Mystery outdoor gas pipe

[runderwo]

Where the gas piping comes up from the ground into my house, there is a smaller "slave" pipe with a rectangular valve that loops back into the ground. I have accounted for all indoor appliances (fireplace, stove/oven, water heater, dryer, furnace) via the piping running through the attic. I asked the guy from the gas company when he was there flagging the yard, and he suggested it might be for an outdoor grill hookup. Problem is, I don't see how a grill could be hooked up to it. The entrance looks like this (fixed width font required):

|| Main || /-----------|| House | || | Mystery || |---_ || | | || | | || | | || ======================== Dirt

[Tom G]

Perhaps a former owner rigged up a line to bypass the meter? I assume the guy flagging the yard actually worked for a cooperative company that flags all utilities when construction is to be done and probably wouldn't have cared if the line was illegal as long as he could flag it's existence (or non-existence) in your yard. Or a line running to a separate garage heater that is not longer there?

Tom G.

[Bill]

What about a gas light post in your front yard?

[EXT]

Yes, gas lights were a popular item 20 or more years ago when gas was dirt cheap.

[julia.albath]

Interesting. That is a distinct possibility. There is a light post there which seems to have the electricity run to it as an after thought. It very well may have been gas to begin with. I'll have to check it out when I tear into it for any reason.

Thanks!