Prest-O-Lite

Carl Fisher and James Allison’s Prest-O-Lite Corporation marketed compressed gas canisters initially used to fuel the first viable automobile headlights. Fisher and Allison founded the company with Percy Avery in 1904 and eventually sold the company in 1917 for millions of dollars.

Prest-O-Lite Explosion - December 1907

Prest-O-Lite was the breakthrough product that propelled the fortunes of Indianapolis Motor Speedway founders Carl Fisher and James Allison to elite levels.
Prest-O-Lite Explosion - June 1908

The attachments below contain articles concerning the third explosion and the third strike for Prest-O-Lite as Indianapolis city officials forced the company to locate its operations outside the metropolitan area. Also see Prest-O-Lite explosions December 1907 and August 1907. 
 
Prest-O-Lite History

I obtained this article from the Town of Speedway Library, and it provides a tidy history of the Prest-O-Lite Company.
 
Acetylene Primer

If you are interested in core technology behind Presto-O-Lite Company read the Automobile Magazine article (attachment Acetylene1)  from the early 1900's explaining how acetylene gas is created and utilized for the application of headlights. Also, I have attached a more recent draft on the history of acetylene in attachment Acetylene_History.
Prest-O-Lite Explosion - August 1907

Prest-O-Lite was the breakthrough product that propelled the fortunes of Indianapolis Motor Speedway founders Carl Fisher and James Allison to elite levels.
Anchor of the "Horseless City"

May 13, 2013 marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of the big Prest-O-Lite factory in Speedway - the town Carl Fisher envisioned as the "Horseless City." Fisher, a person the track could well use today, was a man of vision and one of his many plans was to create a living environment that integrated his business interests: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Prest-O-Lite and Speedway Realty Company.
Indianapolis vs. Prest-O-Lite

After three big expolsions within Indianapolis at the Prest-O-Lite factory (due to the volatility of acetylene) the city had enough. Following the June 6, 1908 explosion a meeting of the City Council was called to draft an ordinance to ban the manufature of the gas - pumped into brass canisters and used to spark a flame for headlights - within city limits.
Prest-O-Carbon Remover

Attached is an advertisement for Prest-O-Lite Carbon Remover that appeared in the April 11, 1909 Indianapolis Star. This is really a promotion of two options for car owners.
Prest-O-Lite Ad August 1909

This ad for Prest-O-Lite gas fueled headlights appeared in the special edition automobile section of the August 15, 1909 Indianapolis Star. Note some of the interesting information that can be gleaned through a quick copy read: