One hole cover

 

 

This old utility cover is a scene in the street beneath our feet.  Its original usage is now now known.  It may have been a gas shutoff, or a water shutoff, or maybe a fill for a below ground heating oil tank?  

 

 

A in the arrow

 

A is for arrow

 

  

This nicely patina-ed Bingham and Taylor GAS utility cover is seen in the street beneath our feet.  The cover is intended to be aligned so the arrow indicates the direction of the gas flow.

 

Yellow gas

 

Yellow gas cover

This yellow-painted PROV GAS CO gas utility cover is seen in the cracked sidewalk of the street beneath our feet.  

 

The Providence Gas Company was chartered in 1847 and began operations in 1848, making coal gas for lighting.  In the 2000s, it went through several corporate acquisitions; the original name is no longer used.

 

Two of its former buildings are listed in architecture guides of Providence:  the Providence Gas Company Purifier House (more here and here) on Allens Avenue and the Providence Gas Company Building (more here) on Weybosset Street. 

 

 

 

Water and gas

 

Circles in a rectangle

 

This GFI WATER utility cover and a GAS utility cover are highlighted for easy location of where work will most likely be done.  The blue indicates a potable water line and the yellow is for a gas.  

Gas drip marked

 

It's a drip!

 

A utility worker has marked this GAS utility cover with a DRIP.

 

 

Two arrows

Down and to the left

 

 

 

Up and to the right

These two  "B & T GAS" covers were seen in the street beneath our feet. Wear and location affect how utility covers look and what dings and bangs they may display.  The "B & T" stands for "Bingham & Taylor", the maker of these covers.

 

Gas in a square

 

No guessing here

 

The text on this square GAS utility cover that is seen in the street beneath our feet clearly informs the passer-by as to the purpose of the cover.

 

 

Double vee gas

 

Square GAS cover

This 'double vee' GAS cover is seen in the street beneath our feet.  

 

A close look in the upper left corner reveals a small "ej", the  EJ company corporate logo.

Round gas cover

Circle in a square

A round CP GAS gas utility cover is outlined by a rectangle in the street beneath our feet.

Off center arrow

Worn out GAS utility cover

The A in this GAS utility cover is pointing out the slightly off center arrow  above it.  This delightful scene was seen in the street beneath our feet.

Gas drip

GAS DRIP and squares

The rare and seldom seen GAS DRIP utility cover.  This one uses a 5x5 square block grid and a sans serif font to designate its function.

GAS TEST utility covers are often seen in the street beneath our feet.

N.B.  more intensive image searches for "gas drip" utility covers uncovered three others; they are different, too.

1.   https://www.flickr.com/photos/f33/123841244/   City Gas Drip 

City Gas Drip - Richmond, Virginia

2.  http://users.rcn.com/fgardino/Boston.htm  BCGC Gas Drip

BCGC Gas Drip - Boston

3.  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cheekymonkeyfoto/4419780661/in/photolist-bWHFS-7JywNR  Drip...

City gas drip - next to a T

Keep looking!

Triangle in the ground

Equilateral and rounded

This Observation Monitoring Well cover was made by the Universal Valve Co. of Elizabeth, NJ.  The equilateral triangle and rounded corners provide a needed respite from the round and square covers one usually sees in the street beneath our feet.

Ideal gas shut off

IDEAL GAS SHUTOFF 

The directions on the cover of this gas shut off valve use a mix of sans serif and serif fonts along with some odd kerning to make all the text fit on the cover.  Although heavily painted over, they can still be read:

IDEAL

GAS

SHUT OFF

TO SHUT OFF GAS

OPEN DOOR

PULL HANDLE HARD

D.G.C.TRAP & VALVE CO.

NEW YORK

The door requires a key to open it.

The company started out in 1894 as the Albert Cryer & Co. and was then located at 96 Centre Street in New York City.  By 1915, it was renamed the D. G. C. Trap & Valve Co. and remained, at different office locations, in Manhattan until about 1953; shortly thereafter it became part of the Encor Corporation of Belleville, New Jersey.

For a a more detailed history of the company, and a different cover, visit this Ideal web page.

Gas test duo

A freshly poured sidewalk, neat labeling, and a coat of paint - but the cement spattered onto the cover makes for a less than perfect job. 

Freshly spattered 

This gas test cover, made by Gardener Box, sports a sans serif font to indicate the cover function.

Gardener Box GAS TEST cover

Both of these gas test covers were scene in the street be neat our feat.

Worn down gas test

Gas Test utility cover 

The high vehicular traffic has worn down the lettering on this utility cover.  What remains of the cover design indicates that it is a gas test cover.

Gas test sans serif

Bingham and Taylor GAS TEST cover 

Seen in the street beneath our feet, this "GAS TEST BINGHAM TAYLOR" cover utilizes a sans serif font to indicate the function of the cover and its maker.

Their GAS cover

Caldwell Boston Gas utility cover 

This cast iron Caldwell gas utility cover was made in Boston.  Two variants of their water covers can be seen here and here.

Gas box

Gardner GAS Box

This square GAS Box cover was made by Gardner.  It would be a cover for a natural gas shutoff valve located beneath the sidewalk.

Double gas

Two gas covers

Another two gas covers

The recently installed gas lines resulted in two gas utility covers and many arrows.  The covers are Bingham and Taylor "B&T GAS USA" types.  The "A" arrows are apparently aligned with the underground utility paint markings.

G for gas

"G" gas cover

This "G" cover could be an old style gas utility cover.  It was a surprise to see it in the street beneath my feet.