Annual report of the burgess and town council of the borough of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1935, Part 23

Author: Chambersburg (Pa.)
Publication date: 1935-1940
Publisher: [Chambersburg, Pa.] : The Borough
Number of Pages: 492


USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Chambersburg > Annual report of the burgess and town council of the borough of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1935 > Part 23


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Account


Corporate


Loan


2.85


Edgar W. Diehl, Commissions


742.27


Balance in Hands of Treasurer January


1, 1941


14,628.71


$38,332.98


BOND DEPARTMENT-SINKING FUND


Balance in Sinking Fund January 1, 1940 (Four Banks)


$ 4,223.72


Interest Received (Four Banks) 84.89


$ 4,308.61


Balance in Sinking Fund January 1, 1941 (Four Banks)


$ 4,308.61


$ 4,308.61


TAX LIENS


Borough


Borough Bond and Bond Interest


Balance to be col-


lected January


1, 1940 ..


$ 3,118.87 $ 3,655.46 $


27.33


$ 6,801.66


Amount collected


1940


157.21


239.82


70.08 $


467.11


$ 2,961.66 $ 3,415.64 $


27.33 $


00.00 $ 6,404.63


Not Revived


3.31


3.31


6.62


Balance to be col-


lected January


1, 1941


$ 2,958.35 $ 3,412.33 $ 27.33 $ 00.00 $ 6,398.01


LATERAL SEWER ASSESSMENTS


Balance to be collected January 1, 1940


$15,690.33


Assessments made during 1940


1,370.48


Interest Accrued


8.92


Amount collected in error


17.55


$17,087.28


Collected during 1940


$11,742.23


Interest collected


8.92


Liens entered 1940


5,244.83


Balance to be collected January 1, 1941


91.30


$17,087.28


35


Total


$ 70.08


6,871.74


Report, William M. L. Etter


LATERAL SEWER LIENS


Balance to be collected January 1, 1940


$ 3,436.54


Sewer Assessments entered as Liens 5,244.83


Interest Accrued


131.73


Costs Accrued


44.60


$ 8,857.70


Collected during 1940


$ 406.06


Interest collected


136.83


Costs collected


44.60


Balance to be collected January 1, 1941


8,270.21


$ 8,857.70


PAVING LIENS


Balance to be collected January 1, 1940


$ 2,350.23


Interested Accrued


26.21


Costs


4.00


$ 2,380.44


Collected during 1940


$ 304.74


Interest collected


37.66


Costs collected


4.00


Balance to be collected January 1, 1941


2,034.04


$ 2,380.44


HARRY R. GEARHART, ALBERT S. HENNEBERGER, HERBERT C. KEEFER,


Auditors.


HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CHAMBERSBURG WATER DEPARTMENT


The first attempt made to furnish water, under pressure, to the citizens of Chambersburg, was made by the Chambersburg Water Company, of which Mr. James Riddle was President, in 1817. This company furnished water, under pressure, through a wooden pipe system, which consisted simply of pine logs with suitable hole bored through them from end to end, and the logs fastened together end to end. Water ws furnished until 1875 or 1876. The pump for this system was located on the South side of the Falling Spring at a point almost directly in line with the buildings of the Chambersburg Hospital, and the dwelling house on the farm now owned by the T. B. Wood Estate, and was driven by a water wheel. The reservoir was located where the present build- ings of the Chambersburg Hospital now stand, and during the construc- tion of the new portions of the Hospital, traces of the old reservoir structure were uncovered, and some of the old wooden pipe was dug up. The pressure under which this water was furnished must have, of neces- sity, been quite low, and the old records show that the system, as a whole, was not satisfactory.


On March 1, 1875, the following men were elected to the Chambers- burg Town Council: W. B. Gilmore, Jacob H. Miller, Samuel M. Worley, J. P. Culbertson, John C. Gerbig, John Suesserote, Thomas Cook, and


36


387,000,000 GALLON IMPOUNDING RESERVOIR


David Harmony, with G. W. Nitterhouse as Burgess. On July 17, 1875, this body took action setting Friday, August 20, 1875, as an election day for voting on a bond issue not to exceed $60,000.00, for the purpose of erecting a suitable water works. This election was duly held, and the official count reported at a special meeting of Council held August 21, 1875, was as follows:


In favor of the Bond Issue 648


Not in favor of the Bond Issue 317


This was the beginning of the Borough of Chambersburg entering into the business of supplying water to its citizens.


Bids were received for the necessary equipment on September 25, - 1875, and the contract was awarded to H. P. M. Birkenbine at a price of $53,850.00, which covered a one million gallon pump, boiler, one million gallon reservoir, 28 fire plugs, 5,400 feet of 10 inch pipe, 1,750 feet of 8 inch pipe, 7,693 feet of 6 inch pipe, and 18,500 feet of 4 inch pipe, or a total of 6.3 miles of pipe. It is a matter of some interest to note that all of this old pipe and some of the old Birkenbine fire plugs are still in service in Chambersburg today.


This action on the part of the Borough was contested by the Cham- bersburg Water Company, but, in the end, all of the actions of Council were upheld by the Courts.


This first pumping plant, a steam operated one, was located on the West Bank of the Conococheague Creek almost directly opposite the foundry of the Wolf Company, and has always been known locally as the Birkenbine Pumping Plant. In 1891, a water driven pumping plant was installed at the C. B. Gish mill, afterward known as Siloam, and another reservoir constructed with a capacity of 2,000,000 gallons, on the farm of Joseph Horst. A 2,000,000 gallon steam pumping plant is held in readiness to operate at Siloam, and can be placed in service in ten hours in an emergency.


In 1910 and 1911, the Conococheague Creek at Siloam, as a source of water supply, was abandoned by the Borough, and a supply brought in by gravity from the State Forest at Caledonia. This was a vast im- provement over any of the other supplies that the Borough of Cham- bersburg had been using, but the drought of 1931, 1932, and 1933 brought very forcibly to the attention of the authorities that the supply might, under certain conditions, become quite inadequate. To guard against any shortage of water that might possibly occur, the Borough of Cham- bersburg proceeded to build a storage dam, at Caledonia across the Birch Run Valley, which holds 387,000,000 gallons of water. This dam will be held entirely full at all times for emergency purposes, and will supply the town, when using 2,000,000 gallons of water per day, for 193 days, if there was not a drop of water flowing into the dam in all that time.


During the year, the following water main extensions were con- structed on the front foot assessment plan:


Guilford Avenue


544' of 6" line


South Sixth Street


384.5'


of 6" line


Cumberland Avenue


1,055'


of 6" line


South Fifth Street


360'


of 6" line


Lortz Avenue


389' of 6" line


Stanley Avenue


1,050' of 6" line


South Coldbrook Avenue


340'


of 6" line


Total


4,122.5'


38


SILOAM DAM


The total cash and credits in this Department for 1940 were $71,374.12, and the total operating and non-operating expenses were $30,762.99, including depreciation amounting to $12,763.44, which leaves a total gross profit, exclusive of interest charges, of $40,611.13.


Beginning with January 1, 1933, a Standard Public Utilities Ac- counting and Bookkeeping System was installed for this Department, after the making of a complete appraisal. The Reproduction Value New, less Accrued Depreciation, as of December 31, 1940, is $1,173,071.27.


PHYSICAL DATA OF BOROUGH OF CHAMBERSBURG WATER DEPARTMENT JANUARY 1, 1941


Population of Borough 15,500


(Census Population-15,005, and 495 was added for Schools and Colleges)


Area of Water Shed 17.75 Square Miles


Elevation of Impounding Reservoir 1,091.75 Feet above Sea Level


Elevation of Intake Dam 975 Feet above Sea Level


Elevation of Dull Hill Reservoir 801 Feet above Sea Level


Elevation of Horst Reservoir 712 Feet above Sea Level


Elevation of Reservoir Hill Reservoir 707 Feet above Sea Level


Elevation of Memorial Square 615 Feet above Sea Level


Total Head from Intake to Town 360 Feet


Present 24 Hour Capacity from Michaux State Forest by Gravity with 40 Pounds Average Pressure in Chambersburg


5,500,000 Gallons


Emergency Steam Operated Plant at


Siloam, Capacity 2,500,000 Gallons in 24 Hours


Storage Capacity of Impounding Reservoir 387,000,000 Gallons


Storage Capacity of Dull Hill Reservoir 2,200,000 Gallons


Storage Capacity of Horst Reservoir 2,000,000 Gallons


Storage Capacity of Reservoir Hill Reservoir


1,000,000 Gallons


Storage Capacity of Stand Pipe 55,000 Gallons


Total Storage Capacity 392,255,000 Gallons


Days Supply @ 2,060,825 G. P. D. if no water came from Mountain 2.55


Days Supply @ 2,060,825 G. P. D. in Impounding Reservoir 187.79 Total Days Supply Stored @ 2,060,825 G. P. D.


190.34


Miles of Mains in Borough Limits


14 Inch 0.42 Miles Inch 11.76 Miles


12 Inch 2.53 Miles 2 Inch 0.57 Miles


10 Inch 4.05 Miles 11/2 Inch 0.18 Miles


8 Inch 4.36 Miles 1 Inch 0.37 Miles


6 Inch 13.38 Miles


Total of all Mains in Borough Limits 37.62 Miles


Miles of Mains outside Borough Limits


16 Inch 2.43 Miles 6 Inch 1.03 Miles


14 Inch


17.81 Miles 4 Inch


.09 Miles


12 Inch


1.29 Miles


40


Total of all Mains outside Borough Limits 22.65 Miles Total of all Mains inside and outside Borough Limits 60.27 Miles Total Number of Fire Hydrants on System 233


Total Number of Sewer Flush Tanks on System 122


Active Services


8 Inch


5


11/2 Inch


20


Inch


10


11/4 Inch


30


4 Inch


28


1 Inch


220


3 Inch


4


3/4 Inch


3,239


21/2 Inch


1


1/2 Inch


92


2 Inch


30


Total of all Active Services 3,679


Inactive Services


2 Inch 4


3/4 Inch 73


1 Inch 12


1/2 Inch 2


Total of all Inactive Services 91


Total of Active and Inactive Services


3,770


Valves inside Borough Limits


627


Valves outside Borough Limits


80


Total Valves in System


707


Number of Domestic Consumers inside Borough Limits 3,320


Number of Domestic Consumers outside Borough Limits


203


Total Number of Domestic Consumers


3,523


Number of Industrial Consumers


39


Number of Railroad Consumers


4


Number of Public Consumers


39


Number of Free Consumers


28


Total Number of Metered Consumers-Active


3,633


Meters on System January 1, 1941


8 Inch 4


11/2 Inch 26


6 Inch


6


11/4 Inch


2


4 Inch


17


1 Inch


30


3 Inch 13


3/4


Inch


101


2 Inch 26


5/8


Inch 3,476


Total Number of Meters on System 3,701


Data for Year 1940


Total Cubic Feet Registered by Master Meters 100,568,267


Total Cubic Feet Furnished Domestic Consumers 29,529,399


Total Cubic Feet Furnished Industrial Consumers 23,675,961


Total Cubic Feet Furnished Industrial Consumers - Siloam 2,226,861


Total Cubic Feet Furnished Railroad Consumers 7,783,798


Total Cubic Feet Furnished Public Consumers


4,554,291


41


Total Cubic Feet Furnished Free Consumers 4,846,138 Estimated Total Cubic Feet Furnished for Fire, Flushing Streets, Sewers, Trenches, Fire Hydrants, and Sewer Flush Tanks Total Cubic Feet Accounted For


Total Cubic Feet Lost between Master Meter and Consumer Percentage Lost between Master Meter and Consumer


5,673,000 76,062,587 24,505,680 24.4%


50% of Loss is in Mains 12,252,840


45% of Loss is in Service Pipes 11,027,556


5% of Loss is due to under-registration of Meters 1,225,284


Average Cubic Feet Registered by Master Meters per Day 274,777


Average Cubic Feet Used by Consumers per Day 207,821


Average Cubic Feet Unaccounted For per Day. 66,956


Average Gallons Registered by Master Meters per Day 2,060,825


Average Gallons per Day per Domestic Consumer 172


Average Gallons per Day per Industrial Consumer 13,610


Average Gallons per Day per Railroad Consumer 39,876


Average Gallons per Day per Public Consumer 2,393


Average Gallons per Day per Free Consumer


3,547


Estimated Average Gallons Used per Day for Fire, Flushing Streets, Sewers, Trenches, Fire Hydrants, and Sewer Flush Tanks 116,250


Average Gallons per Day Used for All Purposes 1,558,660


Average Gallons per Day Unaccounted For 502,166


Average Gallons per Capita per Day Domestic 39.0


Average Gallons per Capita per Day Industrial 34.2


Average Gallons per Capita per Day Railroad 10.3


Average Gallons per Capita per Day Public


Average Gallons per Capita per Day Free 6.0


6.4


Average Gallons per Capita per Day Flushing Fire Hy- drants, Etc.


7.5


Total Average Gallons per Capita per Day Consumption 103.4


Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes Inside Borough


$ 31,617.35 Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes Outside Borough


$ 4,456.47


Total Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes $ 36,073.82


Total Received from Water Sale for Industrial Purposes $ 10,211.20 Total Received from Water Sale for Industrial Purposes Siloam $ 713.72


Total Received from Water Sale for Railroad Purposes $ 2,571.05


Total Received from Water Sale for Public Purposes $ 2,235.65 Total Received from Sale of Meters, Cocks, and Accessories $ 10,631.00 Total Received from All Sources $ 62,436.44 Total Credits for Water Furnished Free Consumers and Other Borough Departments $ 8,937.68


Total Receipts and Credits


$ 71,374.12


Cash Receipts from Water Sale for All Purposes 1940 51,805.44 Cash Receipts from Water Sale for All Purposes 1939 $ 50,019.21 Increase in Receipts from Water Sale for the Year $ 1,786.23 Cash Receipts from Sale of Meters, Cocks, and Accessories


1940 $ 10,631.00


42


Cash Receipts from Sale of Meters, Cocks, and Accessories 1939


$ 8,922.04 Increase in Receipts from Sale of Meters, etc., for the Year $ 1,708.96 Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Domestic, In- $


cluding Minimum Charges 1.22


Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Domestic, Includ- ing Minimum Charges $ .16


Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Industrial, In-


.42 cluding Minimum Charges $ Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Industrial, In- cluding Minimum Charges


cluding Minimum Charges


$ .33


Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Railroads, In- cluding Minimum Charges $


Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Public, In-


.04


cluding Minimum Charges $ .49 Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Public, Including Minimum Charges $ .07


Average Received rer Quarter per Domestic Inside Bor-


ough


$ 2.38


Average Received per Quarter per Domestic Outside Bor-


ough® $ 5.49


Average Received per Quarter per Public Consumer $ 14.33


Average Received per Month per Industrial Consumer $ 23.34


Average Received per Month per Railroad Consumer $ 53.56


Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Inside Bor- $ 1,258.61


ough


Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Outside Bor- ough $ 196.75 Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Inside and


Outside Borough Limits $ 859.56


Total Lost in Bad Accounts, 1940 $ 0.00


Percent Lost in Bad Accounts, 1940 $ 0.00


Receipts and Credits for 1939


$ 66,958.00


Receipts and Credits for 1940 $ 71,374.00


Increase for the Year


$ 4,416.00


RATES FOR WATER Within Borough Limits


Rate Per


1,000 Cu. Ft.


First 20,000 Cu. Ft. used per Month $1.00


Next 400,000 Cu. Ft. used per Month 0.30


All over 420,000 Cu. Ft. used per Month


0.28


Minimum Charges


Single houses, or dwelling, shall pay a Minimum Charge of $1.50 per Quarter.


43


$ .06


Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Railroads, In-


Double houses served by one meter shall pay a Minimum Charge of $3.00 per Quarter.


Industries and Railroads shall pay a Minimum Charge of $0.50 per Month for each and every service.


All Charges are payable net on, or before, the 25th of the Month following the end of the Month or Quarter. If not paid on, or before, the 25th of the Month following the end of the Month or Quarter, a penalty of five (5%) per cent shall be added.


If bills are not paid on, or before, the 30th of the Month following the Month or Quarter for which the bill was rendered, the water will be turned off.


Outside Borough Limits


Per Thousand Cubic Feet


$2.50


Minimum Charges


Single houses outside of the Borough-$2.35 per Quarter.


Double houses outside of the Borough-$4.70 per Quarter.


The same regulations shall apply, and the same penalties shall be inflicted for non-payment as provided for within the Borough.


BALANCE SHEET WATER DEPARTMENT


Assets


Fixed Capital


Fixed Capital Installed . $1,342,521.83


Construction Work in Pro-


gress


1,435.06


Total Fixed Capital


$1,343,956.89


Current Assets


Cash (Borough Treasurer's Account)


$ 4,812.62


Accounts Receivable from Consumers


11,124.60


Materials and Supplies 4,908.10 $ 20,845.32


Total Current Assets


Total Assets


$1,364,802.21


Liabilities


Municipal Ownership


Net Worth, Water Depart-


ment


$ 932,628.87


Funded Debt


Bonds-3% Serial Bonds ..


35,000.00


44


Current Liabilities


Advance from Electric Light Department


$ 23,203.95


Assessments for Line Con- struction 12,619.90


Total Current Liabilities


35,823.85


Reserves


Reserve for Renewals and Replacements


169,450.56


Surplus


Unappropriated Surplus


191,898.93


Total Liabilities


$1,364,802.21


RECAPITULATION OF NET WORTH


Net Investment, December 31, 1939


$ 935,628.87


Additions


Bonds Redeemed by Borough Treasurer


12,000.00


$ 947,628.87


Deductions


Contributions to General Borough Fund $ 15,000.00


$ 932,628.87


Earned Surplus End of Year


191,898.93


Net Worth, December 31, 1940


$1,124,527.80


REVENUE AND EXPENSE STATEMENT WATER DEPARTMENT


Operating Revenues


Metered Domestic Sales $ 34,069.97


Metered Commercial Sales 6,334.85


Metered Industrial Sales


13,641.40


Metered Public Sales


3,245.80


Sales for Private Fire Pro- tection


85.22


Consumers' Discounts For- feited and Penalties Im-


posed


88.07


$ 57,465.31


45


Operating Expenses


Water Collection System:


Operating Labor


$


408.70


1,084.29


Maintenance


1,492.99


Purification System:


Operating Labor


$ 820.27


Supplies and Expenses


1,255.72


Maintenance


446.58


2,522.57


Pumping System:


Supplies and Expenses . $ 4.73


Maintenance


121.88


126.61


Distribution System:


Operating Labor ( Gen-


eral)


$ 483.96


Operating Labor (Reser-


408.68


Maintenance of Mains and Pipes


513.33


Maintenance of Storage Reservoirs, etc.


255.60


Maintenance of Meters, Vaults, etc.


738.10


Maintenance Other Distri-


bution Property


662.59


3,062.26


General Expenses


Office Salaries $ 5,231.89


Salaries of Meter Readers


795.02


Office Supplies and Expenses


332.49


Other General Property Ex- penses


428.99


Taxes and Lease Expense .


1,508.59


Other General Expenses


67.75


Insurance


152.52


Maintenance of General Properties


400.09


Depreciation


12,763.44


21,680.78


Total Operating Ex- penses


$ 28,885.21


46


voir)


INCOME STATEMENT WATER DEPARTMENT $ 57,465.31


Operating Revenues


.....


Operating Expenses


Water Collection System $ 1,492.99


Purification System


2,522.57


Pumping System


126.61


Distribution System


3,062.26


General Operating Expenses


21,680.78


28,885.21


Operating Income


$ 28,580.10


Non-Operating Revenues


$ 2,522.34


Non-Operating Expenses . 1,877.78


644.56


Net Income


$ 29,224.66


Net Income Deductions


Interest


$ 659.59


Free Water to Borough


2,726.06


3,385.65


Balance of Net Income $ 25,839.01


ANALYSIS OF FIXED CAPITAL WATER DEPARTMENT


Balance Dec. 31, 1939


Additions 1940


Balance Dec. 31, 1940 $ 11,024.28


Organization


$ 11,024.28


Water Collection System, Right of Way .


3,143.00


3,143.00


Water Collection System, Diversion Rights


4.0,400.00


40,400.00


Water Collection System, Impounding Reservoirs ..


194,524.78


194,524.78


Water Collection System, Collection Reservoirs and Intake Wells


51,084.39


51,084.39


Water Collection System, Aqueducts and Supply Mains


407,668.29


$ 50.00


407,718.29


Purification System, Chem- ical Treatment Plant


2,799.63


2,799.63


Purification System, Water Testing Equipment


31.50


31.50


Pumping System Structures


5,208.85


5,208.85


Pumping System, Pumps and Pump Equipment ...


12,469.80


12,469.80


47


Distribution System, Rights


of Way


404.00


404.00


Distribution System, Trans- mission Mains


330.43


330.43


Distribution System, Stor-


11,994.02 394,150.45


10,888.21


405,038.66


Distribution System, Fire Hydrants


24,127.07


1,390.34


25,517.41


Distribution System, Foun- tains


11,107.75


11,107.75


Other General Structures ..


3,329.00


3,329.00


General Office Equipment


738.19


738.19


Engineering and Superin-


8,347.68


145.44


8,493.12


tendence during Construc- tion


33,566.50


33,566.50


Administrative and Legal


Expenses during Construc- tion


11,024.28


11,024.28


Interest during Construction


34,065.04


34,065.04


Development Cost


63,913.91


63,913.91


Siloam Property


4,595.00


4,595.00


$1,330,047.84 $ 12,473.99


$1,342,521.83


WATER DEPARTMENT -- CREDIT ACCOUNTS 1940


Metered Water, Light Plant


$ 618.12


Metered Water, Fire Houses


124.82


Market House, Meter Room,


and Police Headquarters


104.17


Memorial Fountain


311.85


Comfort Station


300.61


Borough Farm


16.39


Disposal Plant


374.46


Borough Garage


20.04


Parks and Playgrounds


329.40


East Queen, South Fourth,


and Loudon Street Pro- perties


16.50


$ 2,216.36


Free Water Per Agreement


Penn Hall Farm


$ 125.47


Kennedy Farm


13.91


Childrens' Home (75% )


48.45


Hospital (75%)


310.15


Salvation Army


11.72


$ 509.70


$ 2,726.06


Note: This amount $2,726.06 used in Comparative Income Statement as Free Water furnished in 1940.


48


age Reserve Tanks, etc. ..


11,994.02


Distribution System, Mains


Other General Equipment ..


Free Unmetered Water Furnished the Following in 1940


222 Fire Hydrants at $15.00, plus 11 added during year $ 3,367.50


Sewer Flush Tanks (122) 2,069.12


Flushing Storm Sewers and Street Work 750.00


Road Roller and Street Sweeper


25.00 $ 6,211.62


Note: This amount $6,211.62 does not appear in any other statement.


WATER LIENS


Balance to be collected Jan-


uary 1, 1940


$ 1,688.25


Water Assessments entered


as Liens 1940


634.85


Interest Accrued


232.94


Costs and Penalty


36.50


$ 2,592.54


Collected during' 1940


$ 633.37


Interest Collected


238.62


Costs and Penalty Collected


36.50


Balance to be collected Jan- uary 1, 1941


1,684.05


$ 2,592.54


WATER ASSESSMENTS


Assessments made during 1940


$ 7,659.95


Interest Accrued


6.51


$ 7,666.46


Collected during 1940


$ 6,075.66


Interest collected


6.51


Liens entered 1940


634.85


Balance to be collected Jan- uary 1, 1941


949.44


$ 7,666.46


HARRY R. GEARHART, ALBERT S. HENNEBERGER, HERBERT C. KEEFER, Auditors.


49


HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CHAMBERSBURG ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT


On August 29, 1874, the following named persons applied for a Charter to furnish electric current for lighting in the Borough of Cham- bersburg, under the name of "The Franklin Electric Company":


James McKnight and Agent


B. Frank Gilmore William McKnight J. Spoonhour William Nixon William Sellers


M. A. Foltz C. H. Fulwiler


B. M. Nead Van T. Haulman Samuel L. Hawbaker W. Lynn Ritchey George A. Britsch


D. Alonza Orr William Orr John Hart


John A. Orr


The stock in this Company was stated at $25.00 a share, but just how much stock was issued is not a matter of record.


There is some doubt as to the year this Company started to furnish current in Chambersburg, but that it was in business in Chambersburg has been established beyond question. How extensive their business was at that time, it is now impossible to state.


The plant consisted of a belt driven generator using a steam trac- tion engine as power, and the equipment was located in the old brick and weatherboard building known as the "Ebersole Building", which stood immediately on the West bank of the Conococheague Creek on the South side of Lincoln Way West, and which has just recently been demolished by the Western Maryland Railway Company. This was the first electric plant that was ever operated in Chambersburg, and cer- tainly could not have stayed in business very long. Some of the citizens of Chambersburg remember distinctly seeing these electric lamps sus- pended above the streets, and at that time were impressed with the fact that they did not blow out when the wind blew.


In the year 1883 there was constructed, in the shops of the Cumber- land Valley Railroad Company, a portable electric light plant which consisted of boiler, steam engine, and one arc lamp generator with a capacity of fifteen 2,000 candle-power open arc lamps. This car oper- ated successfully under the supervision of Charles S. Hull from the very beginning, and in 1884 lighted arc lamps around the Public Square for the Centennial, and this same year lighted the grounds for a baseball game which was played at night. This game was played in a field lying East of Third Street and South of King Street, just about where the Byer Brothers' Green House is located at the present time.


In 1889 this portable electric light plant was rebuilt, under the supervision of Mr. Hull, for a capacity of forty 2,000 candle-power open arc lamps. This plant was frequently used for the lighting of important construction work along the Cumberland Valley Railroad, as well as the lighting of serious wrecks. It was also used for the lighting of the Granger's Picnic Ground at Williams Grove, and many of us recall the lighting of the Mt. Alto Park Grounds. Mr. Hull was a mechanical genius, and one of the beautiful things he created, with his car and an arc lamp, was a fountain which sprayed steam of different colors up above the car roof. Mr. Charles S. Hull will be remembered as a kindly old gentleman, and one of the first to take up seriously the possibility of electric lighting in this section.


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MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT-1940


On November 29, 1889, after a vote had been taken by the citizens of Chambersburg to increase the indebtedness of the Borough by an amount not exceeding $10,000.00 for the purpose of installing an Electric Light Plant to light the streets of the Borough, a contract was placed for the necessary electrical equipment with the Thompson-Houston Elec- tric Light Company at a price of $9,797.50. This plan was installed solely for furnishing lighting for the streets of the town. The plant was operated from dark in the evenings until twelve o'clock midnight, except on moonlight nights when it was not operated at all.


In 1893, the Borough went into the commercial phase of furnishing current to consumers. It was a far step from this first plant to the present up-to-date efficient plant, and the citizens of Chambersburg are certainly to be congratulated on having had sufficient intelligence to keep this valuable utility for their very own.




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