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211 stories matching gas
- A Gasser, a Picnic, and a Promise: Kennewick Bets on Oil and Gas
Drillers pause to case off 400 feet of water, 85 people picnic at the well, and a Yakima promoter promises a franchise — and maybe oil — by summer.
- A Gas Boom in Benton County, Complete With a Camp Lit by Its Own Well
Backers of the Benton County gas field planned a December 7 excursion to show off a well that powered engines, lit the driller’s houses, and they hoped would soon fuel a pipeline to Walla Walla.
- The Sheep Herders Who Burned a Half-Million Dollars to Scare Coyotes
For eighteen months a Rattlesnake Hills gas well blazed away at a herders' camp — until experts did the math and a three-cornered oil race began.
- A Gas Well Roars to Life in the Sagebrush — and Yakima Comes to Watch
Sixty North Yakima men drove out to a wildcat well 14 miles north of Benton City, where escaping gas hissed like a locomotive, then lit into a 20-foot tower of flame — and raised fresh hopes of oil under the desert. Spoiler: the gas wasn't there in commercial quantities yet.
- Kennewick's Oil Boom That Keeps Waiting for the Drill
A local editor watches speculators sell stock from Seattle to Walla Walla while the Rattlesnake district's gas well remains a mystery — and urges the town to back the one company actually drilling.
- City Left in Dark After Gas Tank Explosion
A major receiving tank failure leaves Tacoma without illuminating gas, forcing citizens and local businesses to scramble for alternatives.
- A Hotel Room, a Gas Jet, and a Fight for One Young Life
George McLaughlin was found unconscious in room 43 of the Queen City Hotel. Doctors worked into the night.
- The Barber Who Inhaled Gas and Ran Screaming Down Pacific Avenue
A faulty gas arc left a new barber violently irrational and touched off a street struggle in Tacoma.
- Twenty-Three Miners Died in a Nearly Undamaged Mine
Inspector Edmunds told a Seattle paper that the Blue Canyon explosion was one of the strangest disasters he had ever seen: the mine was barely damaged, yet 23 men were dead, most killed by concussion and gas.
- Rattlesnake Hills Oil Race Draws New Leases
Speculators and geologists are betting big on the oil and gas potential of the Rattlesnake Hills, hoping to spark an industrial boom in the desert.
- Narrow Escape at the Gas Company Well
Drilling for water turns treacherous when a massive gas pocket blows a heavy wooden roof into the air.
- Tacoma's Gas Monopoly Dodges a Bullet
City council nearly revokes a utility franchise due to impure gas, highlighting early 20th-century struggles with private utility providers.
- No Monopoly on Gaslight: Spokane's Council Draws a Line
Council granted a gas company the right to lay pipes—but pointedly refused an exclusive franchise, warning that monopoly would 'cinch the consumers.'
- The Man Behind Newport's Electric Lights
A Chicago utility magnate's company invests $100,000 to bring electric power to Newport, promising modern service at fair rates.
- A $650,000 Mortgage Put Walla Walla’s Gas, Electric, and Water Future in Philadelphia Hands
The Northwestern Gas and Electric Company mortgaged its Walla Walla County plants, franchises, and water rights to secure a major bond issue—and announced new power development on the Walla Walla River.
- A Roaring Flame in the Desert: Residents Hope for a Gas Boom
A visiting party from White Bluffs witnesses a dramatic demonstration of a natural gas well near the Yakima river, sparking local hopes for a new industrial future.
- Domestic Worker Nearly Dies from Gas Leak in Seattle Home
A young woman is found unconscious in her room at 910 Fourth Street after accidentally leaving the gas jet on overnight.
- The Quest to Harness Benton County’s Natural Gas
Spokane financiers propose a pipeline to bring local natural gas to Pasco and Kennewick, sparking industrial interest from the Union Pacific Railroad.
- Kennewick Writer Questions Rattlesnake Hills Oil and Gas Claims
A skeptical resident questions the feverish speculation surrounding potential oil and gas discoveries in the Kennewick area.
- A Rattlesnake Hills Gusher Sparks a Speculative Frenzy
A massive new natural gas strike in the Rattlesnake Hills has sent local stock prices soaring and raised hopes for a regional energy boom.
- Kennewick Men Venture to the Rattlesnake Hills Gas Well
Local business leaders tour a mysterious, productive natural gas well, fueling regional excitement for industrial development.
- Prospectors Strike Natural Gas Near Kahlotus
A deep-well driller finds natural gas, copper quartz, and mica nine miles southeast of Kahlotus, fueling hopes for an oil boom in Franklin County.
- City Left in the Dark by Gas Failure
A mechanical error at the gas works plunged Tacoma into darkness, ruining breakfasts and sparking public frustration.
- Seattle's Rival Gas and Electric Firms Merge Under One Roof
The Union Electric Company and the Seattle Gas and Electric Light Company lease their plants to a new Union Illuminating Company, promising customers that 'consumers will be unaffected.'
- City Landslide Disrupts Utilities
Heavy rain triggers an embankment collapse, fracturing gas and water lines in Tacoma’s lower districts.
Also about this, in other words
- Explosion at the Gas Well
A routine water-drilling operation in Whatcom turns into a hazardous discovery when a match ignites a pocket of natural gas.
- The Gas War Comes to Walla Walla
A visiting developer refuses to post a $1,000 bond to secure a municipal franchise, sparking a showdown over public infrastructure and utility monopolies.
- Gas prices drop in Seattle
Starting July 1st, 1883, residents and businesses will pay $3 per 1000 feet for gas.
- Gas Poisoning at the Hotel Brunswick
A young woman nearly dies after an accidental gas asphyxiation in her hotel room.
- The Drain Detectives
A warning to tenants: sewer gas is a hidden killer, and your landlord’s thrift might be costing you your health.
- A Gushing Future at Deep River?
A discovery of high-grade petroleum gas in Washington state sparks dreams of a regional energy boom.
- Gas Tank Explosion Wrecks Passenger Car
A train car was reduced to twisted wreckage near Puyallup by a high-pressure gas explosion; authorities believe it was fortunate the train was empty at the time.
- City Leaders Halt Expansion of Gas Utilities
Seattle aldermen unanimously reject new gas franchises, arguing the city has no immediate need for further utility expansion.