Friday, Nov. 20, 1964

A New-Old Era

Onward, ever onward, sweeps technology toward a bright electronic world. And backward, ever backward, points the whimsical finger of fashion. Latest case in point: gas lamps.

That mellow old glow of mantled gas is bathing the front walks and herbaceous borders of thousands of ranchstyles, split-levels, Cape Cod saltboxes and California moderns--lending what their owners hope is a touch of antiquarian distinction in a fluorescent world. In 1914, before the miracle of cheap electricity made them obsolete, some 290,000 gas lamps illuminated U.S. streets. Today there are no fewer than 1,075,000.

The boom, not exactly discouraged by the gas companies, began in 1957 and has zoomed since then to the point where a single utility--the Arkansas Louisiana Gas Co.--is selling the old lights at the rate of 100,000 a year. Three years ago, New Jersey Natural Gas Co. had no more than 300 gas lamps in its area; today there are 20,000. The Washington, B.C., Gas Light Co. began offering lamps only four months ago, is now selling them at the rate of 280 a week.

Prices vary, ranging from about $25 for a plain colonial or modern lamp to about $500 for a refurbished antique. The lamps burn night and day, but even so, the total cost is a modest $1 to $4 a month.

Real estate developers love them. One development in Annandale, Va., called Camelot, has gas lamps in every yard with King Arthur-style spears on top of them--producing what the developer calls a "soft community atmosphere." With the new demand, suppliers are offering a variety of styles. Beverly Hills' gaslight is currently running to flaming torches--preferably crossed. An even fancier idea is to run a gas pipe up nearly to the surface of a decorative pool so that a jet of flame seems to be burning right on the water. The Houston Natural Gas Corp. has sold 30,425 of the new-old outdoor lamps --taking ads to proclaim that ladies look lovelier by gaslight: "No other illumination on earth is quite so glamorous." Another company is working on an indoor gas fixture that will save women from having to go outdoors for that glamorous look.

Obviously, it is only a matter of time before the electric light is relegated to the underdeveloped countries of the world, and the really up-to-date thing will be whale oil.

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