The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-01-26
DIR GAS WORKs.
:. NJ. FoRDE, clerk

Light company,
The illumination Of Emporia by gas
light this evening will signalize the conn.,
pletion of one of the most valuable i'm
proyemsnts which has ever been made
in our beautiful and enterprising town.
The great convenience of gas as q medi-
UNI of light, its safety and cleanline IS
as compared with kerosene renders it
almost necessity In every well.regula-
ted household, and the alacrity with
which our citizens have made provision
for its use attests their appreciation Of
the enterprise which has added SO ma
terially TO the desirability of Emporia
as place Of residence.
In connection with the completion of
the gas works, the following briet his
tory of the project will be of interest;
The Emporia Electric and Gas Light
company, with capital stock Of 325,.
900, shares of $25 each, filed its charter
with the secretary of state on the 25th
OF February, 1881, the following gentle
men being the original incorpOrators
E. p. Bruner, E. w. Cunningham, j. d.
Grifith, w. s. Jay and L. L. Halleck.
On the Cd of May, 1881, an ordinance
was passed by the city council and ap.
proved by the mayor granting the fran
chise to erect and maintain gas works
in Emporia. In the meantime the CAPT
tai stock of the company was increased
to $4,000, books for subscriptions
to stock were opened, and in a very
short time ali the shares were taken.
On the 18Th of August, 1881, w. T.
SOden, J. NJ. Griffith, :. B. Warren. H
Dunlap and E. W. Cunningham were
elected directors of the company, aud al
subsequent meeting, held two days
later, the board organized by electing
the following officers: w. T. Soden
president; f. W. Cunningham, vice
president; ]. N. Griffith. secretary; H
Dunlap, treasurer.
A correspondence was forthwith in
stituied with different gas men through
out the country with view to securing
a suitable party TO construct the prOpos
ed works, and on the Gath of September
a contract was entered into between the
company and ]. s. Bull. of Cortland
New York, by the terms of which the
latter agreed to erect 8
building 50x30 feet, furnish
the necessary machinery. construct q
tank and holder and lay three miles Of
pipe for the consideration of 5000
The work was commenced on the 10th
Of October. and has been pushed with
such energy and dispatch that what il
ordinarily require six months TO &C
complish has been done in little more
than half that time. and this at no ex
pense in quality Of any feature Of the
works, which, throughout, are so thor
Oughly aud substantially constructed al
to have merited the verdict at the hands
Of competent gas men that they will
compare favorably in point of excellence
with any west of the Mississippi river,
The bench is furnished with six re.
torts, the producing capacity Of which
is 10000 cubic feet of gas &
day. By very little addition
al outlay facilities can be
provided for the manufacture Of three
times that amount, and a supply pro-
duced which would be adequate to the
demands Of city with q population OF
p, 600 or $4,000. The holder is 80 feet in
diameter and 16 feet deep, and has a CO.
pacity Of $1,000 cIbic feet. The ma
chinery was manufactured in Philadel-
phia and is Of the most superior quality
and design. There are twenty-elght gas
posts on the different streets, all OF
which are surmounted by boulevard
lamps, the beauty of which has invited
general comment.
The company has sought TO build,
not for day. but for all time. and in this
endeavor they have met with the hearty
co-opeEation.o of Mr.. Bull, the efficient and
gentlemaniy contractor, who has spared
neither pains nor expense in carrying
out 10 the letter the terms of his com
pact, end whose general department
during his stay in this city, has beer
such as TO win the regard and esteem oil
all with whom he has been associated
His main assistant has been his brother
c. s. Bull, who has done much to aid
the early completion Of the works, and
has also made many friends IN Emporia
We heartily congratulate the company
and our citizens upon the auspiciou:
contamination of an enterprise which
reflects such credit upon the enterprise
Of Emporia, and which has added new
attraction to the most promising town
in Kansas.