It has been 100 years since the original gas lines were laid in Dublin.
It was a big step forward when the new pipes arrived in Dublin in the spring of 1926. Having natural gas as a way to heat their homes was something everyone looked forward to. It was a clean way to warm their homes without the soot and smoke that coal and wood produced. The new gas lines had been laid in the alley way west of Patrick to start the process. Now the crews were laying the pipe in the alley ways on the east side of Patrick. It was estimated that all the pipes for downtown would be laid in the next two weeks.
The main gas pipe would be laid to De Leon, then on to Stephenville, Dublin, and Comanche. The supply of natural gas from the Sip Springs source was said to be almost inexhaustible. For the streets, the curbs and guttering between Blackjack Street and Live Oak had been completed and was ready for the paving brick. (Dublin Progress, April 16, 1926, June 11, 1926) The contractor for the laying of pipe was Phllips and Fulerton out of Breckenridge. They said the final investment would be as high as $300,000 for connecting all the homes and businesses with gas in Dublin, Stephenville and Comanche. Every home business and manufacturing plant would have gas heat.
“The work of laying the gas mains is being rushed; a crew of more than half a hundred men have been busy this week in the residence sections excavating for the mains and house connections. The C.O. Moore interests plan to have the gas lines laid and the house connections made before winter weather comes and are rushing the work along as fast as possible.' (Dublin Progress June 18, 1926) This was one of the largest jobs ever let in this part of the state. “Tom E. Patton, engineer for C.O.Moore was in Dublin Monday and advised that operations are going straight ahead. Since then Mr. Patton has signed up the acceptance of the franchise granted by the city and placed in the hands of Mayor E.C. Fewell, a certified check for $1000 as a forfeit and evidence of good faith. In addition to that, several cars of gas pipe have been in transit from a point in Pennsylvania, have been routed out from a side track in St. Louis and reached Dublin and are now being unloaded at this point. That the citizenship is now assured of the certainty of gas for domestic and industrial purposes is one of the biggest new items this paper has been able to print in a long time, unless that of last week in assurance that the paving impediments had been removed should be counted greater.“ “He asserts that laying of mains in Dublin will proceed without delay and those cross streets where the paving is to be put down are to be put in previous to the city paving.” (Dublin Progress April 9, 1926) In August citizens were ready for this new development. “There was a big celebration in Dublin.”The headline read:'Gas will be turned on tonight.”“After church tonight the fire whistle will blow, a big gas flare will be lighted on the streets and a public celebration and demonstration will be held.” (Dublin Progress, August 27, 1926) As they were completing the pipe work, the price of the Dublin project had risen to over $75,000. When completed, they had laid 141 miles of pipe. Gas reached the city 4 days before the time promised. (Dublin Progress, September 3, 1926)