rnwall, upon the
quantities and qualities of the gases produced by distillation
from different mineral and vegetable substances, I was induced
by some observation I had previously made upon the burning of
coal, to try the combustible property of the gases produced
from it....

Inasmuch as he is credited with having lighted his home by means of
piped gas, this experimental installation may be considered to have been
made in 1792. In his first trial he burned the gas at the open ends of
the pipes; but finding this wasteful, he closed the ends and in each
bored three small holes from which the gas-flames diverged. It is said
that he once used his wife's thimble in an emergency to close the end of
the pipe; and, the thimble being much worn and consequently containing a
number of small holes, tiny gas-jets emerged from the holes. This
incident is said to have led to the use of small holes in his burners.
He also lighted a street lamp and had bladders filled with gas "to carry
at night, with which, and his little steam carriage running on the road,
he used to astonish the people." Apparently unknown to Murdock, previous
observations had been made as to the inflammability of gas from coal.
Long before this Dr. Clayton described some observations on coal-gas,
which he called "the spirit of coals." He filled bladders with this gas
and kept them for some time. Upon his pricking one of them with a pin
and applying a candle, the gas burned at the hole. Thus Clayton had a
portable gas-light. He was led to experiment with distillation of coal
from some experiences with gas from a natural coal bed, and he thus
describes his initial laboratory experiment:

I got some coal, and distilled it in a retort in an open fire.
At first there came over only phlegm, afterwards a black _oil_,
and then likewise, a _spirit_ arose which I could no ways
condense; but it forced my lute and broke my glasses. Once when
it had forced my lute, coming close thereto, in order to try to
repair it, I observed that the spirit which issued out _caught
fire_ at the _flame_ of the _candle_, and continued burning
with violence as it _issued out_ in a _stream_, which I blew
out, and lighted again alternately several times.

He then turned his attention to saving some of the gas and hit upon the
use of bladders. He was surprised at the amount of gas which was
obtained from a small amount of coal