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Era of Gas Lamps Nearing Close
By J.T. Whittlesey

Gas lamp on the southwest corner of 17th and Capp streets in the Mission District Many streets in the older sections of the city are still lighted or rather spotted with gas lamps, which were considered good lighting in the last generation but are now so far out of date that no progressive city can longer tolerate them.

They do serve to show the belated home-comer and the zig-zagging automobilist where the curb line is, but they have been condemned by the street lighting committee of the Board of Supervisors and soon will be only a dim memory.

The remaining 4300 gas lamps in the city are to be replaced with approximately 1900 electric lamps, which will result in a considerable improvement in the lighting of many hundreds of blocks in the old and fully built up areas of the city.

The total candle power of the lights will be increased from 250,000 to 650,000, but the actual illumination will be fully four times the present amount and at the same time will result in a saving of $25,000 a year to the tax payer.

The city has been divided into twenty sections, covering all streets lighted by gas and the change will be completed section by section in accordance with an orderly program. The work has already been started and it is expected that the Pacific Gas and Electric company will be able to finish the job in a year's time. The last gas lamp in San Francisco will be turned out and smashed to bits with appropriate ceremonies on New Year's day, 1929

The Municipal Employee
November 1927


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