The growth of gas consumption in the city led to the renovation and expansion of the piping, as well as the construction of substations and even a huge gasometer, in the Mangue region. Returning to the 19th century, in 1890 the Center had three gasometers, Botafogo one and Vila Isabel, one. By 1950, the city was served by twenty-six gasometers; eleven of them in Leblon, six in Botafogo, three on Piauí street, one in Mangue, four in the gas factory and another in Vila Isabel. In the series of photographs that follow, gas reservoirs that were scattered throughout the city. There are those of older technology, from the end of the 19th century and turn of the century, still from the times of the Belgian company Societé Anonyme du Gaz, before its acquisition by Light.
Image description: The image is an old photograph of a gas tank, known as a gasometer, located in Rio de Janeiro. The tank is large and cylindrical, with a complex, latticed metal structure. It is surrounded by a red brick fence, and there is a small white building to the right. On the left, there is a lamppost with a traffic sign. In the background, there are low buildings and a horizontal power line. At the top of the image is written "Company's property" and at the bottom, "Rio. One million cubic foot gas holder serving central district."Gasômetro da Rua S. Leopoldo [Gasômetro: Rua São Leopoldo; atual rua Júlio do Carmo, Cidade Nova] – Sem data – Augusto Malta
In the image, the Botafogo gasometer, on Dona Anna street, currently Jornalista Orlando Dantas. At the time, the substation already had two gasometers. The metal building was replaced by another, of masonry.
Image description: The image is an old grayscale photograph showing an electrical substation. On the left side, there are elevated metal structures with suspended cables. In the center, an industrial building with a sloped roof and several windows. On the right, a series of smaller structures, possibly warehouses or storage buildings, with a plain light-colored façade. In the background, a line of dense trees marks the horizon. At the bottom of the image, there are handwritten inscriptions in red, mentioning "Rua D. Anna", "2 copies-box 'K'", "Box 13" and "C-141".Gasômetro: Rua Dona Anna, atual Jornalista Orlando Dantas, Botafogo. – Sem data – Augusto Malta
View of Botafogo with the gasometer on Dona Anna Street, currently Jornalista Orlando Dantas, on the left.
Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph of Rio de Janeiro, showing the district of Botafogo with Pão de Açúcar in the background. On the left side, we see a series of houses and buildings, some with sloped roofs and others being lower structures. Moving toward the right, the number of buildings increases, forming a dense urban area. In the center, there is a hill covered with vegetation, while Pão de Açúcar stands out on the horizon to the right. The sky is clear, and the sea is visible in the background, separating the city from the mountains.Botafogo – Sem data – Augusto Malta
Detail of the previous photograph where, in the foreground and to the left, the gasometers installed on Rua Dona Anna, current Jornalista Orlando Dantas, Botafogo, stand out.
Image description: This is an old photograph of a city with rows of houses and a mountain in the background. On the left side, we see a metal structure, likely an electrical substation, with towers and a circular tank. In the center, there are several houses and buildings of different sizes and shapes, some with sloped roofs. On the right, more houses and trees are visible. In the background, a large mountain covered with vegetation completes the scene.Detalhe da fotografia Botafogo – Sem data – Augusto Malta
And there are the more recent gasometers, from the 1950s-60s, with different technology and design – some substations even had a futuristic air, with their high-pressure Zeppelin-type gasometers, horizontal or vertical. Today, when we receive the natural gas that comes directly from the extraction fields, all of this no longer exists; they are merely memories! And beautiful photographs, let's be honest. In this image, the vertical Zeppelin-type high-pressure gasometers, which replaced the previous ones on Jornalista Orlando Dantas Street, in Botafogo.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of three large metal tanks, likely used for storing water or gas, located in a park or green area. The tanks are arranged side by side, with the largest one in the center and two smaller ones to its right. They are supported by metal structures and have square bases. In the background, there is a two-story house with a sloped roof, surrounded by trees and vegetation. The image was taken during the day, with a clear sky and a few clouds.27/10/1960 – Octacílio B. Monteiro
View of part of the building (now listed, at the entrance of a residential condominium) and the high-pressure horizontal Zeppelin-type gasometers, at the Leblon station. In the background, the Dois Irmãos hill.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an electrical substation. The image shows a building with a sloped roof and three large cylindrical tanks on the right. On the left, there is a wall with a protective railing and a hedge fence. In the background, there is a rocky mountain.Estação Leblon – Rua D. Pedrito, atual Almirante Guilhem. – Sem data – Fotógrafo não identificado