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.pdf/142

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

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M. Milleisen, Dr. J. J. Brow n, N. U. Funk, Robert Runyon, C. A. Kleim, J. C. Brow n, Dr. T h e original electric light company in the C S. Altmiller, J. L. Moyer. county w as the Bloomsburg Electric Light Com pany, organized in November, 1890, with F IR E D EP A R TM E N T the following officers: President. W. R. T u b b s: secretary, L. E. W aller; treasurer, Dr. Until l8C8 Bloomsburg had no protection I. W. W illits: directors. C. W. Miller, J. H. against fires but the “ bucket brigade." When M ercer, P . S. Harman. C. C. Peacock. F . P. a fire occurred tvo lines o f |>coplc were formed Drinker. The light w as tum cil on for the at a well or cistern, and full buckets were first time March 10. l ^ l . The company con­ passed along one line to the fire, the empty tinued to operate until 1899, when it passed buckets being returned by the other line. 1 f the into the hands of the Am cncan Electric Light water supply became exhausted, the fire con­ & G as Co., which at the same time purchased tinued as long as there w as anything left to the Bloomshurg G as Co., and consolidated bum. In February, 186S, the Bloomsburg F ire the two under one management. The name Company w as organized. A siibscrijition fund w as su bs^uently changed lo the United Gas o f $450 was raised, and with it a hand engine & Electric Company, and this a few years W'as purchased from the Friendship F ire Com­ ag o passed into the control of the Columbia pany o f Philadelphia by William H. Gilmore. P ow er, Light & R ailw ays Company. The It was a double decker, made for city use, Bloom sburg Electric Light Company had its with water supplied from a plug. It arrived plant at Eighth and Catherine streets; it is now in Bloomsburg on A pril 2, 1868. Having no suction pipe it w as still necessary to supply it abandoned. T h e Irondale Electric Light, Heat & Power with water by the lines o f bucket passers, but Com pany w as organized in A pril, 1902. Those it was an improvement on the brigade because actively in te re st^ in it at its inception were a stream could be thrown farther. Much W. S. M oyer, Dr. J. J. Brow n, D r. W. M. good w'ork w as done with it, and it saved R cbcr, C. W. Runyon, J. C. Brow n, N. U. property worth many times its cost. Funk, C. A. Kleim, Grant H erring, C M. A fte r the erection o f waterworks the old Creveling, H. A. M cK illip, The old power­ hand engine made its appearance only in fire­ house form erly used by the Bloom sbu ^ Iron men’s parades. It w as sold in November, 1886, Com pany at Irondale was purchased from the to the Volunteer Firem en's Association o f Bloom sburg W ater Com j^ny, including the Phil.idclphia, and was kept by them as a relk dam at Arbutus Park and the race. The of the early days of the city fire fighters until building was remodeled and powerful turbines 1802, when it was destroyed in a fire. instead of the old overshot water wheel, and In 1880 the Bloomsburg Fire Company was the latest machinery for both steam and water changed to Friendship F ire Company, No. i. pow er was procured. A complete modem The town purchased a steam fire engine in equipment for the manufacture o f commercial 1890, and put it in the charge o f this com­ electric current was erected, and the company pany. where it has remained ever since. Of the began business in August, 1903. In 19 13 the charter members but few are living, among timber dam w as tom out with great difficulty, these being W. II. Gilmore, J. H. Long, T. L. ow ing to the many cribs and piling in the W alter, W. J. Correll, F. Nl. Gilmore, Jacob creek bed, and a new timber dam, 12 feet A ul, Edw ard Searlcs, John Roadarmel, Charles high and 760 feet long, placed in position. A Decker, William Thom as and T. L. Gunton. concrete dam could not be built owing to the T his company has quarters in the town haR, fact that bed rock was over ten feet below the liaving well appointed rooms for (he appa­ creek bed. Tbe old dams had been subject ratus and for meetings. For more than forty to frequent damage by freshets. years this company has held an annual ball F o r a time there w as sharp competition be­ which is alw'ays largely attended. tween the Irondale Company and the Blooms­ The Friendship F ire Company is contem­ burg Electric Light Company, until a few plating the purchase o f an automobile chem­ years ago, when both companies passed into ical fire engine. the control of the Columbia Power, Light & Rescue Fire Company was incoiqioratcd Railw'ays Company. The officers at the time Feb. 1 1, 1869. The petition for the charter of the consolioation w ere: C, M. Creveling, w as signed by J . I. Stees, F . M. Everett, P . E. president: N . U . Funk, secretary: M. Mill- W irt, A . J . Drake, Cain M auser, W. M arr, W. eisen, treasu rer; directors, C. M. Creveling, J. Buckalew, S. W. Shutt, E. S. Shutt, J. CirELEC TR X C L IG H T IN G