Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-06-17
FIRST STREET LIGHTS


las - t@e 9.uuo2.
LlNSg0Io $50 LANTERNS.
These Were SO Preeurssr= Ct n. Brill
tiane thssc@- i.rrrs of TeS~y The
Tax ca Csimrs.a THAT Gave New
orissns IL Tirat Public L7r,p=.
To one UelSiny abroad Al, night in
New Yori, or ans other American city.
~ eersiny I 'ghways made MS light as
day BIZ artificial illumination. L seems
bS- 3If IA realms CT DE pos l3!e to
believe thst only Within tho last hun
drci years street lighting hiss come
iato ge@ cl&l i.se and that no; until the
Introduction OF gas has Il been en- owed
on an extensive scale AMI Sufficient
light leon detained TO make outdoor
wal-ilg after dark anything but dis
Agreeable experience. Yet such are the
Facts. The "ge OF light In city iUuni-
nation bcg 80 practically at thc same
tine that tie a.c of light IN popular
governmea; Jawncd-with the Ameri-
can Revolution.
At first g.ance there is apparently
no connection between popular gov
ernmcat ana street lighting. but close
reading of history shows the relation
to have been iaam1:c. The American
Revolution gave freedom to the com
mon people and made all men equal
befoie The law Before that era priv.
legged classes held sway. and The com
moa people were deprived OF many
RIGHTS. Among them was the right 10
waiS the streets NJ night when cur.
icw rang al except the privileged
classes were obliged 20 stay indoors.
ana as the privileged always had plen-
- or slaves or other servants TO carry
torches or lanterns for them when
they were called abroad at night the
need for street lighting was not felt.
at least by the ruling classes. The de-
mand for street lighting was met first
10y lanterns burning talow candles.
then 10y lamps fed with fish or vegeta.
bic oils. These gave place 10 kerosene
oil lamps on the discovery OF petro!e-
ma. and they in turn 90 gas.
The history OF the United States
shows that In only n few OF the large
cities was any attempt made 10 light
the streets prior TO the Revolution IN
New. York. Boston and PHILADELPHIA
Few open flame oil lamps were main.
tained AT the publis expense in the
principal thoroughfarcs bur IN the
majority of towns and in the cities ouf.
side Of the principal streets niaht way
off fsar. 4
their way lighted by linkboys bearing
torches. New Orleans. one OF the old.
est cities in America. depended upon
lanterns and linkboys cntlrelv until
1872. when the Spanish governor
Baron Carondelet inauguratel &. crude
system of street lighting. Louisiana
1t win be remembered, was SIN y
Spanish province when the United
States gained its indeperden, q and did
not come into the Union tin some years
later. y writer in the New Orleans
Picayune recalls the interesting fact
or Carondelcts innovation in that cirv
One Of the new governors first sur. |
gestionS TO the cabildo. or council was |
to provide street lamps and watchmea
tho police of those days-to protect
the lives OF citizens venturlng ont after
nightfall. The suggestion was apnrov. |
ed. but the question of raising money
TO pay for the lamps and Oh and tbe /
wages Of the watchmen proved = seri.
Gus problem. The yearly revenue of /
the city OF New Orleans in those DAYS /
did not exceed $1,000. ana none of I, |
could be spared for such = luxury rs /
street lighting. Baron Carondelct how.
ever. proved himself q financier as veu
as progressive governor. He d.oiaad /
that every householder who could af.
FORD chimney on his house could az
ford to pay something toward LIGHTING
the streets. At his suggestion the cabil.
do levied tax Of SLIP. i on every chin.
ney III the city, and this supplied the
FUNDS which gave the Louisiana mo.
tropoiis its first street lamps.
This system of street lighting pravou-
ed in New Orleans and other american
clties Tar into the nineteenth centurv
many men now living can recall tho
OF the old oil lamD DAYS
ana In some villages to this dav oil ~
gasoline lamps arc as vet the only
means Of street lighting. II has been
S-'St tAsAA IA our tltNDlll Ton 4
airy sires could revisit this countrv -.
uay they would be frightened at orr
Dig Cities tall buildings, the steam en-
ghe, telegraph, telephone and other
modern Inventions Ii is doubtfuI
the turning OF night into dav
oy modern methods of street lighting
would not Impress them more. No
sharper contrast could be provided than
lhe dark, rogue infested lane known
as the Broad Way in Washington,s
liDle and the gorgeous glitter of the
same thoroughfare today in that nart !
known as the Great White WAY.
instead of inky darkness. y gIaro
brighter than MONDAY; instead of mar !
70" iootpaths and muddy highway
'.oad stone promenades and smooth ne.
lIait payements; instead of the sedan
mar ana its linkboys, the automobIIo
qua It's searchlight; instead Of the Lone \
y Waterman with his solemn ..AIrs
Neii' throngs of gayly dressed. merry
men ana women seeking the theaters
'nu restaurants. 1t would indeed an. \
pear IKE another world TO the men
lsed to lanterns, wax candles and Tho
;urfew- Gas Logic.
Smallest Mar,rn,t.