History of manufactured gas

When people used to live in cities a long, long time ago, they didn't have electricity like we do today. They would use something called "manufactured gas" to make their homes and streets light up at night.

Manufactured gas was made by heating coal or oil in a big oven called a retort. The heat caused the coal or oil to break down into gas and other stuff. The gas that came out was the manufactured gas, and it was captured and put into pipes that were used to bring it to homes and businesses.

People could use this gas for all sorts of things. They could light up their homes with gas lights, or they could use it to cook on a gas stove. The gas could also be used to power machines in factories.

Manufactured gas was very popular, but it wasn't always easy to produce. Sometimes the gas would be too dirty or it would make people sick. Eventually, people figured out how to make cleaner gas, and they started using other sources of fuel, like natural gas.

Today, no one uses manufactured gas anymore. But it was an important part of history, and it helped make life in cities brighter and more convenient.