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'u-AA‘HA
Galena has blown out the gas!
Since Ulysses S. Grant, once the town tanner, gave up his private
‘ mice to take up that little task of preserving the Union, as re-
ted in all chool histories, nothing of such nation-wide interest
emanat from this river city of northwestern Illinois. Galena,
(the oldest city in the state. learned in a few days that one of the
1mo: elusive and necessary servants of modern man is gas.
Elena hasn’t quite gone back to the tallow dips and to hewing
ow- firewood in the manner of its pioneer settlers, but that, per-
a is artiaily due to the fact that said pioneers had used up most
{a a ore-mentioned firewood and had died ofl‘, taking with them
secret of making tallow dips of the kitchen leavings.
i we to Cook for Men Who Made
i Town Gaslsss
‘ through the hot summer days its
houewives swelter at their cooking
0" coal or wood fire ranges-—
Wt at 1920 prices—those who
had any stoves at all. The women
or” Just won't roast themselves cook-
with antique equl ment for men
V were not foresig ted enough to
to. t e gas before it was too late,
a. ed to other cities. In practi-
. y every kitchen. beside the insuf-
fl$11:ny hot coal range or the smelly
appreciable extent are they suffused
with any kind of low feraune
lamps smoke and are in uh reds
of households and when there is a
neys blacken or crack as the mood
nd wind strike them. And the house-
newspa ers or ooks in despair and
go to ed early. Summer daylight
as helped some, but as the months
of early darkness approach. the gloom
of the Galena populace thickens to
a consistency that could be out only
With a knife.
Great Joy for the Spooners
Of course. spooners are exec ted.
They don’t care how dark the rent
arlor is at‘night. No complaint has
ecn registered by burglars, either.
Galena is not the City of Dreadful
l stove, stands a gas range. like the
ttlo tin soldier. covered with dust
an rust. awaiting the return of s.
s evening's shadows melt into
n t's darkness, the Galena windows
arsnot sufiused with the mellow glow
(run the gas mantle. Not to any
sudden gust of wind, the lamp chim- C
/ ‘1) WM: .j
‘I.IIlv‘i.:“,-
C9
3)
olders, accustomed for years to de- Night, but the rate of eevishness has
pendable gas light. slam down their risen to an alarming
eight.
The illuminating situation is bad
enough. but it isn't as rovokin as
the cooking problem. 05mg ba to
the dark ages involves more than hav-
ing to do without light by which to
sit u late. Maybe what hel ed make
the ark Ages dark was t e diges-
tions ruined by cookln over primi-
tive fires, burning u t e temper of
the cook and the din r. The modern
housewife accustomed to a modernly
equipped kitchen, with a handy gas
stove that can be turned on when
wanted. and turned 0}? when not.
shudders at the thought even of stok-
ing a coal or wood range when tern-
per and temperature are at the bailing
Over point. -
Keeping the Old Gas Stove Read!
Women, as the chief suflerers. are
keeping their old gas stoves ready
for the joyous moment when the gas
is miraculously restored. A Pseu-
dential candidate. who could ,. ran‘
tee the return of the old relia le gas.
could ca Galena unanimously, re-
rdless ltirihis stand on sufira e. pro-
ibition or the League of ations.
The women. who have had to go back
to the coal range or the oil sto'es.
which flavor the food with a touch
of petroleum, are in rebellion. and
those who have shiny. new electric
cookers are not convinced and handle
their wired stoves without enthusi-
asm. That evercready and always re-
liable gas flame that will broil a 1920
steak Just to the right nicety, or turn
out a pie that will smother Friend
Husband's grouch in its very luscious-
ness. is worth the price. they feel,
andd Home without it has a big. big
yon . '
Galena was not always Gasless
Town. It didn't voluntarily elect it~
- self as a horrible example 'oi what
a modern city is like, when it reverts
to t_ e Light of Other Day . It had
gas or illuminating and fuel from the
. ear that its then leadinficitize who
i . s. 3
ad become General rant.
settled that little matter with Lee at
, Apparatus. until February, 3920. And
permanent-A arm the Shmkifil m! U
memories recall that that was a right
cold February.
LongStoryToldinShor-t
How Galena stepped on the .2 un-
til it hurt is a Ion sto . but‘it can
be recounted brie y to illustrate this
tale which has 0 s illumination.
The ear Grant nis ed the job un-
der t old afple tree. the possession
in G ens o a as-Illumined house
was ter evi cues of a re lar
bank alanee than the ownership of
a gas-prppelleg limousine is today.
Gas_ retailed t en at $5 a thousand
cubic feet. and that rate was not con-
sidered excessive.
.As gas manufacture became more
scienti c and more econOmical, the
local gas can: voluntarily reduced
the rate until 19 2. when Galena busi-
ness houses and users of gas ranges
paid only $1.50 a thousand. while
I ht consumers got off with a charge
0_ $1.65. In 1914 an explosion neces-
sitated rebuilding much of the plant
at eat expense. Then came the
wor d wan—prices for coal, coke
orl soared and shipments becarn m-
eressmgl difficult to obtain.
Illinou ublic Utfliti‘ Commission.
"a.
while recognizing fully the company's .
difficulties reduced the gas rate to
1.40 net for the first thousand cubic
eet, the rate ranging downward to
1.20 a _thousand to large consumers. ,
he prices for essential gas-making
materials increased to the point where
the operators had to seek relief. The '
facts, raised the rate to $1.65.
Plant Went Into Receivershlp
But this new rate failed to make
gas selling a paying proposition, and ,~
the lam went into the hands of a‘
receiver. Experts called in by the'
receiver re rted a big deficit. Then;
Galena's citizens saw the light they
felt they soon weren‘t oin to see
and petitioned the Utilities ommis-
sion to do anything—even to raising
the rates——if they only could be as-‘
sured of gas. But the Commission
denied their plea and the plant, the
second oldest in the state, was forced '-
to shut down.
And then, Galena's Gasless Age be-
gan. Fortunately for the residents,
this city does not have the big acre-
age of apartment houses to be found ‘
in scores of larger cities all over the
country. In most of Galena's homes
there are chimneys and Hues. while
in the majorit of homes in cities like
New York, grooklyn, Boston, and
Chicago, there is no rovision for the.
coal stove. Loss 0 gas service in
such circumstances would mean ac-
ual cooked food deprivation beforo
o Lies. means of cooking could be pros
v e
Advertisement. '
We want you to Come to the
We. want you to see the I .
. GRAND OPENING e
Tuesday Afternoon and Evening
of our new and enlarged dept. to be devoted exclusively to
Victrolas and Vic or Records
Delightful surprise is the usual expression on the faces of those who haVe already visited our new
. Victrola Department for the first time even while under construction.
Ten Soundproof Booths
each and everyone fitted out homelike and cozy —Plenty of light and ventilation.
Every Victor Record Obtainable
Free Souvenirs for Ladies and Gentlemen. Special Souvenirs for _
‘ children, if accompanied by theirpafirents. -
D0 NELLY’
Special for Tuesday. Only
Special in our Stationary Dept.
To each person buying 2 boxes of Highland Linen——
u‘? quality Which you all know—we will give the
til-ltd box—FREE. -, .~ '1';
v
S4o. Main St., E S0.Norwalk .
mission in 111'”: A! 11:. a
l5
Norwalk Chronicler