The Springfield Gas Machine: Illuminating Industry and Leisure, 1860s–1920s

Contents

C ON T E N TS Acknowledgments xiii Introduction xvii Chapter 1. Lighting in America: From Rush Lamps to Gasoliers 1 Chapter 2. The Gilbert and Barker Manufacturing Company 31 Chapter 3. The Springfield Gas Machine 63 Chapter 4. A Bright Light for the Home: Domestic Lighting with the Springfield Gas Machine 109 Chapter 5. Extending the Day: Commercial and Institutional Springfield Systems 175 Chapter 6. Gas Lighting Gives Way to Electricity 241 Appendix Comprehensive Springfield Gas Machine Customer List, 1866–1905 www.utpress.org/downloads Notes 259 Bibliography 299 Index 315 TA BL E S 2.1. Price List for Springfield Gas Machines, 1867–1868 39 2.2. Price List for Copper Springfield Gas Machines, 1870 41 2.3. Gilbert and Barker Manufacturing Annual Financial Statements, 1876–1886 45 2.4. Price List for Copper Springfield Gas Machines, 1874 47 2.5. Price List for Springfield Gas Machines, 1882 51 2.6. Price List for Walworth Gas Machines, 1880 52 3.1. Generator Specifications 78 3.2. Pump Specifications 80 3.3. Piping Specifications 82 4.1. Residential Installations of Springfield Gas Machines by Region and State 161 F IGU R E S 1.1. David Melville’s Gas Machine 13 1.2. Advertisement for Drake’s Solar Gas Machine 19 1.3. Patent No. 12,535 for Carburetor by C. Cunningham, March 13, 1855 21 1.4. The Maxim Steam Gas Machine 22 2.1. John Barker 33 2.2. Charles Gilbert 35 2.3. Brochure for the Combination Gas Machine 35 2.4. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map Showing Gilbert and Barker Factory 53 3.1. Springfield Gas Machine, Carburetor in Vault and Air Pump in Cellar of House 64 3.2. The Springfield Gas Machine as Originally Constructed 65 3.3. Patent No. 61,004 for Carburetor by Gilbert, Barker and Ives, January 8, 1867 67 3.4. Patent No. 93,267 for Carburetor, Sheet 2 of 2, by Barker and Gilbert, August 3, 1869 69 3.5. Springfield Gas Machine Air Pump 71 3.6. Air-Forcing Apparatus, Springfield Gas Machine 72 3.7. Hydraulic Blower, Springfield Gas Machine 73 3.8. Water-powered Air Pump, Springfield Gas Machine 74 3.9. Springfield Mixing Regulator 83 3.10. Sectional View of Combination Mixing Regulator 85 3.11. Barker’s Patent Adjustable Burner 87 3.12. Patent No. 637,441 for Gas Burner by J. F. Barker, November 21, 1899 89 x Figures 3.13. Globes for No. 95½ Springfield Incandescent Burner 90 3.14. Vault Installation of Springfield Gas Machine Generator 92 3.15. Partially Buried Gas Generator Installation 93 3.16. Fully Buried Gas Generator Installation 94 3.17. The New Feed Springfield Gas Machine 96 3.18. Gilbert and Barker’s “Automatic Instantaneous Water Heater” 97 3.19. “The Argand Smoothing-iron Heater” 98 4.1. Springfield Gas Machine Generator, Liberty Hall 119 4.2. Springfield Gas Machine Air Pump, Liberty Hall 120 4.3. Conjectural Drawing of Springfield Gas Machine, Liberty Hall 121 4.4. Hanging Pendant Fixture and Portable Desk Lamp in Alexander Stephens’s Bedroom/Office 122 4.5. Detail of Portable Desk Lamp in Alexander Stephens’s Bedroom/ Office, Liberty Hall 123 4.6. Plan of Liberty Hall Showing Locations of Gas Fixtures 124 4.7. Elaborate Gasolier Fixture in Living Room of the Toombs House 125 4.8. Front Facade of Ashland, ca. 1900 129 4.9. Partially Buried Springfield Gas Machine at Ashland 131 4.10. Parlor Showing Gas Light Fixtures at Ashland 132 4.11. Main Lodge, Sagamore 135 4.12. Plan of Sagamore Showing the Two Springfield Gas Machines 136 4.13. Plan and Profile of Springfield System for the Main Lodge, Sagamore 137 4.14. Springfield Gas Machine, Water-powered Air Pump, and Combination Mixing Regulator 139 4.15. Alfred Vanderbilt and “Sports” in the Kitchen Building Showing Gas Light Fixtures 140 4.16. Hill-Stead 143 xi Figures 4.17. “Chess Game” (1921) by G. K. Peterson 144 4.18. Plan of Springfield Gas Machine for Hill-Stead, June 29, 1900 146 4.19. Hill-Stead Dining Room, Showing Shreve, Crump, Lowe Gasolier Fixtures 147 4.20. Sanborn Insurance Map of Farm Barn, 1894 151 4.21. Farm Barn Interior, ca. 1895 153 4.22. Langwater, North Easton, Massachusetts 155 4.23. Interior, Drawing Room, Langwater, North Easton, Massachusetts 157...