Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-09-22
IS
BEACON LIGHT
TO CITIZENS
Richardson Throws
Rocket That Sets
Off Blaze; First
Gas Meal Today

Brownsville citizens Thursday en-
joyed the first meals ever cooked
over natural gas here.
With appropriate ceremonies, par
ticipated in by city officials and
leading merchants and business men,
the gas was officially turned into
the Brownsville mains at 8 o'clock
Wednesday night.
To G. c. Richardson secretary Of
the Chamber of Commerce goes the
honor Of having lighted the first
gas ever piped into Brownsville-to-
gether with the Roman candle shoot
ing championship of the city. Both
these honors were won by him Wed
nesday night when his Roman can
die out Of half a dozen thrown ig-
nited the gas in the huge flambeau
erected at Palm boulevard and
Fronton streets.
Persons who formed part of the
gathering estimated that more than
1000 people visited the scene of the
flambeau during the evening. 1t was
lighted at 8 o'clock and remained in
flame until a late hour. Streets lead
ing to the corner from all direc-
tions were packed with cars as the
hour approached and others con-
tined to come as the evening wore
along.
Flambeau 60 Feet High
The flambeau was composed OF D
3-inch gas pipe standing to a height
Of so feet and surmounted with q
large bowl-like device with many
perforations- A 25-poand pressure
in the mains shot the gas flame TO a
height of approximately Is feet
above the flambeau once the gas
had been lighted.
Among those who tried their Ro-
man-candle craftsmanship were 2. A.
Rosenthal, A. c. Hipp, J. NJ. Stein.
| G. o. Rockwell. Of McAllen, general
manager of the Rio Grande Valley
Gas company. and the winner, Mr..
Richardson. Each only had time for
few shots before the unerring
sharp-shooting of the victor scored
a hit.
y The high pressure Of the gas made
a spectacular display as the flames
shot into the air. lighting up the
! immediate surroundings with a glare
as bright as day.
Mike Groom, manager of the
Brownsville Gas company office, al
so comes in for some of the first
honors' going the rounds. He ate
the first ham and eggs ever cooked
on gas here Thursday morning-"en-
| loved 'em more than any feed I've
had since I've been here" he said.
Company officials said they
wished to make it clear that the
high pressure that was so noticeable
in the flambeau would not be in the
regular mains. The pressure on the
average cooking stove will be about
four ounces. while that in the flam-
beau was % pounds. they said.
Gas Comes Soon
Brownsville Is getting its gas con-
siderably less than year since
work on the project was really be-
gun, officials here say. In that time
pipe has been laid from the Jim
Hogg field l5l miles from here
through all kinds Of land. and IN
all kinds Of weather. before OBJ
stacles that ut times required al
most superhuman efforts 70 over
come.
The Lower Rio Grande Vally Gas
company il an independent organi-
cation, with no affiliations with any
other company. Mr.. Groom said It's
general offices are in McAllen and
there is where the scope of opera
tions centers. John W. Gaines San
Antonio. is president OF the COM
pary. but many of the other stock
holders and directors are Valley res
idents. the local manager said.
The move for piping Of natural gas
10 the Valley was started by Craw-
ford & Losby of San Benito. who
have taken an active part in Il
since the beginning, and who are
still connected with the company.