The "Yellow Dog" Derrick Lantern
Previous to providing the earliest light for night drilling on oil rigs, the double-wicked iron lamps were hung on the yardarms of whaling ships where, filled with whale oil and set afire, provided light for night hunting of the great sperm whale.
With the discovery of crude oil in the country, the lanterns were adapted to the early drilling rigs where they illuminated the first night drilling operations. Some have also been used as a ladle to melt and pour Babbitt used for bearings in oil well engines.
The term "Yellow Dog" may have come from the yellowish shadow resembling a dog's head cast by these lighted posts at night or, from the lighted flames resembling a dog's eyes in the distance. Some also say they were painted yellow and got their name from that. But, I have only seen one of these lanterns painted yellow.
Both the Oil Well Supply Co. and the Alamo Iron Works lanterns belong to, Bob Ardisson, a good friend.
Truck Flares, Smudge Pots, C.T.Ham, Little Wizard
I have many sets of truck flares and many single flares. These were used around the late 40's and through the 50's as warning lights for disabled vehicles. I also have several of the "Toledo Torch", or "Smudge Pot" flares that were used in construction areas around the same era. These used a cotton wick and were filled with Kerosene each day during use. The average time these would burn is about 12 - 14 hours on a fill-up.
C.T.Ham Mfg. Co. (Charles Trafton Ham) Built tubular, street, square, headlights, railroad, commercial and vessel lamps and lanterns. The No."0" Clipper is shown above. The company closed in 1914 and was purchased by the R.E.Dietz Co. who made the "Little Wizard" lantern also shown.
Unknown Manufacturer:
I saw this unusual "Three Spout (Yellow Dog) Heater" on eBay
and just had to have it. I doubt if I will ever light it and imagine it
would throw off a good amount of smoke in addition to the light and heat it
would provide. Especially using Kerosene or Diesel fuel. Maybe
alcohol would be an alternative?
Justrite Miner's Light - and Carbide tin. This Carbide Lamp and Carbide Tin was given to me on Christmas of 2010 by my son, Joe, Jr.. It was a great surprise. These lights were used by coal miners to provide light to work with in the mines. There was a mounting bracket on their hats and helmets that accepted the light. Mixing Calcium Carbide with a little water produces Acetylene Gas which is lighted by the use of a flint sparker on the lower part of the reflector.
Adlake Pennsylvania Railroad Kerosene Lantern. These lanterns were used in order to operate trains and train yards. They were used as signal lights to tell the engineer to stop or go and other orders that were needed. Sometimes Conductors, on their time off, would visit "houses of ill repute" and hang their lanterns out on the porch so the engineers would know where they are. Hence, the "Red-Light" district.