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/78

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES in the United <Jas and Electric Company of Bloomsburg, the incorporators of the last named company being E. B. Tustin, John B. Russel, F. k. Bevan, H a r ^ S. Barton, A. V. D uy. The gas business in Bloomsburg was conducted under the management o f this com­ pany until Feb. 7, 1 9 1 1, when by another agree­ ment o f merger and consolidation it was merged with twenty-two other gas and electric companies, covering the territory between the borough o f Ncscopcck in Luzerne county, and the borough o f Riverside in Northumberland county, both inclusive, forming the Columbia G as and Electric Company, the details o f whose consolidation arc referred to Liter on. T h e Columbia G as and Electric Company sold and conveyed all o f its property, rights and franchises to the Columbia and Montour Electric Company in March, 19 13, and the gas business is now beirg conducted under the management o f that company and is keeping pace with the rapid strides in the general in­ dustrial development o f Bloomsburg. T be Danville Gas Company was created by special act o f Assembly, approved the 8th day o f M ay, 1854 ( P . L . 1855, page 7 10 ). This company purchased the lot o f land where the present gas and electric plant is located and erected 3 gas plant, constructed mains through­ out the borough o f Danville and proceeded to engage in the business o f furnishing gas to tbe citizens o f that borough. The property of the Danville G as Company was next acquired by the Consumers G as Company, a corporation which was created under the act o f 1874, on N ov. 8. 1882. and this company conveyed by lease fo r the term o f nine hundred and ninetynine years, its property, rights and franchise* to the Standard G as Company (Deed Book 19, page 606). Electric Lighting T he pioneers in the electric lighting business in Columbia county were the following gentle­ men and firm s: W. R. Tubbs, Hannan & Hassert, Robbins & Peacock, W. H. Brow er, C. M. Creveling, L. S. Wintcrstecn, B. F. Sharplcss, T. L. Gunion, Isaac S. Kuhn, J. R. Schuyler, J. C. Brow n, i. W. W illits, Frank P. Billmeyer, C. W. Miller, N. U. Funk, E. V. Hartman, H. V. W hite, L. T. Sharplcss, C. A. Kleim. A. G. Briggs. J. E. W ilson, J. M. Robbins, Mathias Crcist, K. W. Oswald, fames McCloskcy, II. P. Chamberlain. L. N. M oyer, D. W. Kitchen, W. R. Kocher. H. J. O ark & Son, F rras Brown, Charles G. Barkley. Paul E. W irt, George Roscnstock, David Hensinger, Frank

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P. Drinker, M. G. Hughes. John Appleman, Jam es Magee. J. H. M crccr, William Chris­ man, L. E. W aller, John A. Funston, B. F. Gardner, William Krickbaum, H. W. M cReynolds, L. Gross, John L. M oyer, C. W. Neal, John B. Casey, J. H. Maize. U n Dec. 1 1. 1889, the above gentlemen, all o f whom were prominent in the affairs of the county, received a charter from the governor, effected an organization under the name o f Bloomsburg Electric Light and Pow er Com­ pany (M isc. Book 3 . page 440). purchased a lot at the northeast com er of the intersection o f Eighth and Catharine streets, Bloomsburg, and there erected an electric light plant, the original equipment consisting o f two small Keeler boilers; two fifty horsepower TaylorBeck engines; two fifty kilowatt ThompsonHouston altemating generators, one fifty light direct current Thompson-Houston arc gener­ ator, and a wooden panel switchboard. A contract fo r lighting the streets o f Blooms­ burg was secured from the town council, pole lines and wires were erected throughout the built up portion of the town, arc lights placed at the intersection of the principal thorough­ fares and electric light turned on alwut the ist o f A pril, 18 0 1, a truly historic event in the advancement 01 Bloomsburg. T his company on Sept. 2 ,18 9 9 (M isc. Book 6, page 4 5 1 ). leased its property, rights and franchises to the American Electric Light Com­ pany, a corporation which w as formed fo r the purpose o f taking over the old conmany, ha%'ing received its charter Aug. 2 1, 1899 (M isc. B w k 8, page 664), o f which company the in­ corporators were William D. Boyer, Grant F el­ ton. G. W. Reynolds. P. R. Bevan, all o f W ilkes-Barre. T his company conducted the plant until the 16th o f November, 1906, when I t entered into an agreement o f merger and consolidation with the American Gas Light Company o f Bloomsburg, form ing the United G as and Electric Company o f Bloomsburg (M isc. Book 9. page 17 ). The Irondale Electric Light, Heat & Power Company was incorporated on A pril 7, 1902 (M isc. (look 7. page 5 0 3), the incorporators being C . M. Creveling. W . S . M oyer, Dr. W. M . Rcbcr, Charles W . Runyon, N . U . Funk, Grant H erring. H . A . M’Killip, J . N . Tbomp.son, C. A . Kleim, J . C. Brown, D r. J . J . Brown. The Irondale Electric IJg h t, Heat and Power Company acquired by purchase the dam. mill race, wheel house, and water rights of the Bloomsburg Iron Company, and in the year 1902 erected and equipped at Irondale a hydro­ electric plant, receiving its waterpower from