Time is falling back  and the sun is setting earlier on all of us. Old Sacramento  uses replica historic street lamps to light the town, and the only difference between now and the mid-19th century is the use of electricity instead of gas.

As I leave the museum on fall evenings, watching the streetlights come on reminds me of Wells Fargo's acquisition of the Sacramento Gas Works Company, who used to power the street lamps that lit "The River City." There is an interesting story of how a Wells Fargo Agent, Angus Frierson, "misappropriated funds" and made Wells Fargo proprietor of that utility.

By 1852, Sacramento's population was growing at a feverish rate. Wanting the civic prestige of San Francisco, Sacramento was in need of modern gas-powered street lamps. William Glen offered to take on the task of providing gas service to the city.

On May 29, 1854, Glen was granted a contract to power the new streetlights for 15 years. Shortly after he sold stock in his new Sacramento Gas Company, Glen formed a "group of five trustees" that would help run the company. One of the trustees was Wells Fargo agent Angus Frierson.

From his portion of the stock, Frierson gained the title of "President of Sacramento Gas Company." At that time he was also the Agent for Wells Fargo and Company's Express, in charge of operations in the Sacramento office (positions he held until he died suddenly on February 20, 1855). Shortly after his death, Wells Fargo discovered that Frierson had embezzled a significant amount of their money for his own use — the Sacramento Gas Company.

Wells Fargo filed a claim against Frierson's estate, claiming he "had custody of large sums of money...appropriated to his own use...to the sum of one hundred and ninety-five thousand dollars." The Sacramento Gas Company stock was sold at a sheriff's auction to help pay debts. The details are a bit vague, but Thomas M. Janes, Wells Fargo's Treasurer, bought Frierson's portion of the Gas Company. A "joint stock company would be formed to include the former stockholders," and another portion of Gas Company stock was later given to Wells Fargo as repayment for "42,000 in bonds and coupons."

From then on, Wells Fargo was a major shareholder — or more specifically, owner — of the Sacramento Gas Company.

In October, 1855, the first lamppost went up at 2nd and K Streets , one block from today's Wells Fargo museum. Two months later, construction was completed and gas delivered to Sacramento, lighting the lamps throughout the city.

The relationship between Wells Fargo and the Sacramento Gas Company continued for another 20 years — the utility saw many prominent Wells Fargo employees on its board of trustees, including President Louis McLane and Sacramento Agent Samuel Knight.