Natural Gas – 100 Years Ago Today, July 22, 1922!
Tom Shepstone
Shepstone Management Company, Inc.
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Natural gas news from a hundred years ago offers great perspective for discussing one of the cleanest sources of energy available then and still today.
I thought it might be fun and illuminating to look back 100 years ago at what was happening with natural gas. It is eye opening, given all we’ve learned over the last century and, of course, there is little new under the sun. Consider these 100-year old news items (emphasis added):
- Coal Not Fit to Burn Turns Kansan Onto Gas!
- Fears of Fuel Famine Were Rising, But Natural Gas Was There!
- Meanwhile, Natural Gas Discoveries Just Keep Happening!
- An Almost Inexhaustible Supply of Natural Gas!
Coal Not Fit to Burn Turns Kansan Onto Gas
The battle between coal and gas ain’t new folks:
22 Jul 1922, Sat The Democrat (Wichita, Kansas) Newspapers.com
It is reminiscent of the Western battles between cattlemen and sheep ranchers isn’t it? According to this source, though, the last coal mining company in Kansas ceased operation In February 2016 (at least temporarily). Natural gas is still being produced in the Sunflower State, though, so it appears it won the long-running battle.
Fears of Fuel Famine Were Rising, But Natural Gas Was There!
The pessimists are always among us and fears of running out are persistent but take note that natural gas was viewed as the reliable standby:
22 Jul 1922, Sat The Oklahoma City Times (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Newspapers.com
“The problem should not be too difficult in regions with natural gas…” says it all, doesn’t it?
Meanwhile, Natural Gas Discoveries Just Keep Happening!
This news item reminds us this sort of thing is still happening yet today, despite the doomsayers, with major discoveries throughout the world and due to hydraulic fracturing:
22 Jul 1922, Sat Mount Carmel Item (Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com
Mathusians never account for innovation and prices as incentives, such that the cycle of fear of running out and discovery repeats itself every generation it seems.
An Almost Inexhaustible Supply of Natural Gas!
There is, fortunately, an optimist for every pessimist and nothing proves it so well as this story from the wonderfully named town of Thermopolis, Hot Springs County, Wyoming:
22 Jul 1922, Sat The Billings Gazette (Billings, Montana) Newspapers.com
Natural gas development in Hot Springs County, Wyoming continues to this day, of course. What more needs to be said.
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