U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for February 7

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7: GAS LIGHTING

Profile America — Thursday, February 7th.  It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.  Nearly 200 years ago, it was even better to light a gas lamp.  On this date in 1817, America's first gas streetlamp was lit in Baltimore, Maryland.  The coal gas was supplied by the nation's first incorporated gas company.  Just like today, startups have their struggles, but by 1850, about 50 urban areas had gasworks for mostly municipal and business illumination, along with some private residences.  While gas lamps today are mostly confined to elegant accent lighting, natural gas itself is a huge energy source in America.  Revenues for natural gas distribution to consumers and other users total about $130 billion annually.  You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  2007 Economic Census, NAICS 2212

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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