Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.djvu/79

50 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES Fishing creek, the water being conveyed from the old Irondale dam by way of the headrace and developing about two hundred horsepower. For a number of years the Irondale Electric Light, Heat and Power Company and the Bloomsburg Electric Light and Power Company were both engaged in the furnishing of electricity to the community, developing a spirited competition, resulting in a rate which while beneficial to the citizens produced disastrous results to those having investment in the enterprise.

The Berwick Electric Light Company was incorporated on Aug. 4, 1892 (Misc. Book 4, page 70), the following gentlemen being interested in the enterprise at that time: F. H. Eaton, C. D. Eaton, W. F. Lowry, C. C. Evans, F. V. Brockway. W. E. Elmes. They subsequently incorporated the West Berwick Electric Light Company, which was a company subsidiary to the Berwick Electric Light Company, furnishing electric current in the borough of West Berwick. These two companies later joined the merger and consolidation forming the Columbia Gas and Electric Company. The first electric light company to be incorporateil in the borough of Danville, Montour county, was the Standard Electric Light Company, which received its letters patent from the Commonwealth on Oct. 6,1899 (Deed Book 21. page 435), the incorporators being John B. Russel. W. D. Boyer, G. W. Reynolds, Grant Pelton, P. R. Bevan, and this company took over by purchase the electric light business in Danville which had formerly been conducted by John R. Bennett, as an individual.

ELECTRIC RAILWAYS

The first electric railway company organized in Columbia county was the Bloomsburg Electric Street Railway Company, which was incorporated on June 1. 1892, under the act of 1889 (Misc. Book 4. page 41). by J. L. Dillon, L. E. Waller. C. C. Peacock. I. V. Willits, W. R. Tubbs, C. W. Miller, for the purpose of constructing two miles of road in the town of Bloomsburg. This enterprise was subsequently abandoned. as the traffic was not deemed sufficient to support it.

The Bloomsburg and Berwick Electric Railway Company was incorporated Feb. 9. 1899 (Misc. Book '6. page 265), by R. Steen Martin. Franklin Ingraham, J. M. Emery. L. E. Waller, F.E. Miller. C. W. Miller, with its route from Bloomsburg to Berwick. This road was completely financed through the efforts of Mr. C. W. Miller, but owing to the inability of the company to procure all of the rights of way from abutting property owners, the subscribers temporarily abandoned the construction of the road.

The North Susquehanna Transit Company was incorporated Aug. 1, 1895 (Misc. Book 7, page 449). by the following named gentlemen: E. S. Whitney, Robert E. Wriglit, Allentown, Pa.; Wilson M. Gearhart, James Scarlet, R. S. Ammerman, John K. Geisinger. Danville, Pa.; E. R. Sponsler, J. M. Fitzgerald, Harrisburg, Pa.; all of whom constituted the first board of directors. The charter route of this company extended from the borough of Danville in Montour county through the town of Bloomsburg to the village of Espy in Columbia county.

On Oct. 31. 1899 the Bloomsbuig and Berwick Electric Railway Company and the North Susquehanna Transit Company entered into an agreement of merger and consolidation, forming the Columbia and Montour Electric Railway Company, with an authorized capitalization of $375,000; bonds were issued in the sum of $375,000 secured by a first lien mortgage to the Commonwealth Trust Company of Harrisburg, as trustee, the company secured a tract of land, the site of the old Neal furnace, where they erected a powerhouse and car barn, and the first electric railway in the history of Columbia county was constructed and completed between the borough of Berwick and the town of Bloomsburg, with a branch four miles extending from the town of Bloomsburg to the borough of Catawissa. The road was opened for traffic in October, 1901.

The Danville and Bloomsburg Street Railway Company was incorporated on Sept. 1, 1903 (Misc. Book 8, page 259). with an authorized capitalization of $250,000. The incorporators were K. H. Koch, V. C. Billman, Frank C. Angle. Charles P. Hancock. W. F. Pascoe. Bonds in the sum of $250,000 were issued secured by a first lien mortgage to the Easton Trust Company, of Easton, Pa. They secured a site at the village of Grovania, half way between Danville and Bloomsburg. and there erected a powerhouse and car barn, and constructed the road between Danville and Bloomsburg.

A number of charters for other electric railways to be constructed with terminus at Bloomsburg have been granted, but up to 1914 none of them went further than the projected stage. The exception was the Bloomsburg & Millville Railway Company, incorporated in 1901. A route from Millville to Bloomsburg was partially graded and about two miles of