USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Chambersburg > Annual report of the burgess and town council of the borough of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1935 > Part 7
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395.07
$1,295.47
LATERAL SEWER LIENS
Balance to be collected January 1, 1936 Interest accrued
75.76
Collected during 1936
$ 191.64
Interest collected in 1936
75.76
Balance to be collected January 1, 1937
7,321.28
$7,588.68
$7,512.92
$7,588.68
29
PAVING LIENS
Balance to be collected January 1, 1936
$3,288.05
Interest Accrued 44.25
$3,332.30
Collected during 1936
$ 109.27
45.64
Interest collected Balance to be collected January 1, 1937
3,177.39
$3,332.30
HARRY R. GEARHART, PAUL N. GEYER, ALBERT S. HENNEBERGER,
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 was 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 Mr. T. B. Wood, and was driven by a water wheel. The reservoir was located where the present buildings of the Chambersburg Hospital now stand, and during the construction of the new portion 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 necessity, 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 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
30
$
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, aferward 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 10 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 Chambers- burg had been using, but the last three years drought 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 Chambers- burg proceeded to build a storage dam, at Caledonia across the Birch Run Valley, which will hold 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.
As the growth of the town made necessary the extending of the original distributing system, false economy added mains that were much too small, and the result of this practice was that there were three very low pressure areas in the town. One of these low pressure areas was in the extreme Southern end of town, another in the extreme Western end, and another in the extreme Northern end. To correct this very serious condition, in 1932 a 12-inch feeder main was laid from a point immediately East of the Borough Limits to the intersection of Scotland Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, and a 10-inch feeder main was laid from this point to Philadelphia Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, a total distance of approximately 11,769 feet, at a total cost of $33,511.00.
In 1933 a similar feeder main was laid from the same point at the Eastern edge of town to Wayne Avenue and South Fourth Street, and an 8-inch feeder main was laid from South Fourth and Mckinley Streets to Central Avenue and McKinley Street. This was a total length of feeder mains of 9,700 feet and cost $24,500.00.
The major activity in this department during 1936, was the con- struction of a duplicate feeder line of 16" and 14" cast iron, cement lined, pipe between the Borough of Chambersburg and the intake on Birch Run. The estimated cost of this line was $225,546.00, and an outright money grant of $101,496.00 was received from the Federal Emergency Adminis- tration of Public Works as a contribution toward this work. The engineers started to lay out the new line on March 7, 1936, and construct- ion work was completed November 1, 1936. Throughout the construction
31
of the line each section was tested at 200 or 250 pounds, depending on the class of pipe built into the line, and after the entire line was complet- ed, leakage tests were conducted to determine the leakage of the entire line under operating conditions. The total leakage was .167 gallons per foot of joint per twenty-four hours. Considering the fact that two gallons per foot of joint per twenty-four hours is considered excellent, it is at once apparent that this new line is a remarkably tight line. The jointing material used on this line was one of the patented jointing compounds which possesses the very desirable characteristic of becoming tighter the longer it is in service. During the summer months, when there was but one feeder line from the mountain to Chambersburg, the recorded pressures in the meter testing plant at the City Office Building would fall as low as 18 or 20 pounds, when peak demands were on. With the new line working with the old line, the pressures at the time of maximum demand were raised to 65 and 70 pounds. The total capacity of the single line was 2,225,000 gallons in twenty-four hours, discharging at a residual pressure of 40 pounds per square inch. With the two lines in service, the total capacity will be between five and six million gallons under a residual pressure of 40 pounds. The Borough of Chambersburg has always been penalized on Insurance Rates, because of the low work- ing pressure of its Water System, and immediately on the completion of the new line, and throwing it into service, the Borough Authorities asked for a resurvey of the Fire Defense Deficiencies, in order to have the Fire Defense Deficiency charges reduced. The engineers of the National Board of Fire Apparatus are at the present time engaged in making the necessary surveys and tests, and undoubtedly, a very substantial reduc- tion will be made in the Fire Defense Deficiency charges, thus saving many thousands of dollars to the citizens of Chambersburg each year.
The estimated cost of the new Water Supply Line was $225,546.00 and, while all the crop and land damage claims have not been paid at the present time, it would appear that the entire cost of the line will be five or six thousand dollars less than the original estimated amount.
The building of this duplicate line, from the intake on Birch Run to the Borough of Chambersburg, has been another step in the direction of a perfect Municipal Water Supply. The only other thing remaining to be done to make this a perfect water supply is the erection of a suitable Filtering Plant in the neighborhood of Caledonia.
The leaks at the new impounding dam in the South Mountain on December 31, 1936, were running at the rate of 784,078 gallons in twenty- four hours, as against 829,440 gallons on December 31, 1935. There has been little or no change in the amount of leakage over the last three years.
The total revenues in this Department for 1936 were $55,240.81, and the total operating and non-operating expenses were $26,206.59, including depreciation amounting to $8,337.12, which leaves a total net profit, exclusive of interest charges, of $29,034.22.
Beginning with January 1, 1933, a Standard Public Utilities Account- ing 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, 1936, is $919,481.00.
32
$
1
387,000,000 GALLON IMPOUNDING RESERVOIR
PHYSICAL DATA OF BOROUGH OF CHAMBERSBURG WATER DEPARTMENT JANUARY 1, 1937
Population of Borough 14,000
Area of Water Shed 17.75 Square Miles
Elevation of Impounding Reservoir 1091.75 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 Micheaux 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 @ 1,811,273 G. P. D. if no water came from Mountain .. 2.9
Days Supply @ 1,811,273 G. P. D. in Impounding Reservoir 213.66
Total Days Supply Stored @ 1,811,273 G. P. D. 216.56
Miles of Mains in Borough Limits
14 Inch 0.42 Miles 4 Inch 11.65 Miles
12 Inch 2.53 Miles 2 Inch 0.65 Miles
10 Inch 4.05 Miles 11/2 Inch 0.18 Miles
8 Inch 4.16 Miles
1 Inch
0.37 Miles
6 Inch 11.78 Miles
Total of all Mains in Borough Limits 35.79 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
Total of all Mains outside Borough Limits 22.65 Miles
Total of all Mains inside and outside Borough Limits 58.44 Miles
Total Number of Fire Hydrants on System 215
Total Number of Sewer Flush Tanks on System
114
Active Services
8 Inch 5 11/2 Inch 20
6 Inch
. . .
10
114 Inch 30
4 Inch . .. 23
1 Inch ... 216
34
3 Inch
4
3/4 Inch
3,015
21/2 Inch
1
1/2 Inch 93
2 Inch
33
Total of all Active Services 3,450
Inactive Services
2 Inch 4
3/4 Inch 77
1 Inch
12 1/2 Inch 2
Total of all Inactive Services 95
Total of Active and Inactive Services 3,545
Valves inside Borough Limits
575
Valves outside Borough Limits
80
Total Valves in System 655
Number of Domestic Consumers inside Borough Limits 3,182
Number of Domestic Consumers outside Borough Limits 165
Total Number of Domestic Consumers 3,347
Number of Industrial Consumers
41
Number of Railroad Consumers
4
Number of Public Consumers
39
Number of Free Consumers
29
Total Number of Metered Consumers-Active
3,460
Meters on System January 1, 1937
8 Inch 4 11/2 Inch 26
6 Inch 6
11/4 Inch
2
4 Inch 14
1 Inch 29
3 Inch 12
3/4 Inch 93
2 Inch 23
5/8 Inch 3,251
Total Number of Meters on System 3,460
Data for Year 1936
Total Cubic Feet Registered by Master Meter 88,390,133
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Domestic Consumers 27,423,005
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Industrial Consumers 22,434,699
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Railroad Consumers 7,923,860
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Public Consumers 4,146,484
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Free Consumers
3,888,332
Estimated Total Cubic Feet Furnished for Fire, Flushing Streets, Sewers, Trenches, Fire Hydrants, and Sewer Flush Tanks
5,124,000
Total Cubic Feet Accounted for
70,940,380 Total Cubic Feet Lost between Master Meter and Consumer . 17,449,753 Percentage Lost between Master Meter and Consumer 19.7%
50% of Loss is in Mains 8,724,877
45% of Loss is in Service Pipes 7,852,389
5% of Loss is due to under-registration of Meters 872,487
Average Cubic Feet Registered by Master Meter per Day .. 241,503
Average Cubic Feet Used by Consumers per Day 193,826
Average Cubic Feet Unaccounted for per Day 47,677
35
-
Average Gallons Registered by Master Meter per Day 1,811,273
Average Gallons per Day per Domestic Consumer 168
Average Gallons per Day per Industrial Consumer 11,213
Average Gallons per Day per Railroad Consumer 40,593
Average Gallons per Day per Public Consumer 2,179 Average Gallons per Day per Free Consumer
2,747
Estimated Average Gallons Used per Day for Fire, Flushing Streets, Sewers, Trenches, Fire Hydrants, and Sewer Flush Tanks 105,000
Average Gallons per Day Used for all Purposes
1,453,696
Average Gallons per Day Unaccounted for 357,577
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Domestic
40.1
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Industrial 32.8
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Railroad 11.6
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Public
6.1
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Free
5.7
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Flushing drants, etc.
Fire Hy-
7.5
Total Average Gallons per Capita per Day Consumption 103.8
Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes Inside Borough
$30,235.64
Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes Outside Borough
2,935.16
Total Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes
33,170.80
Total Received from Water Sale for Industrial Purposes 10,718.34
Total Received from Water Sale for Railroad Purposes 2,556.84
Total Received from Water Sale for Public Purposes 2,133.01
Total Received from Sale of Meters, Cocks, and Accessories . 3,616.66
Total Received from All Sources
52,195.65
Total Credits for Water Furnished Free Consumers and other Borough Departments 7,699.24
Total Receipts and Credits
59,894.89
Cash Receipts from Water Sale for All Purposes 1936 48,578.99
Cash Receipts from Water Sale for All Purposes 1935 44,141.43
Increase in Receipts from Water Sale for the Year 4,437.56
Cash Receipts from Sale of Meters, Cocks, and Accessories 1936 Cash Receipts from Sale of Meters, Cocks, and Accessories 1935 3,156.63 Increase in Receipts from Sale of Meters, etc., for the Year .. 460.03
Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Domestic, In - cluding Minimum Charges 1.21
Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Domestic, Includ- ing Minimum Charges
.16 Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Industrial, In- cluding Minimum Charges .48
Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Industrial, Includ- ing Minimum Charges .06
Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Railroads, In- cluding Minimum Charges
.32
Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Railroads, Includ- ing Minimum Charges .04 Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Public, Includ- ing Minimum Charges .51
3,616.66
36
Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Public, Including Minimum Charges .07
Average Received per Quarter per Domestic Inside Borough 2.38
Average Received per Quarter per Domestic Outside Borough 4.45
Average Received per Quarter per Public Consumer 13.67
Average Received per Month per Industrial Consumer 21.79
Average Received per Month per Railroad Consumer
53.27
Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Inside Borough 1,275.32
Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Outside Borough 129.58
Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Inside and Out- side Borough Limits
831.26
Total Lost in Bad Accounts, 1936
0.00
Percent Lost in Bad Accounts, 1936
0.00
Receipts and Credits for 1935
55,957.00
Receipts and Credits for 1936
59,895.00
Increase for the Year
3,938.00
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.
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 of 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.
37
BALANCE SHEET WATER DEPARTMENT Assets
Fixed Capital
Fixed Capital Installed
$1,041,585.86
Construction Work in Pro- gress
207,406.16
$1,248,992.02
Current Assets
Cash (Borough Treasurer's Account)
$ 11,992.94
Accounts Receivable from Consumers
10,042.14
4,674.84
Materials and Supplies . . Cash (Borough Treasurer's Account) P. W. A. Con- struction Fund 5,937.67
Total Assets
$1,281,639.61
Liabilities
Municipal Ownership
Net Worth Water Depart- ment, December 31, 1936 . Funded Debt Bonds 41/2 % Serial Bonds . . Current Liabilities
$ 808,453.81
160,000.00
Assessments for Line Con- struction $ 9,351.86
Advance from Electric Light Department 88,050.35
97,402.21
Accrued Liabilities
Unmatured interest accrued on Unfunded Debt 625.82
Reserves
Reserve for
Renewals and
Replacements
122,104.19
Surplus
Unappropriated Surplus
93,053.58
Total Liabilities .
$1,281,639.61
RECAPITULATION OF NET WORTH
Net Investment, December 31, 1935
$ 742.544.21
38
32,647.59
Additions
Contributions from U . S. Treasury (Water Con- struction Funds)
78,909.60
Total
$ 821,453.81
Deductions
Contributions to General Borough
13,000.00
Balance
$ 808,453.81
Earned Surplus, December
31, 1936
93,053.58
Net Worth, December 31,
1936
$ 901,507.39
REVENUE AND EXPENSE STATEMENT WATER DEPARTMENT
Operating Revenues
Metered Domestic Sales
$ 30,726.46
Metered Commercial Sales .
5,865.34
Metered Industrial Sales
13,387.99
Metered Public Sales
2,848.79
Sales for Private Fire Pro- tection
63.93
Consumers' Discounts For-
feited and Penalties Im- posed
95.60
Total Operating Revenues ..
$ 52,988.11
Operating Expenses
Water Collection System:
Operating Labor
Maintenance
$ 368.18 1,800.17
Total
$ 2,168.35
Purification System :
Operating Labor
$ 727.63
Supplies and Expenses
1,225.91
Maintenance
6.72
Total
1,960.26
Pumping System:
Maintenance 96.91
Distribution System:
Operating Labor (General) $ 1,188.02
Operating Labor (Reser-
voir)
452.54
39
Maintenance of Mains and Pipes . . 1,047.44
Maintenance, Storage Reservoirs, etc.
82.23
Maintenance, Meters, Vaults, etc.
512.13
Maintenance, Other Distri- bution Property
523.28
Total
$ 3,805.64
General Expenses
Office Salaries
$ 4,840.39
Salaries of Meter Readers .
803.84
Office Supplies and Expenses
257.74
Other General Property Ex- penses
489.60
Taxes and Annual Lease with State of Pennsylvania
700.10
Other General Expenses
20.70
Insurance
227.02
Maintenance of General Properties
584.46
Depreciation
8,337.12
Total
16,260.97
Total Operating Expenses ..
$
24,292.13
INCOME STATEMENT WATER DEPARTMENT
Operating Revenues $ 52,988.11
Operating Expenses
Water Collection System
$ 2,168.35
Purification System
1,960.26
Pumping System 96.91
Distribution System
3,805.64
General Operating Expenses Total Operating Expenses
16,260.97
24,292.13
Net Operating Income
$ 28,695.98
Non Operating Revenues
$ 2,252.70
Non Operating Expenses
1,914.46
Net Non Operating Income
338.24
Total Net Income . .
$ 29,034.22
Net Income Deductions
Interest
$ 2,393.29
Free Water to Borough 2,386.74
4,780.03
Balance of Net Income . .
$
24,254.19
40
ANALYSIS OF FIXED CAPITAL WATER DEPARTMENT
Balance Jan. 1, 1936
Additions 1936
Balance Dec. 31, 1936
Organization
$ 11,024.28
$ 11,024.28
Siloam Property
4,595.00
4,595.00
Water Collection System, Right of Way
3,143.00
3,143.00
Water Collection System, Diversion Rights
40,400.00
40,400.00
Water Collection System, Impounding Reservoirs ..
141,477.66
141,477.66
Water Collection System Collecting Reservoirs and Intakes
51,084.39
51,084.39
Water Collection System, Aqueducts and Supply Mains
190,566.53
190,566.53
Purification System, Chemi- cal Treatment Plant
2,777.73
$
21.90
2,799.63
Purification System, Testing Equipment
31.50
31.50
Pumping System Structures
5,208.85
5,208.85
Pumping System, Pumps, etc. Distribution System, Right of Ways
404.00
404.00
Distribution System, Storage Reservoirs, etc.
11,994.02 380,010.40
11,994.02 379,980.34
Distribution System, Fire Hydrants
23,036.66
161.58
23,198.24
tains System, Foun-
11,107.75
11,107.75
Other General Structures
3,329.00
3,329.00
General Office Equipment ..
644.81
644.81
Other General Equipment ..
4,924.83
632.50
5,557.33
Engineering and Superin- tendence During Construc- tion
33,566.50
33,566.50
Other Undistributed Con-
struction Expenses
11,024.28
11,024.28
Interest During Construction
34,065.04
34,065.04
Development Cost
63,913.91
63,913.91
Totals
$1,040,799.94 $ 785.92
$1,041,585.86
WATER DEPARTMENT-CREDIT ACCOUNTS 1936
Metered Water, Light Plant $ 624.01
Metered Water, Fire Houses
68.61
Market House, Meter Room and Police Headquarters .
159.93
Memorial Fountains
306.57
Bubbler
17.66
Distribution
12,469.80
12,469.80
Distribution System, Mains .
30.06
1
41
Comfort Station
214.36
Borough Farm
11.22
Disposal Plant
28.63
Borough Garage
10.13
Parks and Playgrounds
38.86
East Queen, Lincoln Way
East and South Fourth
Street Properties
18.00
$ 1,497.98
Free Water Per Agreement
Penn Hall Farm
$ 361.60
Kennedy Farm
11.64
Children's Home (75%)
52.05
Hospital (75%)
455.72
Salvation Army (75%)
7.75
888.76
$
2,386.74
Free Unmetered Water Furnished the Following in 1936
213 Fire Hydrants at $15.00
plus 2 added during year .
$ 3,217.50
Sewer Flush Tanks (114) .
1,320.00
Flushing Storm Sewers and Street Work
750.00
Road Roller and Street Sweeper
25.00
$ 5,312.50
WATER ASSESSMENTS
Assessments made in 1936 . $ 208.54
$ 208.54
Collected during 1936
$ 102.46
Assessments entered
106.08
$ 208.54
WATER LIENS
Balance to be collected Janu- ary 1, 1936
$ 2,188.19
Interest Accrued
111.78
Liens Entered During 1936 .
106.08
$ 2,406.05
Liens Entered During 1936 . $ 242.26
Interest Collected During 1936
114.43
Balance to be collected Janu- ary 1, 1937
2,049.36
$ 2,406.05
HARRY R. GEARHART, PAUL N. GEYER, ALBERT S. HENNEBERGER, Auditors.
42
MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT
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 traction engine as power, and the equipment was located in the old brick and weather-board 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 certainly could not have stayed in business very long. Some of the citizens of Chambers- burg remember distinctly seeing these electric lamps suspended above the streets and at that time were impressed with the fact that they did not blow out when the wind blew.
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