The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-01


the light of a pine knot, familiar
lied all Americans with that early
lighting method, yet few know
that at one time burning pine
knots placed in large iron baskets
were the street lamps of Boston
town.
Although John Carver bought a
little iron Betty lamp, like the
one shown above, to bring to
America on the Mayflower, grease
was so scarce in the new country
that the Pilgrims could not use
better lamps, candles or even
flashlights, which were so common
in England, therefore they resort
ed to the Indian methods of light
ing by burning splits and knots
of pine wood.
IRON soon was discovered near
i Boston, and crude iron baskets
we're made to hold the pine knots
and iron devices with a pincer-
like arrangement we're constructed
to hold the splintS.
These holders were as varied as
they were crude for usually they
were the work of some member of
the family which used them.
Sometimes they were fashioned
to stand on the floor, sometimes
they were meant for a table and
: often they hung from the wall or
beams of the house.
Later, when fats became more
plentiful. these crude containers
held flashlights which although
used in America for years and I'M
doubtedly made by western pio-
neerS, are familiar to few persons
today.
Miss Eleanor Hudson, Winches-
ter, Mass, an authority on the
subject and one of the founders
of the Rushlight Club, a group of
collectors in all parts of the ma
ton who specialize in lighting de-
vices, sends the following deScrip-
ton:
THE rushlight sometimes was
made of a cat tail, but more often
of the common bog rush which
grows in marshy places. The
ruShes were collected in the early
fall and soaked until the outer
skin could be removed. Then they
were left on the grass to bleach
for several days after which they
were dried in the sun and dipped
in grease until saturated. When
burned they gave a good, clear
light especially if a little beeswaX
or mutton suet had been added to
the fat mixture. A rush about
two feet long would burn almost
an hour and a pound and half
of rush lights would last a frugal
family for an entire year"
TINE crude devices which were
l. used for Illuminating pur-
poses as we'll as the later con-
tanners for lighting fluids, make a
very interesting and historic COL
lection which has the added at
tractive feature of being adapt
able to practical use. This hardly
is true of the Betty lamp, which
burned its twisted rag wick so
SMOKEY as it hung from the man
tel or chair back, but lanterns,
candleholders and kerosene lamps
all fit into the modern decorative
scheme.
The possibilities practically are
linitleSS with candleholders, as
they range from the simple
pointed stick to the elaborate
candelabra with many faceted
glass prism pendants, like those in
the Lanier house. Madison. Ind, or
the one in the ballroom of the
Woodstock, Country Club here,
which originally graced the beau
tiful old Harry S. New home, torn
down to make way for the World
war memorial plaza. Although
electrified today, they once held
candles that threw their mellow
light through the stately, high
ceilinged rooms.
The little eight glass lamp
shown above is used today as a
desk lamp. although it is one Of
the earliest kerosene types.
1t especially is delightful be-
cause of the onyx base. brass COL
umn and pressed glass bowl. 1t
was purchased by Walter r.
Green's grandfather as a sur
prise for his family, then living
in a small Illinois town. AS it
was the first lamp in the commu-
nifty, the neighbors gathered to
see it lighted. but because it be-
gan to smoke and no one knew
how to turn down the wick, It
was thrown out Of the house for
fear it would explode. Fortunate
~. it landed in a snowdrift, where
later it was rescued, the pretty
globe broken, but the base intact.