Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-22
THE EARLY DAYS OF GAS.
Experiments Made Forty Years Ago al
the Capitol.

A LANTERN RAISED UPON THE CAPITOL BUILD
ING TO LIGHT THE SURROUNDING GROUNDS
HOW GAS WAS FIRST INTRODUCED INTO THE
CAPITOL BUILDING AND WHITE HOUSE
A venerable looking gentleman with an in
telligent face, full beard, very white, and a
bundle of papers under his arm, has been
diligent attendant upon the gas investigating
committee of the Senate. This old gentleman
is Mr.. James Crutchett who first introduced
gas in Washington as an illuminating power.
Forty years ago he resided in the cottage which
stands on the top of the embankment at the
corner of and North Capitol streets. In the
course of experiments entered into to please
himself and crafty an active mind, he con-
structed works on his premises for the manu-
facture of gas after method of his own inven-
tion he proposed to Congress to light the
Capitol building with gas instead OF wax can
dies then in use, and permission to do was
finally given him He ran pipes from his works
into the Capitol and. illuminated the hall OF the
House and the Senate chamber by q single
light in each. large burner, or group of
burners giving a light of from z, 800 to 1000
candle power, was located in the center of the
| sky-light overhead and it afforded ali the tilu-
minatfon needed.
A LANTERN ABOVE THE DOME.
Mr.. Crutchett exhibited to a STAR reporter q
photograph of the Capitol as it appeared lust
after he had raised a huge lantern above the
dome for the purpose of lighting the grounds.
The building looked small and insignificant in
comparison with its present proportions and
almost dense thicket OF forest trees then SUR
bands of mourning as at the time the picture
was taken, the body OF John Quincy Adams
was lying in state in the rotunda The photo
graph is copy from an old daguerreotype, as
the art of photography was not then known.
The inside OF the Capitol had been Illuminated
for lighting the grounds was hoisted.
The Saturday Erening NeWs, of August 14th.
1917, contained an article announcing that
Ia ,t6rrn
ton OF Mr.. Crutchett the inventor of solar gas
by Buckingham" "a well-known blacksmith),
would be lighted the following week. The Lam
tern was hoiSted on a mast towering about $50
feet above the dome. This mast was secured by
heavy iron braces.
The lantern was sur.nounted by ball and
weather vane. With the glass In the lantern it
weighed about 500 pounds 1t contained large
burners, and Mr.. Crutchett says that when
lighted 1t Illuminated not only the entire Capi-
toll grounds but all the higher portions of the
city.
BIRDS LURED BY THE LIGHT.
"The Capitol police" he added, used to 20
up to the roof early every morning tor the pur-
pose of getting the game which, attracted and
blinded by the powerful light, would fly against
the lantern aud fall helpless. They would find
s snscs W vi wS ducks and other
The old lantern is now among the curiosities
collected in the National Museum. The copper
also preserved there, and it shows the marks of
the lightning's wrath expended upon it. There
are nVe hOles In IL, made by the lightnings
heat.
A joint resolution authorized the clerk OF the
House and secretary of the Senate to contract
with Mr.. Crutchett for lighting the Capitol and
grounds and appropriated $17, 800 to defray
the expense.
Meantime, as stated Mr.. Crutchett had been
lighting the inside of the Capitol with gas car
ried from his own works, without compensation,
tor the purpose of demonstrating the superb
GRITTY of gas over candles With this appropria-
ton gas works, exclusively for the Capitol
were constructed near the northwestern corner
of the building. These works supplied the Capt.
toi with gas for some years until the Washing
ton Gas Company prevailed upon Congress 10
purchase its product.
LIGHTING THE WHITE HOUSE.
After lighting the halls of Congress, Mr..
Crutchett obtained permission from President
and Mrs. Polk to light the White House. He
extended pipes from the Capitol to the Execu.
tive Mansion and carried the first gas into that
building. He made his gas from grease or oil
and oxygen. In order to cheaper Its cost he
made an oil from the refuse of pine trees Mr.
Crutchett is very confident of the future OF his
invention OF water gas and claims that
| it can be made OF a quality and power far supe-
rior TO coal gas at q trifling cost