49

at all times, to instruct their employees how to operate
industrial appliances most efficiently and economically.

As a matter of advertising, it is the Company's prac¬
tice, when opportunity offers, to lend gas-fired boilers,
and other gas-appliances, to exhibitors, to be used in
connection with their displays at exhibitions of various
kinds, as for example the Chemical, Drug and Marino
Shows, and others recently held in the Grand Central
Palace.

Practical demonstrations have been continued in the
industrial gas-appliance display department in the Gen¬
eral Office building, where manufacturers are encouraged
to bring their raw materials and where, under their di¬
rection, these materials are converted into the finished
product.

There has been a growing demand on the part of the
public for gas-ranges trimmed with white enamel. Dur¬
ing 1923, a new Peerless range, called the "Box Cabinet
Range", was developed for sale and rental purposes.
This range having doors equipped with enameled panels
and an enameled broiler-pan and burner-tray, will be
available to the public in 1924. It is expected that this
improvement will materially increase the installation of
the various types of cabinet ranges in new buildings.

During the year 1923, 136 inspectors made 464,412
inspections of gas-appliances, including lighting units
and burners, in the homes of our customers.

On December 31,1923, the Consolidated Company and
its affiliated gas companies had on rental to consumers
514,214 cooking appliances of various types, an increase
of 7,394 in the number in use on December 31, 1922.