The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-08-05
MOUNTAIN CITY IS NOW
BURNING NATURAL CAS-
A Spectacular Demonstration Here
Saturday Evening.

Last Saturday evening. as was an
nounced by the local officials of the
Northern Natural Gas Company through
the medium Of the press and also by in
yitations issued by the company, Oak
land witnessed spectacular demon
Stration Of the power of natural gas as
an illuminant.
For the purpose of the demonstration
a large pipe was laid from the gas main
on Third street to point near the top
of the hill below the old court house.
Here standpipe some fifty feet high
was erected and on the top was placed
a ''T'' with the ends open so that at
the proper time the gas could escape
and be fired. At eight O'Clock the
Mountain City Band went to the office
of the company on Second street where
an open air concert was held which
lasted fifteen or twenty minutes. From
the company's Office the band.marched
to Fourth street, followed by an i'm
mense crowd and at $50 the gas was
turned into the main and few minutes
later was fired by MIR. C. c. Culbertson,
of Piedmont, with rocket. The flames
from the top of the pipe Immediately
flashed out and two immense arms of
fire reaching out and high into the air
Illuminated the entire town and a great
portion of the surrounding country.
The light given forth by the flaming
gas was a revelation to the people. 1t
was soft, but brilliant and for a few
moments during the demonstration
pressure approXimatlng eighty pounds
was turned into the pipe The roar fol-
lowing was almost deafening and ner-
Vous people who We're in the immediate
neighbOrhood of the standpipe left in a
hurry, evidently fearing something I'M
forseen was about to happen and deem
ing it unsafe to remain in the neighbour
hood.
Hundreds of people were here from
Deer Park, Mountain Lake Park, Terra
Alta and the country surrounding town.
All were pleased with the entertainment
afforded them. The crowd was so great
that it was almost an utter impossible
ity to get along the streets.
Mr.. H. V. Thomas, of Buffalo, the
president of the company, surprised the
local officials by making an unexpected
visit, arriving here an hour before the
demonstration was to occur. He ex-
pressed his appreciation of the good will
of the Oakland people and stated that
his company was determined to give
only the best service.
On June first the Gas Company
commenced the piping of their product
from their main line at a point near
Gormania, distance of twelve miles,
to Oakland, and the work ofs2piping
Oakland was commenced on June 90
The town system of pipes is as perfect
as it is possible to make it. Every
street has its mains and the company is
prepared to place its product in every
building. Those. present at the demon
Stration in Oakland Saturday night who
are connected in an official capacity
with the company, are as follows: Mr..
H. V. Thomas, of Buffalo, N. Y, pres
ident Mr.. J. d. Northrup, of Cumber-
land, general manager; Mr.. j. B.
Cheuvront, superintendent of the Oak
land plant; Mr.. F. NJ. Robey, paymas-
ter; Mr.. C. C. Culberson, superinten
dent of the Piedmont plant; Mr. Harry
Slower. superintendent of the Keyser
plant; MIR. Thomas H. Morgan, of Frost
burg; Latimer Bradley. of Piedmont,
and Mr. H. H. Taylor, of Keyser.