GAS STREET LIGHTS

GAS STREET LIGHTS. In 1854 the company of BARKER AND SPILMAN was the first to receive a Dubuque gas franchise. First valued only for its ability to provide light, gas was introduced to the city on July 18, 1855 from a plant constructed at the corner of Dodge and Bluff.

Gas supplies were difficult to maintain. An editorial in the Dubuque Herald in 1860 stated:

             For several weeks there has either been no gas at
             all or else a supply which affords about as much
             light as a penny dip...A continuation of such gas
             makes people immoral--it causes more ill feeling,
             profanity, unkindness, uncharitableness (sic) than
             all the whiskey shops in town en masse. (1)

The company faced many disputes with city officials over gas street lights. On October 1, 1863 the city council first faced the issue of lighting the streets with gas lights. There were thirty-six lamps being considered with an annual cost of operation being $1,000. Illustrating the problems facing the company was an editor of that day in the Dubuque Democratic Herald (2) :

          ....On moonlight nights like those we have had the past week,
          there will be no need for lighted street lamps, but on dark,
          cloudy and especially rainy evenings their "refulgent rays" 
          are almost indispensable. It improves the city, gives it a
          better appearance, and burglaries would be less frequent...

The Council received a proposition of Julius K. GRAVES of the KEY CITY GAS COMPANY to install the thirty-six lamps along Main Street. Arguments against the proposal included the feeling that if merchants wanted such lighting they should pay the cost themselves. The proposal was submitted to a committee with one representative per Ward. (3)

By 1864 a series of burglaries had convinced the city administration that more needed to be done. On November 8th the following editorial appeared: (4)

          Night Police and Street Lights--The streets will be lighted
          tonight and an efficient police force will be stationed in
          the city, we are informed. We regret that any of our citizens
          should feel as little interest in securing property and life
          from the thieves that infest the city as to refuse to subscribe
          liberally for the lighting of the city and procuring the
          services of the night policemen. Some few, we learn, have
          refused to subscribe.

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Source:

1. "Editorial," Dubuque Herald, January 7, 1860, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18600107&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

2. "Gas." Dubuque Democratic Herald, October 1, 1863, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18631001&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

3. "Council Proceedings," Dubuque Democratic Herald, October 2, 1863, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18631002&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

4. "Night Police and Street Lights," Dubuque Democratic Herald, November 8, 1864, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18641108&printsec=frontpage&hl=en