New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-05
OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES
History Of New York Gas and
Electric Organizations.
FIRST DISCOVERIES OF GAS
remarkable Growth and Popu.
larity of Gas and Electric
Securities.


Strength Of well organized, well managed
eos companies in this day offers an invest
noer, value equalled by few other classes
Of investments.
The first artificial producer of illumi-
Eating gas was made by one Dr. Hales, of
rnpland. about 1925. but it was simply a
sc,entifc experiment and was not then put
% any practical use. In 1856 Earl Dundon-
cid Of Scotland, obtained gas by dstilllng
Goals and carried his experiment to the
rractical test Of lighting up his castle by it,
The first real apparatus TO be put into
,ractical use was invented by William
Nprdock. of Birmingham, England. in 1856,
Who introduced gas as a light in his work
sbops at Redruth and Cornwall.
Mr.. Murdoch was the first man to reap
any commercial benefit from the discovery
NJ gas. and may be accorded the distinction
NJ being the father of modern public utili-
tics In 1902 the Soho Foundry, near Bir-
,nngham. England was equipped for light
ing with gas. and soon afterward gas was
used in the mills of Manchester, England.
In 1913 London Bridge was illuminated with
gas and by 1919 gas was used throughout
the main part OF London. The use Of gas
gpredQ
WAS introduced in all the large towns of
England and Scotland, About 1900 French
scientist. NJ lie Bon, discovered the proc
ess OF dstilling gas and applied it prac-
,,cally, and the use of gas in France and
the colonies was generally introduced ST.
multaneously with its rise in England.
The first incorporated gas company in
England was the National Light and Heat
Company, which was established in 1909.
Natural gas at various times in the past
has figured in the public utility field, but the
uncertainty of supply has placed natural
gas in a semi-speculative class. as com
pared with the fixed position of artificial
gas supply The endurance of the supply
Of gases which are characterized as infam-
mable or natural gas in some instances has
continued indefinitely as shown in the 'eter-
nal fires" Of Baku, on the shores of the
Caspian sea. These fires have been burn
Ing from remote ages. due to gaseous hy-
drocarbons issuing from and through Pc
troleum deposits. Long before artificial gas
lighting was introduced among European
countries the Chinese used natural gas as
an illuminant, conveying the gas obtained
from beds of rock salt at depth ranging
as low as 1850 feet, through bamboo tubes
TO the various points of lighting consump-
tion. Natural gas in the United States was
discovered in the sos, and from time to
time since then has been used for lighting
and fuel in different places in Pennsylva
MIA, Ohio, Indiana and other states, in the
coal and oil regions.
In the United States the first gas COM
1915; the second gas company was formed
in Boston, in 1922, and the third was the
New York Gaslight Company, Incorporated
in 1923, in which year gas lamps for street
lighting were introduced. The chronology
OF the growth of gas companies and gas
incidental history in New York City may
be accepted as fairly representative of
American history of gas development, as
the growth in this city has been remarkable
and its early advancement was analogous
10 that OF Boston. Baltimore and other
places where gas first came into favor as
IN illuminant.
Prior to 1890 the gas business was only
nominal, but the price a thousand for gas
received by the companies would make the
present day agitators Of 81 or SO-cent gas
New York Gas Light Company sold gas 10
consumers for so thousand feet, and for
twenty years, from 1928 to 184S, the price re-
ceived by gas companies in New York City
was 81 a thousand feet. The Manhattan
Gas Company was started in 1890; in 1853
the Metropolitan Gas Light Company be-
gan busineEs; in 1855 the Harlem Gas Light
Company was chartered; in 1872 the New
York Mutual Gas Light Company was in
corporated: in 1876 the Municipal and
Knickerbocker Gas Light companies began
service, and in 1884 the Consolidated Gas
Company was formed. other companies
have been organized since then, but the
history Of gas lighting and heating since
1884 has resolved itself into a history Of the
Consolidated Gas Company, which to-day
controls the business in and around New
York, with the exception of the Brooklyn
Union Gas Company.
The Consolidated Gas Company was made
up originally Of the following companies:
Harlem Gas Light Company, Knckerbock-
er Gas Company. Manhattan Gas Light
Compauy, Metropolitan Gas Light Com
pany. Municipal Gas Light Company, New
York Gas Light Company, all OF which at
that time practically represented the gas
industry Of Manhattan Island In Deem
Der, 1895 the Consolidated acquired a ma
jorlty Of the stock Of the New York Mu
tual Gas Light Company and I'm 1893 the
Consolidated acquired control OF the United
Electric Light and Power Company, operat-
ing the Brush and Westinghouse systems
Of high tension lighting. In March 1900,
the Consolidated secured control OF the
nd friG Heat
Power Company through the purchase OF
the entire capital stock. This company was
what now is known as the New York Ed
son Company. In September, 1900 the stock
Of the Standard Gas Light Company and
the New Amsterdam Company was secured
by the Consolidated, and at that time this
was the only line left in the chain Of abso-
Lutte control Of the gas and electric light
Ing interests of Manhattan Island. The
Consolidated Gas Company controls the AS
toria Light, Heat and Power Company OF
Astoria. Long Island
The Astoria plant will in the future he
the centre Of attraction for the gas bust
ness Of greater New York. When fulIy
Completed the capacity Of this plant VIII
De 100000 cubic feet day and the distri-
button Of the Consolidated will be chiefly
from this point The Consolidated has vast
land holdings IN and around Astoria which
give the company plenty Of territory on
which 10 enlarge it's plant capacity, and It's
realty is growing more valuable every year.
The capitalization OF the Consolidated Gas
Company is 100000, increased from $780,
Wo.co on June Q 1901: par value, 800 The
Companies controlled By :he Consolidated
with the capitalization Of each. etc. fol-
low: Astoria Light and Power Company,
capitalization $1,000; New Amsterdam Gas