| BACK HOME BROKEN HILL & SUBURBAN GAS CO. The gas supply for Broken Hill was provided by the Broken Hill and Suburban Gas Company Ltd which was one of the oldest public utilities in the city. Since 1887 the company served the community with essential fuel. On December 14, 1887, eight locals formed themselves into a company, the principle object of which was "manufacture gas and supply same to the town and suburbs of Broken Hill and in such other places to be determined by the said company and to carry on the business of a gas company in all its branches". These eight comprised five mine managers, one smelter Superintendent and two "gentlemen" some of their names - - Richard Piper, James Boughtman, W. H. Morris and William R. Wilson - names now synonymous with Broken Hill streets. The new company lost no time in purchasing and erecting plant, and Broken Hill was first supplied with gas in 1888. The original works were built on portion of a site in Railwaytown (on the corner Mercury and Graphite Streets) By 1890 the demand for gas necessitated erection of a second holder (in 1956 the first small gasholder was still standing)-products had steadily increased over the years. The Railwaytown works carbonised approximately 7,000 tons of coal a year. Annual production was in the order of 120 million cubic feet of gas, 3,500 tons of coke, and 80,000 gallons of crude tar suitable for road construction. The company obtained the coal for its gas manufacture from the Pelaw Main and Abermain collieries at Kurrie Kurrie, about 18 miles west of Newcastle in New South Wales. Some 190 tons of this coal was used each week to produce about 3 million cubic feet of gas. It is heated in retorts using producer gas as a fuel. The raw household gas contained several impurities is thus driven off, leaving the chief by-product - coke. The main impurities, which are also by products, are tar, naphthalene and ammonia. These are removed before the gas is measured into one of the three gasholders for subsequent distribution to the city mains. At that time there were 4,300 homes and businesses supplied with gas. The company was divided into three departments. THE WORKS - manufacture the gas and pass it out through the mains to the customers, handle the by-products and repair and test meters required for replacing others in the distribution system. THE DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT - was responsible for the maintenance of the many miles of mains and services laid in the streets and lanes. As many of these were laid by the company at the beginning of the century, almost continuously being replaced. In addition this department handled installation of appliances of all types in existing and new consumers, as well as laying the new gas mains and services necessary for new homes. A large staff of tradesmen was engaged in installing appliances. THE OFFICE SECTION - was responsible for reading meters and preparing consumers accounts. In modern showrooms a large variety of gas appliances were sold. In December of 1955 a majority of the shareholders in the Broken Hill and Suburban Gas Co Ltd transferred their shares to the Gas Supply Company in Melbourne, and Broken Hill was one of 17 Australian towns and cities supplied with gas by this larger company. After this transfer a vigorous local expansion had been planned in order to cater for new areas and older residential areas not previously connected. In 1956 the company employed 55, a number of whom had been employed for over 30 years. In December 1955, Mr R. L. A. Richards, manager, director and secretary of the Broken Hill and Suburban Gas Company Limited, retired after 35 years service. The introduction of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the early 1960s' saw the end of the gasworks. The gasometers were dismantled and removed in the 1970s' and now gas is distributed in cylinders to households and in bulk by the Boral and Kleenheat companies. PHOTOS NEXT |