The History of the Lantern

The Early Years of Kerosene Lanterns The demand for oil and kerosene lanterns in the 19th century spawn untold numbers of lantern manufacturers. Practically every town had a tinsmith making lanterns for the local gemunity. To get some idea of how wide spread this was just look how many Smiths there are in the phone book.
During the Civil War the rail transportation system was improved to the point that it was practical ship lanterns state-to-state. It was also during the war that the use of metal stamping machines to draw and press metal flourished in the U.S.
Hundreds of small stamping gepanies appeared and just as the auto industry had its giant, Henry Ford, the lantern industry had Robert E. Dietz. The story of Robert Dietz's gepany is practically the history of kerosene lanterns in America.R. E. Dietz Robert Edwin Dietz was born on January 5, 1818 in New York city. In 1840 Dietz used his savings to purchase a small oil lamp business in Brooklyn. The R. E. Dietz gepany sold sperm oil, whale oil, camphene (distilled turpentine), glass lamps, candle sticks, and a few dead flame lanterns.
Coal oil (kerosene) was first distilled in quantity from coal in 1856 and Robert Dietz had a ready market for a cheap, bright burning fuel. Dietz was awarded a patent for a burner specially designed to burn the new oil. After Edwin Drake produced the first gemercially successful oil well in 1859, the stage was set for an even cheaper source of kerosene.
During the 1860s, Civil War contracts, Robert's hard work, growth of railroads, and westward expansion made the lamp business a huge success. After the war ended, the cost of kerosene came down to a level where Dietz could sell lamps and lanterns to people who were still using candles. In 1868, Robert Dietz began to produce and sell a new tubular lantern patented by John Irwin. The lantern business continued to be good and, in 1887, a new factory was built on the corner of Greenwich and Laught streets in New York. In 1894, Dietz retired and left his sons Frederick and John in charge. Robert E. Dietz passed away on September 19, 1897, at the age of 79.
Fire destroyed the ten-year-old factory in June 1897 and C T Ham offered to sell out to Dietz for $190,000. Instead, in February 1898, the board of directors secured controlling interest in the Steam Guage