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1900 - 1909
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| 1900s |
(1900-1909): Above-ground gas holders, without subsurface basins. Mechanically-fed vertical coal-gas retorts become standard with large British gas plants; some use in U.S. New England Stated. Latest carburetted water gas generators were in the diameters of five and six feet and were capable of producing > 50,000 cf per day, per generator. Welsbach incandescent lamp mantles reverse losses of street lighting to electricity. Emergence of American coal-tar industry and distilleries. Manufactured gas industry pushes residential kitchen stoves and water heaters. Gas producers become industry standard for industrial and heating fuel; Producer gas engines become standard industrial power. Coal-tar benzol serves as "motor spirit" automobile and aviation fuel. Traditional gas oil begins to disappear, as replaced by higher-gravity oils, making tars less valuable by way of higher moisture contents and higher free carbon contents Refrigeration, as an industrial vogue appears; Most based on by-product ammonia and gas- driven compressors. Widespread acquisition of manufactured gas plants by the holding companies. Smoke pollution abatement becomes a prominent social cause in the United States. American State public utility commissions begin to be organized. |
| 1900 |
Beginning of U.S. surge of water (Blue) gas to produce lower -Btu industrial fuel gas. U.S. consumption of bituminous coal increases over decreased availability of anthracite. Central stations comes into vogue, with increased capability to distribute gas beyond districts and out to surrounding towns, at pressures of up to about 30 psi; Buyouts of smaller plants for closure and replacement by pipeline distribution to town gas holders. High-pressure gas street lamps debut in Europe; Gas supplied at up to 30 psi for very bright illumination of up to 2000 cp; Mantles consumed in days; Life extended to 11 days by 1907. California Gas & Electric Corp. (Oakland, CA) installs world's largest single (Pacific Coast oil gas) gas-making unit with daily capacity of nearly 3,000,000 cf/day; Record broken in 1906 by Pacific Gas & Electric Co., with one 4,000,000 cf/day oil-gas generator. M. De Brouwer (Belgium) introduces rotary-projection shot charger and separate charge pusher for double-ended coal-gas retorts. International Gas Congress at Paris, France. Great Coal Famine in Britain. |
| 1901 |
Suction-type gas producers become established and use begins to widen considerably. Phelps, Dodge & Co. selects Loomis-Pettibone gas producers for its many metal-mine properties. California Central Gas & Electric Co., then California Gas & Electric Co. created by same entrepreneurs, in rapid succession; Buy existing coal and water-gas plants for renovation and conversion to oil-gas plants; Some plants closed and made satellite distribution for oil-gas. Gas war in New York City; 16 companies in place and competing; Results in consolidation under influence of Rockefeller money. |
| 1902 |
First U.S. West Coast crude-oil-gas plant; Designed by L.P. Lowe and installed at Oakland, CA. |
| 1903 |
Beginning of a frenzied consolidation of independently-owned gas plants, as acquired by newly- formed utility holding companies; This activity peaked at about 1915, continued through 1920s. Inverted gas burner introduced for artificial gas lamps. South Dakota becomes first State in U.S. to specifically exclude coal-tar residues from discharge to surface waters. Germans first to use TNT for munitions; made from toluene derived from coal tar. Major remedial actions at Lowell (Massachusetts) gas works, for abatement of site- generated pollution that threatened conduct of daily operations. |
| 1904 |
Fiddes-Aldridge (UK) simultaneous discharge-and-charge machine for double-ended horizontal coal-gas retorts. Germany experiences increased demand for manufactured gas and supplies such to towns with as few people as 3,000; 80 new manufactured gas plants established in 1904 alone. International Gas Exhibition held at Earl's Court, London. 1904-1907; U.S. Geological Survey operates producer gas engine tests at Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis. |
| 1905 |
Establishment of National Commercial Gas Association, U.S. Formation of Pacific Gas & Electric Company, By consolidation of San Francisco gas companies. Electric Bond and Share Company (EBASCO) formed by General Electric Company as a major holding company for gas and electricity operations, while in control of Thomas A. Edison. Peak year of discussions over merits of municipal ownership of West Coast gas plants as the national movement towards State utility regulation advances as a progressive cause. Gas distribution, to and through Districts, reaches 100 psi as state of the art, though not widely utilized (E.A. Rix, Proc. Pacific Coast Gas Assoc., v. 6, 1905-1906). New York Legislature investigates conduct of gas industry; Directed by Charles Evans Hughes. |
| 1906 |
American Gas Institute formed. Record-making producer gas engine of 5333 hp installed at San Mateo CA, by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, OR, sues Portland Gas Light & Coke Company, over disposal of untreated oil-gas lampblack to Willamette River; First use of the Refuse Act provisions of the Rivers & Harbors Act of 1899; This law remained in force as the only national legal recourse of Federal Government until RCRA of 1976. Pintsch Company (Berlin, Germany, with U.S. subsidiary) had fully perfected welded gas cylinders, then produced in Brooklyn, NY. Installation of first successful vertical coal-gas retorts, at Dessau, Germany. 18 Apr06; San Francisco earthquake destroys much of gas generation capacity and gas pilot lights initiate disastrous fire. 1906-1916: Formation of most U.S. State gas and electric utility regulatory commissions. |
| 1907 |
First Koppers by-product coke ovens installed in U.S., at Illinois Steel Co., Joliet, IL. Chlorination of public drinking water begins; Focuses attention on coal-tar phenol discharges which caused idoform-tasting chlorophenols when water was boiled on household stoves. |
| 1908 |
Welsbach Company markets a new and improved "Junior Type" combination Bunsen-type burner, mantle and transparent chimney; consumes gas at 1.75-2.0 cf/ hour and illuminates at 25- 30 candle power. |
| 1909 |
M.A.N. GmbH of Germany develops world's first dry gas (waterless) gas holder; 50 such Holders in Europe by 1925 when first waterless holders in U.S. are built at Michigan City, IN and Flushing, NY by Bartlett-Hayward Company, Baltimore. Massive explosion at the works of Gaz d'Geneve, Switzerland. |
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