BARKER AND SPILMAN

BARKER AND SPILMAN. In 1854 the company of Barker and Spilman was the first to receive a Dubuque gas franchise. (1) First valued only for its ability to provide light, gas was introduced to the city on July 18, 1855 from a plant constructed at the corner of Dodge and Bluff. (2)

The company faced many disputes with city officials over gas street lights and consumer rates but survived to construct a larger plant across the street. The main office at 57 Main Street was opened in 1863 for customer convenience. This later moved to Fifth Street between Main and Iowa. The company's ownership was taken over by M. Moberly, F. S. Jessup and Company, J. L. Langworthy and Brothers, W. J. Barney and Company and Cincinnati parties. (3)

Caleb H. BOOTH, William CARTER and Julius K. GRAVES became the company owners and leased the plant to Howard and McArthur. In 1867, the works were rebuilt at the corner of Bluff and Dodge streets with improvements costing $250,000. (4) The purifying building was made of brick, 60x24 feet, containing four purifiers about eight feet square, connecting with pipes to a center " seal," divided into compartments. From this the gas passed into other purifiers, was condensed by a jet of cold water, which removed the carbonic acid gas and other impurities and left the gas ready for use. The meter manufactured by the American Company, of Philadelphia, accurately measured the quantity of gas produced and consumed each day. (5)

Neither group made the company any more profitable and the KEY CITY GAS COMPANY assumed the franchise and properties in 1880.

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Source:

1. Oldt, Franklin T. History of Dubuque County, Iowa, Online: https://books.google.com/books?id=u9xDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA464&lpg=PA464&dq=Burton%27s+Furnace+%28dubuque+history%29&source=bl&ots=0CkCGLFR0v&sig=a0Ou1vN3ew6nQUYoq2aOJsXF9Mg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=j3HVT5XALaP42QXVp9iFDw&ved=0CGgQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Burton%27s%20Furnace%20%28dubuque%20history%29&f=false, p. 662

2. Ibid.

3. "Gas Introduced to Dubuquers Just One Hundred Years Ago," Telegraph Herald, Oct. 24, 1954, p. 20

4. Oldt, p. 662

5. Ibid., p. 665