Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-01-09
NATURAL GAS IN CLEVELAND
It Comes from the big Wells in
West Virginia 200 Mil S Away

West Virginia 200 Mil Away
Natural gas was formerly intro
duced In Cleveland last evening
Saturday. January 81 at 6:3o
O'Clock.
True, the occasion was only
standpipe illumination, which
lasted for about two hours. but the
event was nevertheless full of sig.
nificauce, for, as Mr.. Richardson,
superintendent of the East Ohio
Gas company, remarked, it meant
that natural gas had actually ar
rivedin Cleveland. and that with
In few days, say by Monday or
Tuesday, 1900 Cleveland homes
will be supplied with the gas. The
action of last night, In fact, practi-
cally turns on the gas In Cleveland
At s o'clock last evening the gas
was turned through the gate at
Barberton, near Akron, about 80
miles from Cleveland A stand
pipe had been erected at the corner
of Fleet and Petrie streets and here
a group Of the company's officers
and employees watched and waited
apxiously for the coming of the
gas. A srandpipe, 1t may be stated.
Is mere y a perpendicular pipe used
to tap the main, which, of course,
lies In a horizontal position under
ground
The little group OF watchers had
what seemed to them discouIag
ingly long time to wait, and they
had begun to wonder if anything
had occurred to upset their calcu
lations when, at about $50 o'clock,
they at last heard the welcome
sound which announced that the
gas had made Its long journey, and
had arrived safely In the Forest
city. 1t was long In coming, but
when 1t did come 1t was with ven
geance. 1t would have meant fiery
death for man to attempt to light
1t close at hand and so other means
had to be resorted to.
Mr.. Richardson had prepared
himself for the emergency and had
come armed with supply of Ro.
man candles. AS SOON as he knew
the gas had arrived be took up his
position at safe distance, ignited
a candle and blszed away at the
top of the standpipe The night
was dark and 1t was no easy matter
to aim straight. After several at
tempts one Of the fiery balls took
eff ct, and ignited the gas, which
shot heavenward In an immense
fame 1t was brilliant and beau
tirul sight. From out the end OF
the four inch standpipe, which rose
80 feet high, there leaped a huge
jet of fame, 20 or rs feet In height,
which suddenly Illuminated the
landscape with Its yellow glare.
The fame not only Illuminated
the houses and streets In its i'm
mediate vicinity but 1t even sent
Its light out into the surrounding
country, and lit it up for three
quarters of a mile round about.
Warned by previous disappoint-
ments the company had not an
nounced their plan, fearing that
something might occur to upset
their calculations. Hence, there
were but few persons to salute the
coming of the gas, but it was no.
long before men and women and
ch. ldren from all the streets within
sight OF the fame came pouring to
the corner Of Fleet and Petrie
streets to learn the cause OF this
un wonted illumination. Many I'm
agined that great fire had broken
out and were surprised to see no
engine Fastening to the scene, but
the officers of the company had
prudently notified the fire depart
ment of their plan. Had they not
done so there would have undoubt.
eddy been another false alarm" on
the departments records. In an
hour after the lighting of the gas at
the standpipe over a thousand peo-
pie gathered to watch the sight. 1t
vas allowed to burn until $3.50
o'clock and was then turned of.
Superintendent Richardson was |
pleased over the successful illumin
alton. "Tbe gas has come at last"
he said. "You know 1t has long
journey, all the way from Wetzel
and Tyler county, West Virginia. a
distance of about 2uo miles; We
have had hard work and we still !