Brooklyn Gas Light Company records
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Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The Brooklyn Gas Light Company records span the years 1825 to 1839 and contain orders for stock in the Brooklyn Gas Light Company, signed by such prominent Brooklynites as David Leavitt, Edward Macomber, Ebener Macomber, John Radcliff, G.C. Congdon, John B. Graham, Alfred Suydam, W.R. Dean, Leffert Lefferts, Azor S. Marvin, C.A. Graham, I.A. Smith, Joseph Sprague, and Jehiel Juggar. Also included is a scrapbook of autographs taken from the Brooklyn Gas Light Company's list of original subscribers with an index to the names.
Historical Note
The Brooklyn Gas Light Company originated in 1824, when Joseph Sprague (the future mayor of the City of Brooklyn) and Alden Spooner (publisher of the Long Island Star) put a notice in the Star soliciting investors and announcing their plans to put forth an application to the New York State Legislature for the establishment of the Brooklyn Gas Light Company, in order to provide gas light service for streets, dwellings, and factories. While the legislature passed the application and issued the company a charter, a confusion over the terms of the charter led to the share money being returned with interest and the folding of the company. However, the company was revived in 1847 when it was taken over by Philadelphia investors. Alden Spooner died in 1848, and Robert Nichols was elected to head the company. By 1852 over 22 miles of mains had been erected, along with 1,200 lamps. Upon Nichols's retirement in January of 1862, the company had surplusses from its earnings despite the efforts of the rival Citizens' Gas Light Company. In 1895 the Brooklyn Gas Light Company consolidated with five other gas lighting companies, including the Citizens' Gas Light Company, to form the Brooklyn Union Gas Company.
Sources:
- Murphy, Robert E. Brooklyn Union: A Centennial History. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Brooklyn Union Gas Co., c1995.
Scope and Contents
The Brooklyn Gas Light Company records span the years 1825 to 1839 and contain orders for stock in the Brooklyn Gas Light Company, signed by such prominent Brooklynites as David Leavitt, Edward Macomber, Ebener Macomber, John Radcliff, G.C. Congdon, John B. Graham, Alfred Suydam, W.R. Dean, Leffert Lefferts, Azor S. Marvin, C.A. Graham, I.A. Smith, Joseph Sprague, and Jehiel Juggar. Also included is a scrapbook of autographs taken from the Brooklyn Gas Light Company's list of original subscribers with an index to the names.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Brooklyn Gas Light Company records, ARC.014, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Minimally processed to the collection level.
This collection combines the accessions 1974.013 and 1977.635.
