The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1903-10-08
SPOKANE GAS COMPANY.

Within recent years gas lighting and
heating has proved one of the greatest
booms enjoyed by civilized humanity.
No industry that can be named has
had steadier or more abundant sue
cess. This success has been due to
two main causes, the inherent utility
Dnd value of the invention and the
skill, probaty and business capacity
cf those who have taken a leading part
in IT'D improvement.
Gas was first distilled from coal as
early as A. d. 1888, and conveyed in
pipes in the year 1850, and first used
for lighting purposes in 1892. Who,
made the first discoveries in gas is
not definitely known, but to William
Murdoch, who lived in the later part
of the eighteenth century, is due the
most honor for its practical application
to heating and Lighting purposes and
Tor many improvements in its manufac-
ture. Since then the progress which
has been made in it's manufacture has
been little less than marvellous, and as
its management improved it came to
be universally recognized as not only
cheaper and safer, but vastly superior
in lighting power, cleanliness and
hardness than anything as yet discov-
cred. The incandescent system in
vented by DIR. Auer Welsbach has ere.
ated a veritable revolution in domestic
Lighting and has revolutionized the
lighting of streets. Not only is gas
economical by its use, but the illumi-
mating power of the light is increased
800 per cent. AS it gives a softer and
seeadier light and approaches much
nearer to the natural daylight, it is
much more preferable than electricity
The use of gas for cooking and heat.
ing purposes has made vast strides in
the last few years and gas for cooking
is no longer a luxury but necessity.
Its innovation in domestic life has been
due to its availability. efficiency,
cleanliness and economy. The fact that
the fire is always ready for the light
ing and the desired heat obtained inn
mediately and easily regulated, without
dust, smoke or explosions has made it
desirable under almost all conditions.
No large indsutry has played more
important part in the upbuilding of our
WY Hoi uOHc UlOIt loT tuC
comforts of its homes, than the Spo.
kane Gas company. 1t was first in
corporated on August u, 1887, as the
Spokane Falls Gas Light company and
commenced with about 100 consumers
along four or five miles of mains and
a gas holder with a capacity of 10000
cubic feet. Mains of various sizes now
extend TO all parts of the city, aggre-
eating about % miles in length, and
an additional holder of 10000 cubic
feet capacity has been installed. The
works have practically been rebuilt and
now have a manufacturing capacity
of 2500O0 cubic feet per day. The
franchise permitted the company to
charge 80 per 1000 cubic feet of gas
They set $3.50 per thousand as their
price and this has since been reduced
to $l.50 per thousand. There are near
ly 1000 gas cooking ranges In use in
Spokane beside the enormous use of
gas for lighting and power purposes.
The plant was purchased and reor-
gained this year by the present own
ers, the Spokane Gas company, who
are contemplating an outlay of about
$25O,000 in improvements to their sys-
tenn in this city, among which would
be gas holder of 100000 cubic feet
capacity, an elevated platform for the
dumpage Of cars loaded with coal, and
an enlargement and extension of their
mains. The management of the COM
pany is vested in w. A. Aldrich, who
has had charge for number of years
with the old company as well as the
new. He is an energetic, capable and
publie-s spirited business man, whose eff
forts successfully reduced the cost of
$3.50 TO $3.50 per thousand. 1t is his
avowed ambition to give Spokane 81
gas. He is known to be one of the
best posted gas men in the northwest.
and had the honor of being elected
president of the Pacific Coast Gas as
ISOLATION at the convention held in San
Francisco in July last.