Thegasfactory–otherimagesofanOldRio

Even today, as we pass along Presidente Vargas avenue toward Zona Norte, shortly after the 31 de Março Viaduct (which connects the port area to the Santa Bárbara tunnel), we can see a building of the old gas factory of the [former path of] Aterrado, built in 1853 on the initiative of the Barão de Mauá, where the clock tower stands out.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a gasworks located in old Rio de Janeiro. On the left side, we see a large tree with green leaves. In front, there is a paved street with streetcar tracks. On the right, there is a building with large windows and a main entrance. In the background, there is another building with a clock on its tower. Some people are walking along the street, and a few cars are visible in the distance.

After being transferred to an English company, in 1876 the concession for those gas production and public lighting services was once again transferred to the Belgian company Société Anonyme du Gaz – SAG. Acquired in 1905 by Light, in 1912 a new and portentous gas factory produced from coal was inaugurated – installed on federal land, part of the modernization project of the port of Rio and where even today some vestiges of that undertaking remain in São Cristóvão, near the Gasômetro viaduct.

Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph of a construction site. On the left side, we see piles of wood and stacked construction materials. In the center, there is a large quantity of bricks arranged in heaps. On the right, a man is walking on a brick structure. In the background, there is a factory with a tall tower and several smaller buildings. Mountains are on the horizon, and the sky is clear. In the lower left corner of the image, there is an inscription that reads: "No.44-RIO-FEB.26.10 CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL NEW GAS WORKS".

All stages of the construction of the new gas factory were documented, constituting one of the most beautiful works of engineering photography carried out in the city, by E. A. Mortimer. In the image, the already erected structure of the ‘house of retorts’, where coal was transformed into gas.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a construction in progress. The main structure consists of a large metal roof with sloped tiles, supported by a complex steel framework. On the left, we see sturdy pillars supporting the structure. In the center, there is an open area with workers scattered throughout. On the right, there is a wooden tower and electrical cables. In the background, there are buildings and trees. In the lower right corner, there is a legible inscription that reads "No 61780 JUN 6 20-1910 METRO HALL NEW GAS WORKS".

In this photograph, a more advanced stage of construction at the new gas factory.

Image description: This is a black and white photograph of a gas factory under construction. On the left side, we see metal structures and stacks of pipes. In the center, there is a large open area with scattered equipment and materials. On the right, there are industrial buildings under construction, with tall, smoking towers. In the background, we see a city with several houses and buildings, as well as distant mountains.

In the background of the image and to the left of the storage tank/gasometer, one can see the Frei Antônio hospital (former hospital of the Lepers) on São Cristóvão street. It was established in the 18th century; patients with leprosy were admitted there. On the right edge, one can see the tower of the São Cristóvão Mother Church.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an industrial area under construction. On the left side, there is a large building with several windows and domes, situated on a hill. In front, there is a row of shacks and smaller structures, some covered with tiles. In the center, a huge metal structure stands out, likely a gas tank. In the background, there are more buildings and a line of trees. On the ground, scattered construction materials can be seen, including pipes and barrels. At the bottom of the image, there is text that reads "Nº93 - RIO MAY 18,11 NEW GAS WORKS".

In June 1911, the Société Anonyme du Gaz de Rio de Janeiro (SAG) inaugurated the new gas factory in São Cristóvão, next to the Canal do Mangue, with a gasometer of 90,000 cubic meters. A “small city” and “relevant undertaking,” as it was described at the time, fascinated by its dimensions, the profusion of chimneys, and its production capacity. In the background, on the hill of Pinto, one can see the chapel of Nossa Senhora de Montserrat – to the right of the largest chimney. To the left of the image, also in the background, is the hill of Providência, with its oratory at the top.

Image description: This is a historic photograph of a gasworks, viewed from above. On the left side, there are metal structures and a large circular tank. In the center, a building with a sloped roof and several tall chimneys. To the right, other industrial buildings are visible. In the background, there is a hill with some buildings and vegetation. The sky is clear and cloudless.

The coal arrived at the port where it was unloaded in a specific area, then being transferred by mechanical means, including moving bridges, to the production units. The gas factory facilities reached the edge of the Mangue canal.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an industrial area. On the left side, we see elevated metal structures, possibly bridges or loading platforms. In the center, there is a large pile of dark material, perhaps ore or industrial waste. On the right, there are more metal structures and equipment, including a tall tower with a small roof. In the background, we see buildings and distant mountains. The sky is clear with a few clouds.

In this photograph and the following one, aspects of the gas factory, installed next to the mangue canal and the port pier. This image from 1911 shows the crane at the edge of the canal, which was still under construction.

Image description: This is an old photograph of a gas plant under construction, dated July 1911. On the left side, we see metal structures still under construction, with scaffolding and industrial equipment. Moving to the right, we see buildings under construction with sloped roofs and tall chimneys. In the center, there is a large coal-loading machine, used to supply the plant. In the background, we see a series of utilitarian buildings and a waterline with boats in view. The image is in black and white, with reflections on the water of the river. In the bottom right corner, it reads "N°105 RIO - JULY 27 '11 COAL HANDLING PLANT AT NEW GAS WORKS".

In this photograph, from 1924, besides the crane, one can see to the right and in the foreground the track that led the coal directly from the port to the factory. To the left, Francisco Bicalho avenue with the tram tracks. In the background, the Corcovado hill stands out.

Image description: This is a historic black-and-white photograph of a gasworks located in old Rio de Janeiro. On the left side, there is a paved street with broad-leaved trees along the right-hand side. In the center, there is a canal with water and a drawbridge over it. On the right, there is an industrial plant with several metal structures and chimneys emitting smoke. In the background, there are mountains covered by clouds.

Here, one observes to the left the Canal do Mangue and Francisco Bicalho Avenue. Behind the darker and fuller storage tank, to the right, stands the Hospital Frei Antônio dos Lázaros, of which only the end is visible; immediately behind, an imposing building houses today, already renovated, the 1st Guard Battalion – Emperor's Battalion on Pedro II Avenue, in São Cristóvão. In this image, we can observe that the gas factory was integrated into the Port of Rio; such an initiative came from the Federal Government, responsible for the construction of the port and grantor of the land where the Light group's gas factory came to be installed. In 1966, the SAG, operated by Light since 1905, transferred the company to the state government, which created the Companhia Estadual do Gás/CEG. The following year, the coal-based process, already considered obsolete, was replaced by naphtha in gas production. Today, that new factory installed on land at the edge of the Canal do Mangue no longer exists; from 1982 onwards, the city began to be supplied by natural gas, now under the responsibility of Naturgy, a private company.

Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph of a city with mountains in the background. On the left side, there is a river with boats in view. On the right, there is an industrial area with several structures, including a gas storage tank. In the background, the city stretches toward the mountains, covered with buildings and vegetation.

Below is a sequence of photographs of the kind that completely escapes that idea of a ‘Rio de Janeiro Cidade Maravilhosa,’ with its stupendous landscape and its city squeezed between the sea, the lagoons and the mountains.... for these images were produced right here, in the gas production complex that no longer exists, and they possess qualities that make them masterpieces of Carioca photography; why not?

Image description: This is an old photograph of a gas factory under construction. On the left side, we see a metal structure with stairs and a tall tower. In the center, there is a large vertical chimney. On the right, there is a wooden building with a sloped roof. In the background, there are mountains and some trees. The sky is cloudy. At the bottom of the image, there is an inscription that reads "Nº 4 & Rua, May 1811 New Gas Works".

13

Imagem 1 de 3: New Gas Works – [Gasômetro: São Cristóvão] - 18/05/1911 – Fotógrafo não identificado

In this image, in the background and to the right the tower of the first gas factory; in the street, a donkey-drawn tram on a rainy day

Image description: This is a historic photograph of an industrial area. On the left side, there is an elevated metal structure with a sloped roof. In the background, several chimneys are visible, signaling the presence of industries. On the right, there is a large pile of dark material, possibly ore or industrial waste. In the center, there is a series of low buildings and metal structures. In the foreground, there is a brick fence and a wooden platform with a wheelbarrow. The ground is covered with pieces of wood and dirt.

In the last image of this series, the gas company on São Cristóvão Street.

Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph. The image shows a street with cobblestone paving and tram tracks crossing through the middle. On the left, there is a horse-drawn carriage, with a person standing beside it. In the background, there is a large white wall that forms an angle at the street corner. There are also lampposts along the wall. In the upper right corner, it reads "Company's property".