements per day than our men regularly used on such work, and but few mistakes. have been made.

Another advantage in selecting our meter readers in this manner arises from the fact that many of the young men are from our best families. We feel that the knowledge they have gained of our business methods will be spread in a manner which is bound to help us.

If at any time we should lack applicants for this work, we intend to advertise for young men in the space we use for advertising our business.

Map and Tack System-St. Paul Gas Light Co., St. Paul, Minn. This is a system of maps and tacks affording a ready reference to work carried on by the distribution department.

Maps showing all the streets in the city are mounted on frames sliding in a cabinet holding six maps.

By a system of different colored tacks, all main extensions, service orders not executed and location of all crews are kept in such shape that one can tell at a glance just what is being done by the distributing department.

Under our plan, when a service order is issued, a white tack is placed on the map at the location indicated in the order, showing that a service is to be run there.

When an order for a main extension is received, a tack of different color is selected-various colors being used to indicate the size pipe ordered, and if the extension is of considerable length, the pins are connected by thread of the color representing the size main.

The location of the service crew is indicated by a numbered tack, the number corresponding to the number of the crew it represents.

A glance at the map shows both the number and location of (1)-service orders unexecuted; (2)-service crews at work; (3)-main extensions and size pipe.

When a service order is returned executed, the pin representing it is removed; if a main order is returned executed, a line is drawn of the color representing the size of pipe used. Changes of location of pins representing crews is made as. often as necessary, the map being revised each morning.