Delaware County, Ohio - Chapter 7: Manufactures, 1908 (part 2 of 2)

Gas Manufacture

Before success was finally achieved, several attempts were made by different parties to establish a plant for the manufacture of gas in Delaware. As early as 1856, Harvey P. Piatt made a proposal to the Council and they granted him the use of the city streets, restricting the price of gas to the Corporation to $3 per thousand cubic feet, and the price to citizens to $4. In the latter part of the succeeding year. Piatt having failed to fulfill his part of the contract, Israel I. Richardson and J. C. Evans were granted like privileges for the same purpose, the price of gas being made to city and citizens alike at $4. These gentlemen were given until i860 in which to complete their project, but they, too, failed, and the rights granted were revoked. During [859, however, The Delaware Gas Light and Coal Oil Company was organized by William Stevenson, Joseph Atkinson. Jacob Riblet and others. These gentlemen were from Mansfield, Galion and elsewhere, and were granted the usual privileges on April 21, [860, the price of gas being fixed at $2 per thousand feet to the city, and $3 to private consumers. The following men were the first officers of the company: Jacob Rihlet. president; A. S. Caton, secretary; J. Atkinson, superintendent, and Charles Wottring, treasurer. They at once ^ct about erecting their works on Estella Street. The first pipes put down were of wo. id. but in 1870, these were replaced by iron pipes, and the whole establishment enlarged. A new purifying house was built, a gasometer with a capacity of 18,000 feet replaced the old one. and a new bench of five retorts added, making an effective force of eleven retorts. The company continued to extend its distributing system, and in 1888. built a gas-holder with a capacity of 36,000 feet. The following year a new office building was erected on Estella Street at a cost of about $2,000. As the demand increased, the capacity of the plant was enlarged until it was 100,000 feet per day. On January 15, 1894, the name was changed to the Delaware Gas Company by an amendment to the charter, and in July, 1902. the charter was again amended so as to permit the company to distribute natural gas. This was the seci md gas company in the United States to make a change from the manufacture of artificial gas to distributing natural gas. The change involved great expense, but was made without inconveniencing the consumers in any way. The company owns one of the finest distributing plants in the State of Ohio. It comprises nine regulators and twenty-four miles of mains. It has 1.500 meters in use. and sells gas to the city and citizens at a net price of 2j cents per thousand cubic feet. The capital stock of the company is now $120,000. Judge T. C. Jones was elected president of the company in 1877. and served until August, 1892, when he was succeeded by Chauncy Hills. Mr. Hills held the office at the time of his death, February 8, 1901. and was succeeded by Captain V. T. Hills, who served until January, 1904. Captain Archibald Lybrand was then elected to the position and served a year. Air. T. C. Jones, who is now president and manager, was elected to the office in January, 1905. Mr. C. M. Converse became secretary and manager of the company in 1877. and was followed in 1888 by J. M. Armstrong. In December. 1891, he was succeeded by T. C. Jones, who held the office until be became president, and was succeeded by John L. Shaub, who is now secretary of the company. In 1902, the office building above referred to was converted into a workshop, and the offices of the company were removed to their present location on West Winter Street.