The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-31
Promises u Similar Transforms
tiOn for the City
From the Smoky, SOoty Sky Of
the Past Years
And Dull Times to Pure air and
Prosperity.
An Occasion Unprecedented in thu
Clty's Annals.

AL OSSAoAuh ShphSCSNOhtSN ia thO
Clty's Annals.
Such a crowd was never before wit
messed in Wheeling as gathered last night
to witness the lighting OF the natural gas
for the first time. On tho corner OF Four.
teenth and Market streets q stand pips
ninety.ivs feet in height had been erected,
and at tho base OF it Commodious plat.
form in the form ol a square, reaching
westward on Fourteenth and northward
on Market street along the outer edge oil
the sidewalk, accommodated the speakers,
band aud distinguished citizens,
Almost simultaneously, at s o'clock, the
gas was ignitod at this corner aud from
similar stand pipes not quite so high at
the corner OF Main and Eighth streets, at
the Crescent, at Hobbs, BrockuniOr & Co.'s
glass works, and in Bellaire, Bridgeport,
Esnaville and Martins Ferry. Tho gas
was turned on at that time, and as 1t es.
capped from perforations the top OF the
pipe, the gas was ignited by balls shot
from Roman candles. AS the flames
sprang up the murky sky reflected the
rays, and II seemed as II the whole valley
we're one glow OF fire. The reflection from
the different pipes was visible oil over
town, and the sight viewed from com.
mauding position on the hill was striking
and beautiful.
A VAST CROWD.
Long before the gas was turned on at
the central stand pipe the people had be-
gun to congregate in thousands on the
streets about the locality, and the win.
dows which afforded View OF the place
were packed With heads.
Across EoutIeenth street from the COM
pany's office In the Reilly block to the.
Pacific flour mill was stretched a canvass
bearing the inscription:
WHEELING NATURAL GAS COMPANY.
WiltaH Finn, FrsShisHL H. Il.
Williams, Secretary, T., y.
AcLhan, Treuturer
A similar Btreamer across Market street
from the Office to Germania hall, bore the
words:
MANUFACTURERS GAS COMPANY.
Charles W. Brocknnier, President.
DIRECTORS:
n. &. Whitaker, G. J.
RdwLing, o. Russell
Hubbard.
In addition 10 the big jet OF gas at tho
mouth OF the pipe, three side arms with
four jets each, and round light had been
arranged at q convenient height above
the platform TO illuminate it. The light
furnished by this arrangement and the
great volume Of gas at the top was won.
derful. Tho buildings for half a square
in all directions were as brightly lighted
as II in the broad sun Of noon.
The congregation Of people momentar.
lily increased, until by eight o'clock Four
teonth street was dense jam OF human
forms for moro than square, the crowd
packing the space from wall to wall clear
beyond Chaplinc street. On Market the
people reached along the sidewalks 10
Sixteenth street, and above 10 Twelfth,
while the space at tho intersection Of the
two streets was as tightly wedged with
people as box with ssrdines. II was
| literally crush OF humanity for six
squares. The crowd, as usual, was var.
iouRly estimated. A conservative guess Is
10000 people.
Besides those on the streets, the various
rooms In the Reilly block were packed !;
the hundreds OF windows in Pollock's
flour mill were taken advantage OF the
Public Library was invaded by hundreds
OF ladies', not q tenth otwhom could get
to a window; Germania and MnnnerChor
halls were occupied, and all the offices,
stores aud houses for half square were
given over to curious spectators.
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS.
On the platform, when the gas lighted
up the scsne-haylng been iguited by a
Roman candle discharged by Miss Shirley
Brockunier, daughter Of President O. W,
Brockunior, who occupied aposition In q
window In the Knights Of st, George hall
were noticed, ID addition to Mayor
Grub, Mr.. BroCkunier, Mr.. Finn, Mr.
Williams, MIR. Whitaker, Mr.. o. K. Hub.
bard and Captain Rawling, the following
prominent gentlemen: II. j. Gorley,
President OF the Select Council City En-.
VineOr L. NJ, Bigelow, J. NJ. Gudy, 7. II,
Given, r. q. Elliott, +. A. Gillespie, shel.
don Riley, Of the National tube works,
Chas. S. Howell, OF the Pittsburgh Leader,
II. L. MCCanCe, Frank Shannon, O. BraCk.
ney and Captain @. W. Bachelor, prOsI.
dent OF the Natural Gas Company OF
West Virginia, all Of Pittsburgh; Judge
r, II. Cochran, Of Toledo, Ohio; Col
Thomas O'Btien, Vice President Of tho
West Virginia Company; Prof., |. Q,
White, the GeologlSt Of the West Virginia
University at Morgantownj II, .. White,
Of Dsllton; Hon. O. D. Hubbard, Messts,
Thomas y Lewis, o. X. BehleF, j. u,
Taney, NJ. A. Chew, o. y. Hart, .. H.
Tracy, Col. Robert White, John MolIat, j..
A. Iafis, Capt. Grubb, Councilman HAr.
rell, W. Il. Peterson, W. H. Heatne, A. O.
ESerter, II, q, Bari Louis Delbrugge,
Hulllhen QuarrlBr, Councilman GlllelAnd,
u. ShRnley, A, u. caldwell, John Wagner,
and perhaps a. many others 0t equal
pfol1inenCe.
iRRErRESsiBLE ENTHUSIASM.
About half an hOur before the time cot
for turning on tho gas the Opera House
band arrived on the scene, and taking up
its position In front Of the Opera House
entrance, enteftalnudths people with some
choice, lively music. Several Of those In
The crowd had come prepared 10 assist IN
giving a vent 10 the enthusiasm Of the
populACe, and between this time and 8
o'clock thOre was a constant blaGe ol
Roman candles, red Ore, sky rockets and
other pyfoteChniCs. Several houses neat
we're illuminated. Had the gas been co.
Gaping anywhere there would have besn
a premature illumination, u not q con.
] tCoainusd on Fourth PagGl