19th century production of coal gas, historical artwork. Workers at this coal plant are converting coal into 'town gas' for domestic use and street lighting. The gas was produced by the destructive distillation of coal, where coal was heated up to 1300 degrees Celsius to make gas, tar, turpentine and other useful by-products. Image taken from Grands Hommes et Grands Faits de l'Industrie (Great Men and Great Facts of Industry), France, circa 1880.