GAS GOES to HOLLYWOOD ... See Page Mueller Record

GAS GOES TO HOLLYWOOD ... See Page Mueller Record

January Published by 1957 MUELLER CO.

512 West Cerro Gordo Street, Decatur, Illinois NEW LOOK FOR AN OLD MAGAZINE Editor: WALTER H. DYER

Member Industrial Editors Association of Chicago IT IS WITH mixed emotions that and International Council of Industrial Editors we launch the MUELLER REC- ORD on its 47th year as a company publication. This magazine has FACTORIES been calling on customers, em- Decatur, 111. Chattanooga, Tenn. Los Angeles, Calif. Sarnia, Ont., Canada ployees, and friends since its founding in 1910, and for that reason, SALES OFFICES we hope you were somewhat New York San Francisco startled when this issue arrived.

The name MUELLER is a registered trademark of Mueller Co. You see, to make use of a phrase coined a few years ago, the MUEL- LER RECORD has taken on a new look. CONTENTS The emotional problem we men- tioned is the result of desiring to CANADIAN GAS MEN SEE NO-BLO DISPLAY Page 3 publish a more attractive maga- MUELLER CO. ENTERS IOOTH YEAR Page 4 zine in this easier to read, standard size, and yet we naturally hesitated "PLAYHOUSE 90" Page 6 to drop the familiarity of a magazine that has enjoyed 46 years of A NEW GAS RECORD Page 8 nearly continuous publication. ROY ABEL HEADS DECATUR FACTORIES Page 15 In the event you are reading the Record for the first time, it form- GAS INDUSTRY CAN'T MISS Page 16 erly was a two-column publication and was 6%" by 10". The new for- GAS INDUSTRY IN THE MOVIES Page 18 mat is 8i/4" by 10%". NEW MUELLER MACHINE DEMONSTRATED Page 20 The begining of our 100th year in business seemed like a good time AROUND THE GAS INDUSTRY Page 23 to make the change. We hope you will continue to enjoy receiving THE JOKES ON ME Page 23 Mueller Co.'s oldest "field repre- GAS SAFETY RECORD IMPROVES Page 24 sentative." * * * GAS MAN OF THE YEAR Page 24 What's ahead for gas in 1957? Two men high in the industry give their report on that question in this issue. We are proud to present cvi the remarks of Mr. Clare H. Zachry, President of the American Gas As- NO LONGER is it necessary for persons living near sociation, and President of South- factories to undergo llie unpleasantness brought ern Union Gas Company, Dallas, about by smoke rising from the plant. In keeping Texas, and Mr. Julius Klein, Presi- dent of the Gas Appliance Manu- with the policy of being a good community citizen, facturers Association, and Presi- Mueller Co. installed electric furnaces in our Brass dent of the Caloric Appliance Cor- Foundry a short time after Decatur's new Plant 4 poration. was placed in operation. Smoke was eliminated at a * * * cost of one-hall million dollars to the company. One Money isn't everything. There of the seven new Ajax furnaces is shown in operation are other important things such as on our cover. Oil burning furnaces formerly were stocks, bonds, letters of credit, tra- used. The workman is Arthur Kay, a ladleman. veler's checks and drafts.

MUELLER RECORD connections without the loss of any fluid and made it possible to remove Canadian Gas Men and re-use expensive valves when abandoning a connection and even to re-use the connection at some future time. See No-Bio Display He said that typical uses for these nipples was for gathering-line con- BY RAY BLAIK by the tremendous demand placed nections in gas and oil fields, for on gas distribution systems in re- (Reprinted with permission from the purging and by-passing connections cent years. This increased demand used with Mueller line stopping Canadian Gas Journal) has made it necessary to increase equipment or other similar tempor- gas line pressure. ary installation. MUELLER method of mak- Because of this increased pres- The Mueller steel wedge stoppers, ing gas installations safely, under sure, specialized new and modern another piece of equipment, were pressure, proved of considerable in- equipment and machines became designed for high, medium or low terest to gas men in Hamilton and necessary to make under pressure pressure stopping jobs. He ex- district recently, as a goodly connections safely. Hence, the Muel- plained they were capable of stop- number turned out to the Royal ler school to explain its equipment ping off pressures up to 500 p.s.L, Hamilton Yacht Club to watch a and the No-Bio principle. but were limited at the present demonstration by F. X. Uhl, of Since 1952, the school has trav- time to 250 p.s.i. maximum due to Pittsburgh, Mueller Co. sales repre- the pressure withstanding limita- sentative. elled 70,000 miles in every province of Canada and every state of the tions of the gate valve. He, and the Mueller Co. No-Bio He added that each stopper came safety school, were brought into United States. It has put on demonstrations for the personnel of 400 complete with a steel protector Hamilton by Mueller, Limited, of sleeve which provided a means of Sarnia, sole manufacturers and dis- gas companies which have an estimated 17,000,000 gas services under bonding pressure when replacing tributors of the equipment in Can- the cover and protecting the cover ada. From the Ambitious City, the ground. In Hamilton, these were some of from damage when not in use. Each school went on to Toronto and a consisted of a double-action expand- session with that city's Consumer's the men, and their firms, who took advantage of the school: ing mechanism inside a split steel Gas Company. cylinder covered with a replaceable Mr. Uhl set up his display boards K. J. Burnett, and H. W. Hyslop, neopreme sheet. The split function- and equipment in the well-ap- of United Gas and Fuel and United ed as a by-pass and allowed pres- pointed club rooms in the early Suburban Gas and Fuel Companies, sure to assist in the stop-off. morning, assisted by the Sarnia Hamilton; Allan Crowley, of Do- This was the type of explanation firm's assistant sales manager, W. minion Natural Gas Company, and demonstration carried out by G. (Bill) Gansler, who brought Brantford; Sidney Wooler and W. Mr. Uhl, who is one of two sales along several other Mueller hands: L. Augustine, of Provincial Gas engineers, on the road with the Jack McClure, Jack Richardson, Company, Fort Erie; Gord Russell, school for Mueller Co. Hugh Morton, Larry O'Neill and G. I. Russell and Company; M. J. The growth and future expansion John Milne. Poirer, J. H. Mahoney and R. of gas services in southwestern The demonstration took the en- Flament, of Gas Machinery Com- Ontario has turned the eyes of gas tire day, with a luncheon break, pany, Hamilton. men to the equipment and machines and it proved of great interest to Also on hand were H. Allan and they must use. They saw in Hamil- Hamilton and district gas men, who John Simmons, representing the ton how to do their job safely and listened intently, occasionally put- Ontario Fuel Board. economically, using equipment pro- ting forward questions to better duced by a firm in Sarnia, Decatur, understand the presentation. These men heard Mr. Uhl explain Mueller's No-Bio principle was Illinois, Chattanooga, Tenn., and The Mueller Co. put the demon- Los Angeles, Calif., that has been stration unit on the road in August, established about 15 years ago and that it enabled gas men to work serving Canada and the U. S. since 1952, as a means to help train gas 1857. company personnel in making in- and control gas under pressure stallations safely, under pressure. without interrupting customer service on any part of the line. The average motorist is sure he Its prime purpose was to make gas drives carefully, but the fellow service connections safely, under He went on to explain and dem- ahead always stays too close. pressure, without loss of gas. Ac- onstrate the use of such equipment tual demonstrations were hit upon as drilling machines, service con- as the best method by which the nections, meter stops, curb stops, Woman (about to attend political step-by-step procedure for making flanged tees, extension stoppers, meeting) : "I'm not prejudiced at these connections could be ex- service tees, and Save-A-Valve drill- all. I'm going with a perfectly open plained. ing nipples. and unbiased mind to listen to The need for such a school had About the last-named, he ex- what I'm convinced is pure rub- been indicated to the Mueller Co. plained that they made possible bish."

JANUARY • 1957 Mueller Enters 100th Year

Company has grown from small gunsmith shop to five plants

JTROM A 20' by 40' gunsmith shop Although the birth of the com- of the special centennial ads will near what is today the heart of pany is officially listed as Septem- also appear in the MUELLER REC- downtown Decatur, Illinois, to a ber 7, 1857, Albert G. Webber, Jr., ORD. five-plant company that manufac- the fifth president in the company's Photographs of the five men who tures one of the most complete lines history, said a number of special have served as Presidents of Muel- of water and gas distribution and events and other means are being service products available . . . that devised to observe the centennial. ler Co. are shown on the adjoining page. It is somewhat interesting to is the 100-year growth of Mueller A letter has been mailed to some Co. note that two of the Presidents 35,000 customers, employees, and served a total of 80 years. They are The firm that was founded in friends announcing the start of the 1857 by Hieronymous Mueller, a second century and pledging Muel- Hieronymous Mueller, the com- German immigrant with a fine ler Co.'s leadership, manufacturing pany's leader from its founding in inventive talent, has entered its skill and tradition to help meet the 1857 until his death in 1900, and 100th year. challenge of the new century. A Adolph Mueller, son of the found- Today, Mueller Co. is a multi- er who was president from 1902 plant organization with factories special advertising program was until 1939. Other Presidents were strategically located in Decatur, launched in January with advertise- Henry Mueller, 1900-02, William Chattanooga, Los Angeles, and Sar- ments in several national and re- E. Mueller, 1939-1947, and Albert nia, Ontaria, Canada. Decatur, gional water and gas trade journ- G. Webber, Jr., today's President headquarters for the company, has als and other national publications who was named to that post in two plants. such as BUSINESS WEEK. Most 1947.

MUELLER RECORD AT RIGHT is the entrance to Mueller Co.'s main office in Deeatur, Illinois. A part of the, main office and executive offices are located on the second floor. Below is a part of Plant 1's Manufacturing; Division.

Hieronymus Mueller Henry Mueller 1857-3900 J900-1902

Adolph Mueller William E. Mueller Albert G. Webber, Jr. 1902-1939 1939-1947 1947-Present

JANUARY • 1957 mission companies, manufacturers, equipment suppliers and producers "Playhouse 90" represented by A.G.A. are sponsoring on alternate Thursdays, a half-hour portion of "Playhouse s utility companies make television 90" on more than 125 TV stations across the nation. The program is debut January 10 as sponsors of new shotv broadcast each Thursday at 9:30- 11:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The gas industry will sponsor the 10:30-11:00 segment every other Thursday. Julia Meade, in addition to pre- senting commercial messages, will also make appearances at gas industry gatherings throughout the country. She is already known to network audiences because of her regular appearances on other top- rated television programs. Miss Meade is also available for local utilities who wish to make special arrangements with her for a series of their own TV Commer- cials. Her presence can add glam- our and excitement to home shows, special gas company anniversaries and other occasions. "Playhouse 90" is the first hour- and-a-half drama series ever to be presented by a television network on a regular weekly basis. It is produced by Broadway and television veteran Martin Manulis. The trade paper VARIETY, known as the bible of the enter- tainment industry, describes this program as "The year's major new entry in the programming-rating sweepstakes." Although a new program, the initial ratings indicate that it will be one of the most popular shows in all of television, one that will reach an enormous audience, at a low cost per thousand, and a vehicle of calibre and prestige of which the gas industry can be proud. BEHIXD the scenes during- the shooting- of the gas industry's TV commercials A Trendex rating indicated that with lovely Julia Meade, hostess for the gas industry on "Playhouse 90", seen Thursday nights over 125 CBS network stations. The 90-minute show already "Playhouse 90" had almost three has been called "one of the top attractions in television." times the audience of the opposing dramatic show, which up to now has been one of the most popular, best known, and long established S UTILITY COMPANIES first use of TV networks as an ad- dramatic shows on television and throughout the U.S. made their vertising medium was announced radio. network television debut Thursday, by Frank H. Trembly, chairman of These ratings have also shown January 10, as sponsors of CBS Tel- the National Gas Industry's Tele- that the audience continues evision's distinguished new 90-min- vision Committee, and William H. throughout the show, and that the ute dramatic series, "Playhouse Hylan, CBS-Television vice-presi- highest rating half-hour segment 90," with talented Julia Meade as dent. Mr. Trembly is director of was the last one. This has com- the industry's hostess. sales for. Philadelphia. Gas Works. monly been true of most dramatic The American Gas Association's The gas utility, companies, trans- shows.

MUELLER RECORD THE GAS industry's TV Team, left to rig-lit: C. S. dent of the Southern Union Gas Company, Dallas, Texas; Stackpole, Managing Director of the American Gas and Frank H. Trembly, Chairman of the A.G.A. National Association: Julia, Meade, A.G.A. hostess on "Playhouse Gas Industry's Television Committi'c. 90"; Clare H. Zachary, President of A.G.A. and Presi-

If they are good, they hold their LOS ANGELES HERALD-EX- ca Lindfors, Frank Lovejoy, Bar- initial audience and gather tune-ins PRESS: "No one can doubt now bara Hale, Red Skelton, Shirley as the program progresses. that the 'Playhouse 90' series on Jones, and Diana Lynn are among These quotes from newspapers CBS-TV is the season's greatest the stars appearing. give an idea of the program's new program. An impressive list of comedy, quality: Thus far, "Playhouse 90" has mystery and fantasy properties by NEW YORK JOURNAL AMER- presented such vehicles as Pat top novelists, playwrights and tele- ICAN: "The finest serious drama Frank's "Forbidden Area," Rod vision writers has already been ac- seen so far on television. Sterling's "Requiem for a Heavy- quired for the future. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: "A weight," "Sizeman and Son," "Ren- The acquisition of "Playhouse dramatic knockout." dezvous in Black," "The Country 90" marks the culmination of a CINCINNATI POST: "Gives new Husband," and "The Big Slide." drive for a gas industry television stature to TV." Charlton Heston, Tab Hunter, Vin- show initiated early last year. The BOSTON RECORD: "TV's finest cent Price, Jack Palance, Ed Wynn, National Gas Industry Television dramatic show." Keenan Wynn, Kim Hunter, Eddie Committee was set up to raise a NEW YORK TIMES: "TV's most Cantor, Farley Granger, Peter Lor- minimum of $2,250,000 for this exciting development of the sea- re, Mona Freeman, Franchot Tone, purpose. This goal was surpassed son." Laraine Day, Boris Karloff, Vive- (Continued on page 22)

JANUARY 1957 MMMMMMMMMMMHMMHMBM

iHE GAS UTILITY and pipeline industry, now serving more than 30 million customers through half a A New Gas Recor million miles of gas mains in every state and the District of Columbia, continued its dynamic growth pat- by Clare H. ZACHRY tern during 1956 to reach record- breaking peaks. Even greater achievements in all phases of op- President, American Gas Association eration are confidently expected in and 1957. With revenues from utility sales President, Southern Union Gas Co., Dallas, Texas now at an all-time high of nearly four billion dollars, residential, commercial and industrial use of gas are increasing steadily. Mean- while, natural gas reserves have also reached unprecedented peaks. Record-breaking expenditures of $1.65 billion during 1956 for new P facilities to serve more customers reflected the dramatic progress of the industry. The gas industry cur- rently has total assets of about \ $171/2 billion with the prospect of reaching $24 billion by 1960 for almost a quadruple gain in a decade and a half. A major gas industry development during 1956 was the com- pletion of the $230 million "Scenic Inch" pipeline from the Southwest to the border of Canada to bring natural gas to the Pacific Northwest for the first time. The last large region of the U. S. to receive natural gas, the Pacific Northwest is expected to make significant contributions to the gas industry's continued growth in the immediate future, meanwhile boosting its own industrial stature to new heights. Statistical Gains During 1956, the gas utility industry served an average of 29,602,- 300 customers, a new peak, including about 219,300 LP-Gas customers served directly by gas utility companies. This was a gain of 1,123,500 customers over 1955, when the industry was serving 28,478,800 residential, commercial industrial and other (such as armed forces and other government installations) customers. It is estimated that there are about 8 million customers served with LP-Gas in areas not on utility mains. An average of 25,019,000 customers received natural gas during the year, a gain of 2,154,800 cus-

MUELLER RECORD tomers and an increase of 9.42 per were 178 underground storage pools 1960, the prospect is for the sale cent over the 22,864,200 natural gas located in 19 states. The 6,746 ac- of 92 billion therms, of which 32 customers served during 1955. tive storage wells in these pools billion therms will be residential Manufactured and mixed gas had an ultimate capacity of 2.1 sales. And in 1965, we should show customers averaged 4,364,000 dur- trillion cubic feet. aggregate sales of 116 billion ing 1956. Approximately 1,400,000 An additonal 10 pools under con- therms, an increase of almost 73 former users of manufactured or struction at the start of 1956 were per cent from the current level and mixed gas became natural gas cus- estimated at a capacity of 81.7 bil- nine times the figure of two decades tomers during the year. lion cubic feet of storage space for ago. Total sales by the gas utility the underground storage of natural The number of customers will during 1956 reached 73.35 billion gas. With new gas househeating continue to increase steadily to an therms, a new record. This was a customers to be added at an esti- estimated 33 million—31 million of gain of 9.62 per cent over the 66.91 mated rate of 1.3 million annually whom will be residential customers billion therms sold in 1955. during the next few years, under- —in 1960 and 381/4 million by 1965, Natural gas sales achieved a new ground storage of gas becomes an including 35.3 million residential high of 69.90 billion therms, up increasingly important factor in users. 10.36 per cent over the 63.34 billion stabilizing the gas load. With gas replacing oil as the therms sold a year earlier. Manu- The gas industry spent $61 mil- leading heating fuel for U. S. factured and mixed gas sales to- lion on construction of underground homes, househeating customers of taled 3.37 billion therms. storage facilities in 1956 and will gas utilities will jump from 16 mil- Revenues from utility sales of spend $45 million on such facilities lion now to 21 million by 1960 and gas achieved a new record total of in 1957. 27y2 million by 1965. Gas-heated $3,948 million, a gain of 14.35 per Proved recoverable reserves of homes represented about 46 per cent over the previous record high natural gas at the beginning of cent of the more than 49 million of $3,452 million established in 1956 were at a record high of 223.7 occupied homes and apartments in 1955. Natural gas revenues in- trillion cubic feet, an increase of the U. S. as of mid-1956. creased 17.29 per cent to a total of about 12 trillion cubic feet over The industry's record construc- $3,483 million, also an all-time rec- reserves at the start of 1955. These tion expenditures of $1.65 billion ord. Manufactured and mixed gas new reserves more than offset rec- during 1956 are expected to be sur- revenues were $445 million, com- ord net production of 10.1 trillion passed in 1957 by an estimated 18 pared with $463 million in the pre- cubic feet in 1955, up from 9.4 per cent. The A. G. A. Bureau of vious year. Gas industry revenues trillion cubic feet the previous year. Statistics forecasts 1957 expendi- for 1957 are estimated at $4,260 A Look Into the Future tures at $1.954 billion. The gas in- million. The gas industry will continue dustry's expenditures will be an Pipelines, Storage Pools to grow on all fronts in 1957. important factor in the two per and Gas Reserves When the 30 millionth customer cent U. S. gain for private building Approximately 20,000 miles of was added in mid-December, our construction predicted for 1957 by gas mains were constructed in 1956 industry could point to doubling its the U. S. Commerce and Labor De- to bring the total mileage to 517,- number of customers in less than partments. About 96 per cent of the 000. two and a half decades. An aver- gas industry's expenditures during Underground storage operations age of 30.5 million customers will the coming year will be for facili- have also been increased substan- be served in 1957, with utilization ties of natural gas systems. tially. At the start of 1956, there of 77.6 billion therms of gas. By Expenditures between now and

JANUARY 1957 1965 to meet the growing demand Shipments of direct heating industry on this highly-rated 90- for gas service in all parts of the climbed to 1,700,000 for a gain of minute dramatic program featuring country will total about $19 billion, 15 per cent over 1955. This sub- top actors and actresses. almost twice the amount spent in stantial increase more than offset In addition to providing support the previous 10 years and more small declines for wall heaters and for the new television show, utility than 20 times as great as the floor furnaces, which totaled 301,- and pipeline companies subscribed amount spent in the decade im- 000 units and 134,000 units, re- more than $3 million in 1956 to mediately preceding World War spectively, during 1956. the Promotion, Advertising and Re- Two. Automatic gas clothes dryers search (PAR) Plan, which com- Gas Air Conditioning surged to 470,000 units, a gain of pleted its 12th successful year of A field in which the gas industry nearly 28 per cent over last year's coordinated activities embracing is now focusing a major share of 368,000. Makers of gas incinerators promotion, advertising, utility com- its effort is air conditioning. The also enjoyed another good year and pany research, pipeline research, A. G. A. and manufacturers to- anticipate a continued increase in and public information. gether have spent I1/-) million dol- demand in the immediate future. PAR's National Advertising Pro- lars in 1956 alone to develop gas Boiler shipments also achieved a gram scheduled more than $1 mil- air conditioners. Compact design record high of 98,000 units, a gain lion in 30 magazines with a reader and economy and reliability of op- of nearly nine per cent above 1955. circulation of about 44,000,000. eration are making gas air condi- Warm air furnaces approximated This represented 206 pages of ad- tioning units a reality of today— 829,000 units, compared with rec- vertising with a total of 226,867 not a dream of the future. ord shipments of 835,000 in 1955. sales messages. Many major manu- At least 10 reputable manufac- Conversion burner shipments ag- facturers cooperated with the gas turers are now in the gas air con- gregated 198,000 for a slight de- industry in space-sharing adver- ditioning field—already producing crease from 209,100 the previous tising. units or developing field test units year. The PAR Public Information or conducting intensive research A boom in home modernization Program expanded its activities to before starting production. and the growth of new markets build a strong public relations team Surveys have shown a present helped gas appliance and equipment to benefit all segments of the indus- market for a quarter of a million manufacturers achieve an impres- try. Among the principal projects central air conditioning home units, sive year despite a 15 per cent drop were increased services to win em- a five-fold increase in air-condition- in new housing starts. ployee understanding and support, ed manufacturing plants by 1980 More than 90 million gas appli- more emphasis on telling the facts as compared with 1953, and a con- ances now are used by residential on government in gas, greater stim- stantly growing market in the com- customers of the gas industry. The ulation of coordinated local PR ac- mercial field. outlook for the near future is very tion, and a stepped-up program of Gas air conditioning units for the bright, with potential sales of 57 favorable national publicity on gas. home include exciting new develop- million additional appliances seen Through special campaigns, mer- ments in the field of year-round by 1960—and a staggering total of chandising aids, trade show ex- climate control by combined heat- 300 million predicted by 1974. hibits, educational campaigns, tie- ing-cooling systems, which will The PAR Program ins with motion pictures and tele- control humidity as well as temper- The gas industry took an impor- vision, and many similar projects, ature throughout the house. The tant step forward during 1956 when PAR's promotion activities reached gas industry recognizes that air it completed arrangements for its new highs in the interest of expand- conditioning is the "wave of the first use of national network tele- ing the appliance market and the future" in the home and is going vision. Scheduled for debut on gas industry as a whole. all out to meet it. Thursday, Jan. 10, 1957, the tele- The Gas Industry Development Other Appliances, Equipment vision program was made possible Program intensified its nationwide An all-time record of 2,837,000 by the unified efforts of gas utilities, activities through round-table con- automatic gas water heaters were transmission companies and manu- ferences for gas company execu- shipped by manufacturers during facturers who subscribed more tives and clinics for sales managers 1956. This volume was accompanied than $214 million in a common in many cities, as well as two major by a marked upgrading in size and purpose for the good of the entire regional sales conferences. A com- quality. industry. plete sales and promotional pro- Exceeding two million units for The gas industry will sponsor on gram to increase automatic gas the tenth straight year, shipments alternate Thursdays the last half- range sales was made available to of free-standing gas ranges totaled hour (10:30-11:00 P. M., E.S.T.) of gas utility companies for use at 2,036,000. And this figure does not the popular "Playhouse 90," on the the local level. include approximately 160,000 Columbia Broadcasting System net- The Mrs. America Contest, spon- built-ins, the popularity of which work of more than 125 stations. sored by A. G. A. for the fourth has been growing at such a fast Julia Meade, widely known to tele- year, is making the winner (this pace that built-ins may provide ten vision viewers because of her ap- year Mrs. Cleo Maletis of Portland, per cent of the gas range market pearances on other top TV shows, Ore.) synonymous with the national in 1957. will present messages from the gas (Continued on page 15)

10 MUELLER RECORD from a dream to a reality billion therms of gas each year

One hundred years ago, only 92 families were fortunate enough to have gas stoves on which to prepare meals. The use of gas in home and industry E«? ; was only a dream of the future. Today, that dream is a reality

5 iii& as 29 million customers utilize 66 billion therms of gas each year. < ^;$*Mjjjjjjjjj«$($. rpjie tremendous advance of the gas industry has helped make life in America easier, healthier, more convenient and more enjoyable. For this outstanding progress in service and for the contributions gas companies are making to our high standard living, Mueller Co. pays tribute.

£»«« Serving 29,000,000

Today, through 500,000 miles of underground pipe, 66 billion therms of gas are distributed, unseen and unheard, to over 29 million customers, including two million industries. Gas companies add services for 4,000 new customers each day. American Homes and Industries

The gas industry was founded by William Murdock, ground, to customers in every part of the United States. a British engineer and inventor, who lighted his cot- In 1950, Mueller Co. introduced the No-Bio equip- tage with manufactured gas in 1792. By 1803, he ment line providing the industry with a fast, safe had progressed enough to utilize manufactured gas to method of installing new services and repairing or light an entire factory. revising existing systems. Mains can now be drilled, Following Murdock's success, lighting with manu- tapped and service fittings installed without interrupt- factured gas was adopted in America in 1816, when ing service to other customers and in complete safety, gas lights were used in Rembrandt Peale's museum in without loss of gas. The development of No-Bio Baltimore. This proved so successful that the city greatly facilitated installation of new services by gas contracted with Peale for the manufacture of gas to companies everywhere. light city streets. For each of the 4,000 new customers added to Use of natural gas in America was introduced at their services each day, gas companies must install a Fredonia, New York in 1821 and the first natural gas service line, meter and necessary fittings, with addi- company was organized in that city in 1858. Yet, a tional fittings required for industrial customers. And, year later, there were less than a hundred families in to insure adequate service for rapidly multiplying the entire nation preparing meals on gas stoves. suburban areas and for other growing areas, gas com- Nor was acceptance of gas lighting rapid, as it was panies must also install thousands of miles of new a radical change from popular lighting methods. It mains and laterals with service fittings. As gas service was not until the decade from 1865 to 1875 that the is increased, existing systems will require larger mains use of gas for lighting and cooking began to make and additional facilities to provide increased volumes significant progress. and necessary pressures. By 1920, gas usage had been firmly established. In 1956, revision of existing gas services and in- Then, the technique of welding together lengths of stallation of additional services reached a record cost steel pipe, capable of transmission of gas under pres- of $399,315,000, as total construction expenditures sure, was perfected, permitting bulk transport of gas. topped 1.3 billion dollars. An additional outlay of Today one-half million miles of steel pipe, more than 187 million dollars each year is allocated for main- twice the nation's railroad mileage, carry gas, under- tenance and repair.

1792

Each evening, Gas is utilized for cook- his gas-making apparatus lit Meals prepared on gas stoves ing, heating, refrigerat-' William Murdock's cottage. city lamplighter were a new luxury. made his rounds ing and other purposes. What's ahead for Gas?

U.S. GAS CUSTOMERS U.S. GAS SALES In Thousands In Billions of Therms

35,000

30,000 60

TC TAL JSER K^ 55

25,000 50

20,000 40

Ml ED i MA UFA ;TUR ED 35

\ 15,000 30

• 25 RES DEN1 IAL £•'"' 10,000 20

— NJ vTUR M- -f- 15 INO JSTR AL 4 COM MERC IAL 5,000 to

1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 U53 1954 1955 1956 1946 1947 194S 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956

(1955 i 1956 DATA ESTIMATED)

of about 217 trillion cubic feet of gas, enough for Over one million new customers each year make the about 23 years of consumption at the expected rate future bright for the gas industry. of eight trillion cubic feet next year. Use of natural gas could triple by 1975, accord- But, the rapidly growing market, and the antic- ing to government reports. Industry, with a 154 per ipated increase in usage, places a more probable cent increase in gas usage since 1946, will probably estimate of the present gas reserve as being ade- utilize much more gas in the future, as fuel, tool or quate for 10 to 15 years. Reserves are replenished ingredient. regularly as new wells are brought in. By 1957, domestic usage is expected to increase as The development and expansion that gas com- much as 147 per cent over 1946, with new installa- panies have already undergone to meet the rapidly tions of water heaters, furnaces and other equipment. growing market clearly demonstrates their ability to The gas industry presently has reserve resources handle any needs or problems of the future.

x,A^

MU 1L, SL

Factories at: Decatur, Chattanooga, Los Angeles; In Canada: Mueller,Limited, Sarnia, Ontario 19 revised standards were submit- mous potential for our industry. A New Gas Record ted to the industry for study. Indi- Modern installations are already (Continued from page 10) cation of the widespread interest proving themselves—from shopping in the gas industry's national stand- centers to factories, from homes to gas industry in the minds of Amer- ards was reflected in an all-time hotels and hospitals. Gas air con- ica's home-makers. One hundred high for sales of requirement pub- ditioning must be regarded as an gas utility companies, representing lications. accomplishment of today, not a pro- 15 million meters, participated in Conclusion mise for tomorrow. 1956. The 1957 contest will be held at Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "Growth" is the byword of the The growth picture of the gas gas utility and pipeline industry— industry can be seen in our outlook A. G. A. Laboratories today and for years to come. There for net annual production of nat- More than 5,500 gas appliances is every reason for the greatest ural gas to 221/2 trillion cubic feet and accessories were tested by optimisim regarding the prospects by 1975—more than double the A. G. A. Laboratories for compli- for many millions of additional 1955 net production. Meanwhile, ance with requirements and the satisfied customers of clean, eco- natural gas reserves are expected privilege of displaying the Labora- nomical, reliable, convenient gas to increase steadily, just as they tories Approved Seal or Listing service. The industry will continue have been doing year after year. Symbol. Many of these were ad- to meet the needs of its residential, The gas industry will continue to vanced designs and the majority commercial and industrial custom- provide the best service possible to incorporated major improvements. ers for efficient, up-to-the-minute more than 30 million present cus- Central gas heating appliances, gas appliances and equipment. tomers and to the millions of new which accounted for about half of Gas air conditioning, it should customers to be added in the fu- all appliances tested, featured com- be emphasized, presents an enor- ture. pactness and eye-appeal design. Most of these appliances were also designed for operation at higher static pressure, so that they can Roy Abel Heads Decatur Factories be readily used with add-on cooling units for summer air conditioning. ROY ABEL, WHO joined Muel- Automatic top burner controls ler Co. in December, 1955, as Assis- are available now on practically all tant to O. E. Walker, Vice Presi- ranges. Several manufacturers dent and Works Manager, has been equipped ranges with an oven appointed Decatur Factory Man- thermometer which operates to ager. Mr. Walker, when announcing turn off the gas when food has been the promotion, said Mr. Abel will cooked to the exact degree desired. be in charge of factory operations Operational improvements were at both Plant I and Plant 4. made in automatic gas clothes Before joining the 100-year old dryers, a number of which have in- company, Mr. Abel served as a con- creased their drying speed to insure sultant for Mueller, Limited, a sub- the fact that gas continues to pro- sidiary of Mueller Co. at Sarnia, vide the fastest way of drying Ontario, Canada. clothes. He was graduated from Ohio The continuing high level of re- State University in 1943 with a search activity promises continued degree of Bachelor of Industrial industry progress in the appliance Engineering and joined the Fire- field. Twenty PAR-financed re- stone Tire and Rubber Company search projects, seven of them com- after graduation. He was with Fire- pleted, are under study at the Lab- stone until he entered the Navy as oratories. Major emphasis is 1956 an Ensign during World War II. was on the development of domestic ROY ABEL gas incinerators and commercial Mr. Abel became a field repre- cooking equipment. Eleven research sentative for the James F. Lincoln Engineers, the Institute of Man- bulletins and reports were publish- Arc Welding Foundation of Cleve- agement Science, the Illinois State ed, covering industrial and com- land, Ohio, in October, 1946, and in Chamber of Commerce and the De- mercial gas research, and domestic April, 1947, he was employed as a catur Association of Commerce. gas utilization research. Methods Engineer for the Lincoln The inspection program was ac- Electric Co. in Cleveland. He later celerated by increasing unan- was named an assistant to the Pres- "Lesh go home, now, Joe." nounced visits to manufacturing ident of Wagner Awning and Manu- "Naw, I'm afraid to go home. plants and expansion of fields tests. facturing Co. Wife'll shmeH'ni breath." Eighteen revised appliance and ac- Mr. Abel is a member of the "HoF your breath." cessory standards were adopted and American Institute of Industrial "Can't. Sh'too strong."

JANUARY • 1957 15 EW MARKETS AND a boom equipment were about even with porches. Shipments of the direct in home modernization enabled the the 1955 peak, and the 1,125,000 heating units—designed to heat the gas appliance and equipment indus- unit total for 1956 established gas room or space in which they are try to offset the effect of a drop in as the number one heating fuel in installed—totaled 1,700,000 units, new-home starts during 1956 and the nation's homes. more than 15 per cent above 1955. there are strong indications that Warm air furnaces approximated The increase in direct heating the industry will top its 1956 per- 829,000 units, down slightly from shipments more than offset losses formance in 1957. the record 835,000 shipped in 1955. in vented recessed wall heaters and Manufacturers in some categories Boilers established a new all-time floor furnaces which were adversely equalled or surpassed all-time rec- high of 98,000 units, nearly nine affected by a decline in housing ords established in 1955. For ex- per cent above 1955, while conver- starts in areas where these units ample, manufacturers of automatic sion burners slipped from 209,100 are most popular. Wall heater ship- gas water heaters shipped 2,837,000 units to 198,000. ments were off 15 per cent to 301,- units, 3.2 per cent above the 1955 Continuation of the multi-billion 000 units, and floor furnaces down peak, and they are confident that expansion of the natural gas pipe- 13 per cent to 134,000. gas water heaters will approach or line system during the past year Gas clothes dryers continued to top the three-million mark in 1957. enabled gas utility companies and move ahead strongly to establish It's worth noting that record unit manufacturers in many areas to cut an all-time high, with shipments volume is accompanied by a marked into the backlog of thousands of topping the 450,000 mark for the upgrading in size and quality. Lar- applications for gas house heating first time in history. The clothes ger families, extra bathrooms, auto- that were held up pending com- dryer demand continues to mount, matic washing machines and dish- pletion of expanded transmission and shipments in 1957 will un- washers require more hot water, and distribution facilities. doubtedly set another record some- and these requirements provide a Gas direct heating equipment where beyond the half-million continuing stimulus to the demand benefited substantially from the mark. for bigger and better automatic gas home-modernization trend, particu- Makers of gas incinerators en- water heaters. larly from projects involving the joyed a satisfactory year, and have Shipments of gas central heating addition of rooms or enclosed high hopes for 1957. New and improved models, a growing understanding on the part of municpal officials of the virtures of the gas incinerator, increased interest in incinerator sales by merchandising utility companies, and the acute disposal problems in many communities, all point to a rapid increase in demand. Primed for Progress . . . Shipments of conventional or free-standing gas ranges were about ten per cent below the 1955 total, but shipments exceeded two million units for the tenth consecu- tive year, and a substantial part Industry Miss of the difference was made up in shipments of built-ins which enjoyed an upsurge in sales. I be- by Julius KLEIN lieve the built-ins will provide more than ten per cent of the gas range market in 1957, with built-in ship- President, Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association ments passing the quarter million mark. and The built-ins, which hitherto have been utilized mostly in new homes, are now in greater demand President, Caloric Appliance Corporation for existing homes undergoing kitchen modernization. This demand will be stimulated further in 1957 by such national campaigns as Op- eration Home Improvement and A.C.T.I.O.N.—American Council To Improve Our Neighborhoods. These campaigns are particular- ly important because they encour-

16 MUELLER RECORD age improvement projects which All of the industry's important dealers and manufacturers as well will take up the slack should new past promotion programs will be as A. G. A., GAMA and LPGA in home starts follow the predictions carried on again—the PAR pro- campaigns to sell the advantages of a further decline in 1957. There gram, Old Stove Round-Up, Mrs. of gas to the American homeowner are other important factors which America, New Freedom Kitchen & —city gas or LP-Gas, wherever he provide the basis for optimism Laundry operations—and on a lar- lives. throughout the gas and gas appli- ger scale. In addition, new activities The Unity program is already op- ance industries. will provide sales impact unprece- erating in one form or another in The arrival of natural gas in the dented in our business. eight states and is spreading rap- Pacific Northwest in the latter part Starting in January, the gas in- idly. Newspaper advertising and of 1956 sparked a demand for all dustry will have a top-flight net- highway signs—jointly sponsored types of gas appliances and equip- work television program for the by gas utility companies and LP ment—residential, commercial and first time. Utility companies sub- dealers are being used regularly industrial. Manufacturers, particu- scribed the bulk of more than and effectively. In addition, sales larly those on the west coast, noted $2,250,000 to underwrite this ven- departments are exchanging mar- a quick surge in orders from Port- ture into this powerful medium, ket information and leads to pro- land and Seattle when the pipeline but the support of pipeline com- mote maximum productivity in reached those cities. The demand panies and manufacturers is indica- sales solicitations and follow-ups. for gas service and appliances in the tive of a new spirit of cooperation There are many other examples Northwest will continue to grow as among all segments of the industry of the industry's determination to additional communities are con- that is certain to be reflected in do an adequate promotion job. The nected to the pipeline and as homes sales. Gas equipment Manufacturers Com- and industries convert to gas from Another example of effective co- mittee, a group of gas industry other fuels. operation is the formation of the suppliers who have nothing to sell Continued expansion of trans- Gas Unity Committee and the de- to the general public, are about to mission and distribution facilities, velopment of its program which enter the third year of the GEM in which the gas industry will in- involves utility companies, LP-Gas (Continued on page 22) vest $7 billion in the 1956-1959 period, will bring new or additional MR. JULIUS KLEIN supplies of natural gas into hun- dreds of communities from coast to coast, to insure greater fuel supplies and a constantly growing market for gas appliances and equipment of all kinds. The availability of adequate supplies of the natural fuel, and the re-examination of main extension policies by many utility companies will be of great importance in major new home developments, many of which were deprived of gas service in the past because of the lack of transmission and distribution facilities. I am sure we'll see a great wave of all-gas homes as the result of unprecedented cooperation between gas companies and builders. In other words, whether new home starts increase or decrease, the gas appliance industry will equip an increasing percentage of the new dwellings. Perhaps the most important reason for optimism can be found in the gas industrys' own plans for ex- ploitation of all of its opportunities for service and sales. Critics within the industry have complained for years that it has been under-promoted. That may have been true in the past. It will not be true in 1957.

JANUARY 1957 17 GEORGE BURNS and Gracie Allen use a modern Serve! industry in the position of national prominence already gas refrigerator for their television show, "Burns and achieved. Just about anybody would be interested in Allen", and also have chosen one for their own home. this beautifully-styled Servel gas refrigerator if Vivian The appearance of a gas refrigerator on a TV show Blane, shown right, was the demonstrator. The lovely with the popularity enjoyed by "Burns and Allen" serves star of the M.G.M. musical, "Guys and Dolls", admires to better acquaint the public with gas appliances. It's the convenience and dependability of this modern appli- another step in the direction of keeping the natural gas ance.

FILMDOM'S popular William Holden is shown in the all-gas kitchen set used by cameramen at the A.G.A. Beverly Hills Television Studios. At right, Joseph Cotton and Rhonda Fleming, who star in "A Killer Is Loose", a United Artists release, appear in an all-gas kitchen set especially designed for the movie. 0'N, E OF THE techniques employed by the American Gas Asso- ciation's PAR promotional program is the power of association. In other words, place a famous name and face near a gas product, show it to several million people, and you can be sure a goodly percentage of that number will notice both the famous person and gas appliance as well. Next time you're watching television or seeing a good movie, look closely and, sooner or later, you're bound to find a gas range, gas refrigerator, or other gas product. This doesn't happen by accident. It's all part of a well-laid promotional plan . . . part of the service gas companies receive from the A.G.A. On these two pages are some of the stars recently associated with gas products.

MUELLER RECORD Gas INDUSTRY In The Movies

Movies, television programs use gas

appliances in many shows, thanks

to the A.G.A.'s PAR Promotional Program

A GAS range is a star player in the Bob Cnmmings television show. Boh and Rosemary DeCamp know the beautiful, automatic gas range is a top performer everywhere.

PAUL DOUGLAS and Jan Sterling-, husband and wife industry's message to every corner of the nation. At acting team of Paramount Studios, team up at home to right, Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak build a dream on prepare a family meal on their new, automatic gas this all-gas kitchen set, in a wistful scene from Otto range. Photographs such as this are published in many Preminger's 'The Man With The Golden Arm," a United newspapers and magazines, thereby carrying the gas Artists release.

JANUARY 1957 19 .-.#

J. P. Carver and C. E. Dolhonde, area manager for Shell Pipe Line Corp., in HERE is the Mueller No. 4 SW pipe Houston, Texas, inspect the Mueller No. 4 SW Pipe line stopper equipment line stopper equipment with steel prior to its demonstration at the Texas-Gulf Area Service Center in Houston storage boxes as shown during the on August 31. demonstration. The equipment will

A NEW PIECE of equipment was Line as various models capable of machine will tap a 10-inch line in demonstrated at the Texas-Gulf handling lines up to ten inches in one hour and fifteen minutes, or Area Service Center in Houston, diameter have been used in the a 12-inch line in approximately one August 31. W. D. Crawford, Muel- Areas for a number of years. The hour and thirty minutes. Although ler Co. sales representative, aided machine, which is of newer design the new machine will not tap any in the event which demonstrated and capable of handling higher faster than the older models, the the operation of the Mueller Num- pressures, will supplement our pres- plugging operation is somewhat ber 4SW (10-inch and 12-inch) ent tapping and plugging equip- faster. A line can be tapped and Line Stopper, commonly known in ment. It will also permit us to tap plugged in less than two hours. The Shell as the Mueller tapping and and plug 12-inch lines. new type plug is more dependable plugging machine. Mueller ma- Driven by a pneumatic motor, and safer than the old type rubber chines are not new to Shell Pipe the same as its predecessors, the plugs. The heavy construction of

20 MUELLER RECORD (Reprinted from "The Go-Devil," publication of the Shell Pipe Line Corp. in Houston, Texas). m\m mm \mmmm\\t Shell Pipe Line Corp.'s

L. to r., standing: S. B. Bean, E. H. Pearce, C. L. Fluitt, C. C. Moss, C. E. present tapping and plugging; equip- Dolhoncle, C. P. Wilson, C. E. Slater, W. H. Smith, T. A. Lauderdale. Kneeling, ment and also will permit them to 1. to r.: J. Keer, W. D. Crawford, V. Tipton. Extreme right: V. I. Hooper. tap and plug 12-inch lines.

the new Mueller machine and the Center for use in gathering systems sion Engineer, D. O. Griffith; Area design of the new plugging device and on main lines where pressures Materialman, V. I. Hooper; Area will hold against much higher static can be reduced. Storekeeper, W. L. Knipe; District head pressures than the 75 pounds Shell Pipe Line personnel present Superintendent, W. R. Yates; Dis- per square inch limit for the older at the demonstration included trict Foreman, W. H. Smith; Area models. Texas-Gulf Area Manager, C. E. Corrosion Foreman, D. L. Carter; The new machine which is for Dolhonde; Area Engineer, J. P. Engineer, J. B. Churchwell; Main- use on main lines, will be stored at Carver; Area Training Supervisor, tenance Foreman, C. B. Barker, the Texas-Gulf Area Service Center J. H. Williams; Division Superin- C. L. Fluitt, Jack Kerr, T. A. Lau- in its custom-built steel storage tendents, S. B. Bean, C. E. Slater derdale, C. C. Moss; Utility Truck boxes. The other Mueller equipment and C. P. Wilson; Division En- Driver, V. W. Tipton; and Pipeliner, will also be kept at the Service gineer, R. L. Mendez; Area Corro- E. H. Pearce.

JANUARY • 1957 21 Smokers Lead Causes said the excellent record was com- Carl R. Lawrence For Building Fire Losses mendable, especially in view of the Elected Vice President Only two per cent of the nation's fact that gas consumption increased CARL R. LAWRENCE has been building fires and losses in 1955 8.9 per cent during the same period. elected vice president of the At- were attributed to gas dropping the •x- ->:- -x- lanta Gas Light Company by the the industry from 14th to 16th A. G. A. Selects company's Board of Directors. in the National Fire Protection As- Chicago For 1959 Convention General superintendent of the At- sociation's list of 24 building fire The American Gas Association lanta Operating Department of the causes. has announced the selection of company since 1946, he will con- Gas was listed far below any Chicago as the scene of its 1959 tinue to devote most of his time other fuel, including electricity, convention, with sessions to be held to that activity. In his position as used in home business and industry. October 5-7 at the Conrad Hilton vice president, he will assume new The report showed that careless Hotel. The A. G. A. convention management responsibility. smokers caused seven times as has been held in Chicago six times A native of Ohio, Mr. Lawrence many building fires as gas and gas previously, last in 1949. St. Louis joined Atlanta Gas Light in 1936 appliances. Smokers topped the list will be the site of the 1957 con- as supervisor of the appliance of 24 major causes of building fires. vention, October 7-9 at Kiel Audi- laboratory and employee training. The American Gas Association torium. In 1943 he was made service supervisor. During his ten years as general "Playhouse 90" . . . tional advertiser sought the fran- superintendent, he was greatly res- chise just secured! ponsible for the expansion of gas (Continued from page 7) Co-sponsors are Bristol Myers service in the Atlanta area from and the committee's chairman, Mr. and Singer, alternating in the first 86,222 customers in 1946 to 190,- Trembly, was given the A.G.A. Dis- half-hour; Ronson, which takes the 854 at present. tinguished Service Award for his second half-hour every week, and role in this work. Marlboro cigarettes, which will al- Gas Industry . . . ternate with A.G.A. on the last (Continued from page 17) Authority for the actual sale of a half-hour in a so-called major-mi- program of national consumer ad- program was given to a sub-com- nor relationship. This means that vertising of the seven household mittee headed by Wister H. Ligon, one week the gas industry will get uses of gas. The equipment manu- president of Nashville Gas Co., but two commercials (the major night), facturers plan to increase their ex- before "Playhouse 90" was finally and the next week one commercial. penditures this year to more than chosen the complete Television In effect, gas industry will be seen $300,000. Committee was polled. In addition, and heard weekly. The GAMA domestic gas range the General Promotional Planning division is working out the details Committee was polled. Considerable thought was given to the possibility of a half-hour of a promotion program for the The poll presented three possible program where we would not al- next two years, which is by far programs — "Playhouse 90" and ternate with more than one sponsor. the most ambitious and compre- two half-hour programs. The vote However, the most important fact- hensive cooperative effort ever con- gave an overwhelming margin to ors felt by a great majority of all templated by any appliance or "Playhouse 90." the committees were greater im- equipment division in the industry. Several days later the Television pact, prestige and circulation. Act- These and other promotion pro- Commercials Subcommittee headed ually about the same number of grams, coupled with the public re- by Thomas H. Evans, Equitable commercials occur in any given lations efforts of GAMA, A.G.A. Gas Co., was meeting in New York 90-minute segment in night-time and LPGA, mean that our gas and on tentative commercial plans, and television. gas equipment will be kept con- voted their opinion unanimously in stantly in the minds of all of our favor of "Playhouse 90" as an ideal All participants will receive a series of bulletins on such matters publics. The virtues of gas as a commercial vehicle for the gas fuel and of modern automatic gas industry. as station line-up, commercials, commercial policy, the mechanics appliances as aids to better living The Television Program Subcom- of local cut-ins, and a whole host will be better known during 1957 mittee then met in New York and of promotion suggestions. than ever before. carefully reviewed all the facts We have the finest array of appli- with the A.G.A. agency, Lennen & A major objective will be for the ances and equipment ever offered Newell, Inc., who also endorsed and local sponsoring gas companies to to consumers. We have better fuel recommended "Playhouse 90." This identify themselves with the pro- distribution than ever before. With committee, authorized to make the gram to the extent that in each a zooming population we have the final decision, was polled. Members area "Playhouse 90" will become greatest market in history. And we not present voted by telephone or known as "the gas company show." have the best supported program telegraph. The order was author- With the achievement of this to take advantage of our tremen- ized by a large majority. goal, the gas industry will not only dous potential. Within one hour of the placing be in television, but in the very top Will 1957 be a good year? I don't of the firm order, a very large na- segment of that medium. see how it can miss.

22 MUELLER RECORD Gas Association and the National LP-Gas Council. The committee will develop a national program based on local cooperation of gas utility companies, gas appliance manufacturers and LP-Gas marketers. Successful Your pilot programs are already going on in Wisconsin, Iowa, Oklahoma Leisure I and Florida. These programs are Atlanta Gas Light intended to permit the unified Expansion Is Planned industry to offer the advantage of FOR ITS CURRENT fiscal year gas to American homeowners When it comes to picking up a which began October 1, the Atlan- "wherever they live—on or off the check, some fellows have an impedi- gas mains." ment in their reach. ta Gas Light Company plans to * * * spend a record $8,000,000 for ex- » % * pansion of service throughout the Marjorie Chandler Heads A. G. A. Service Committee "Well, you can't say I made any fifty communities it serves. noise coming in last night." R. G. Taber, president of the MARJORIE T. CHANDLER, "No, but the men carrying you company, said the forecast for in- home service director of the Con- did." sumers' Gas Company of Toronto, crease in customers is 23,000 with * t # growth anticipated in every com- Canada, has been named chairman of the American Gas Association's Scotch politician (tendering a munity. This would be about a lighted cigar): "Take a wee puff seven per cent growth and would Home Service Committee. The ap- pointment was announced by W. D. laddie and give me your vote on bring total customers to nearly education day." 330,000. Natural gas is expected to Williams, chairman of the A. G. A. be extended to six towns in the Residential Gas Section and vice if « » area before next heating season president of the New Jersey Two hunters had been out in the begins. Work is scheduled to be- Natural Gas Company. woods for several hours and one of gin this spring. Committee projects for 1957 in- them had been growing uneasy. The most important single piece clude the annual A. G. A. Home Finally panic overcame him. "We're of construction to be completed Service Workshop February 4-6 at lost!" he cried to his companion. during the year will be the two Toronto, with the Consumers' Gas "What on earth are we going to million dollar propane-air plant Company as host, and revision of do?" near Atlanta. It will have a stor- "Home Calls," the Home Service "Take it easy," said his composed training booklet. friend. "Shoot an extra deer and the age capacity of nearly one and a * * -X- third million gallons which will game warden will be here in a min- be stored at minus 46 degrees Fah- Gas Utility Customers ute and a half." renheit. Reach Thirty Million A small propane plant at Rome SOMEWHERE IN THE United Seeing ourselve* Is as* others see and enlargements or improvements States on Tuesday, December 11, us wouldn't do much good. We in existing facilities are also the gas utility industry connected wouldn't believe it. planned. with its thirty millionth customer, * * * the American Gas Association has Third - grader'* »s definitioft n of a Jack Mikula Heads announced. Although the location reindeer: "Horse with a TV anten- of this customer cannot be pin- na." Gas Unity Drive pointed, the A. G. A. said the in- JACK H. MIKULA, general sales dustry now provides natural gas manager of the Milwaukee Gas service in 45 states and the Dis- If you see* goodI in everybody* , you Light Co., has been elected chair- trict of Columbia, with Idaho to may be an optimist — and then man of the Gas Unity Committee, be added shortly. Manufactured again, you may be nuts. a newly formed group which for the gas service is available in the other I * I first time brings fuel suppliers and two states—Maine and Vermont. A drunk tried several times to equipment producers together in a The achievement of the thirty navigate a revolving door but final- unified promotion program. millionth customer milestone rep- ly gave up and leaned against a The committee will foster pro- resents doubling of customers lamp post. Along came a man and motional efforts for gas and gas served in less than two and a half walked into the door. As it revolved appliances and equipment both on decades. In 1932, the industry the other side revealed a pretty and beyond utility gas mains. It served only fifteen and a half mil- girl stepping from it. The drunk is made up of representatives of lion customers. looked intently at her and re- the American Gas Association, the •X- -X- * marked: "It's a good trick, but I Gas Appliance Manufacturers Asso- Bookie: A pickpocket who lets still don' shee wha' that guy did ciation, the Liquefied Petroleum you use your own hands. with hish clothes."

JANUARY • 1957 23 Allie T. Brooks Is Named Gas Man of Year

The Southeastern Gas Associa- tion has named Allie T. Brooks as the 1956 Gas Man of the Year. He is supervisor of gas leak repair for the Department of Public Utili- ties, Richmond, Virginia. In a tribute to Mr. Brooks, the Association wrote the following: "Allie T. Brooks was born in Richmond, Virginia on the 28th of VISITING at the September, 1956, Southeastern Gas Association meeting November, 1888, and joined the in Raleigh, North Carolina, are, left to right, Richard C. Sponsler, Mueller City service twenty-one years later Co. sales representative; E. S. Futrell, superintendent, water and gas depart- as a driver of a team of horses. ments, Richmond, Virginia; Allie T. Brooks of Richmond, named the 1956 Gas Man of the Year by the Association; Stuart Beal, gas engineer, Richmond; Since that time he has steadily ad- and A. D. Parks, Mueller Co. Southeast sales manager. vanced through the ranks of a gas distribution division of the Depart- ment of Public Utilities, City of Richmond, Va., and now holds the Safety Record Improved position of supervisor of gas leak repair. GAS INDUSTRY companies re- by the American Gas Association "Allie has probably located and duced their motor transportation were: repaired more gas leaks than any accident rate 14 per cent during GAS UTILITY (Very Large other man in the utility department. the past year, the American Gas Group)—1, Columbia Gas System, However, his greatest value to the Association reported in announcing Inc., (Pittsburgh Group); 2, Colum- gas utility is his uncanny ability to 15 awards won by the industry in bia Gas System, Inc., (Columbus determine the cause of the gas the 25th annual National Fleet Group); 3, Milwaukee Gas Light leak prior to excavation. This en- Safety Contest conducted by the Co., Milwaukee, Wis. ables the Department to stop leaks National Safety Council. This 14 GAS UTILITY (Large Group)— more promptly and saves thousands per cent reduction was one of the 1, Pioneer Natural Gas Co., Amaril- of dollars in unnecessary excava- best achievements in the contest's lo, Texas; 2, Kentucky West Vir- tion costs. His work is as good as a truck division, which had an acci- ginia Gas Co., Ashland, Ky.; 3, written guarantee. dent rate 26 per cent higher than Houston Natural Gas Co., Houston, for the previous 12 months. Texas. "He is respected not only for his An accident frequency rate of GAS UTILITY (Medium Group) ability but also for his fine spirit of only 1.58 per 100,000 miles of oper- —1, Wisconsin Power and Light cooperation and his intense desire ation was credited to the gas indus- Co., Madison, Wis; 2, Godfrey L. to do a superior job. Throughout try contestants with total oper- Cabot, Inc., Appalachian Division; his many years of service he has ations of 291 million miles between 3, Gas Division—Water, Gas and never failed to answer a call or re- July, 1955 and June, 1956. The Sewage Treatment Department, quest made of him. He also responds rate for 1954-55 was 1.84. Duluth, Minn. cheerfully and willingly regardless The gas industry figure of 1.58 GAS UTILITY (Small Group)— of the hour. Needless to say many was exactly the same as the over- 1, Concord Natural Gas Corp., Con- of these calls fall on Sundays, holi- all rate of the contest, which in- cord, N. H.; 2, Elizabeth & Subur- days and in the wee small hours cluded more than 1,800 fleets whose ban Gas Co., Elizabeth City, N. C.; of the night. 229,000 vehicles operated 4,867,- 3, The River Gas Co., Marietta, "For the past 46 years Allie has 000,000 miles. The national average Ohio. been serving faithfully and consci- was 10 per cent higher than in GAS TRANSMISSION SYSTEM entiously in many capacities. The 1954-55, principally due to the in- GROUP—1, Alabama - Tennessee Department of Public Utilities will clusion of new fleets with higher Natural Gas Co., Florence, Ala.; also be grateful to him for his out- accident rates. 2, Lone Star Gas Co., Transmission standing contributions to the rapid- Award winners in the Gas Indus- Division; 3, Southern Natural Gas ly developing gas distribution sys- try Division competition sponsored Co., Birmingham, Ala. tem."

24 MUELLER RECORD