@joeyh And, trivium.

Ball jars exist because of the Indian Gas Boom.

What Indiana gas boom you ask?

The one that ran from the late 1880s through the first decade of the 20th century.

Natural gas was discovered in the state in 1876, and commercial exploitation began a decade later. The resource was touted as "infinite" and "inexhaustible", though of course, it was anything but, and within 14 years the decline had set in.

There were any number of extravagant practices, the most wasteful of which was flambeaux: literally giant flaring candelabras of burning gas jets coming directly from the ground.

And industry was attracted, especially anything based on cheap and clean fuel. Glassmaking still relies heavily on natural gas as it doesn't leave soot or ash on the finished product, and the Ball Corporation was one of several attracted to the state. Northeastern Indiana ended up with U.S. Steel, in Gary.

The overextraction of natural gas also means that much of the associated petroleum, whose extraction benefits greatly from the pressure provided by gas, could not be economically exploited.

Fascinating bit of energy history with all the hubris, wishful thinking, and waste that so frequently occurs with it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_gas_boom

#BallJars #NaturalGas #indiana #IndianaGasBoom #Energy #History