ABSTRACT
The need for light at night is a very basic human value, and over the years, a number of products have been introduced to meet this need. Among the earliest are candles, kerosene lamps and whale oil. At the turn of the nineteenth century, gas lighting became the preferred technology after a method was found for distilling gas from wood and coal. The gas lamp was a popular product, offering five times as much light as a candle, and it gave birth to a number of new enterprises.1 By 1870, there were 350 gas firms in the United States alone.
