The Battle Creek Gas Co. operated in the city since its founding in the 1870 until 1985, when Southeastern Michigan Gas Co., later known as SEMCO, bought the company after decades of acquisition attempts. This aerial of the company's Fountain Street facility in 1947 documents its effort to keep up with winter demand for natural gas. The 30,000-gallon tanks stored liquid propane that could be converted to gas to meet peak demand. The Enquirer and News reported on Dec. 7, 1947, that the new propane air gas plant just behind the tank would provide a reserve of 7 million cubic feet of gas with a daily generating capacity of 1 million cubic feet.