USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Chambersburg > Annual report of the burgess and town council of the borough of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1941-1947 > Part 23
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Borough
Bond
Borough and Bond
Interest
Total
Balance to be
Collected Janu-
ary 1, 1946
$ 645.90 $
839.61 $
27.33
$ 1,512.84
Liens Entered
During 1946
8.34
24.93
$
138.00
138.00
$ 654.24 $
864.54 $
27.33 $
138.00 $ 1,684.11
Amount Col-
lected 1946
84.61
114.13
198.74
$ 569.63
$ 750.41 $
27.33 $
138.00 $ 1,485.37
Tax Liens Not
Revived Dur-
9.01
5.99
5.88
20.88
$ 560.62 $
744.42 $
21.45 $
138.00 $ 1,464.49
LATERAL SEWER LIENS
Balance to be Collected January 1, 1946 Interest Accrued
$ 2,402.72
361.29
Costs Accrued 40.90
$ 2,804.91
26
33.27
Interest Collected
ing 1946
Collected During 1946 Interest Collected Costs Collected Balance to be Collected January 1, 1947
$ 744.35
363.14
40.90
1,656.52
$ 2,804.91
PAVING LIENS
Balance to be Collected January 1, 1947
$ 699.26
Interest Accrued
100.98
Costs Accrued
29.50
$ 829.74
Collected During 1946
$ 75.08
Interest Collected
100.98
Costs Collected
29.50
Balance to be Collected January 1, 1947
624.18
$ 829.74
HERBERT C. KEEFER, EUGENE V. MILLER, JOHN A. BURKHART,
Auditors.
CHAMBERSBURG WATER DEPARTMENT HISTORICAL SKETCH
The first attempt 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 holes bored through them from end to end and the logs fastened together end to end by a heavy brass tapered ferrule. 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 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 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 been, of necessity, 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
27
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 Chambersburg Water Company, but, in the end, all of the actions of Council were upheld by the Courts.
The first pumping plant, constructed in 1875-1876, 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-power driven pumping plant was installed at the C. B. Gish Mill about a mile north of Chambersburg. This plant also drew its water from the Conococheague and was afterward known as Siloam. Another reservoir with a capacity of 2,000,000 gallons, fed from this plant was constructed on the farm of Joseph Horst.
In 1911, the Conococheague Creek at Siloam was abandoned as a source of regular water supply by the Borough and a supply brought in by gravity from the State Forest at Caledonia. This was a vast improvement 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 Chambersburg 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.
The total cash and credits of this Department for 1946 were $82,044.55, and the total operating and non-operating expenses were $37,703.68, including depreciation amounting to $12,886.83, which leaves a total gross profit, exclusive of interest charges, of $44,340.87.
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 apprasial. The Reproduction Value New, less Accrued Depreciation, as of December 31, 1946, was $1,106,327.94.
PHYSICAL DATA OF WATER DEPARTMENT JANUARY 1, 1947
15,500
Population of Borough
(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
28
Present 24 Hour Capacity from Michaux State Forest by Gravity with 40 Pounds Average Residual 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 @ 2,867,803 G. P. D. if no water came from Mountain 1.83 Days Supply @ 2,867,803 G. P. D. in Impounding Reservoir 134.95
Total Days Supply Stored @ 2,867,803 G. P. D. 136.78
Miles of Mains'in Borough Limits:
14 Inch 0.42 Miles 4 Inch
11.82 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 15.13 Miles
Total of all Mains in Borough Limits 39.43 Miles
Miles of Mains Outside Borough Limits:
16 Inch 2.43 Miles
6 Inch 1.03 Miles
14 Inch
17.81 Miles 4 Inch 0.09 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 62.08 Miles
Total Number of Sewer Flush Tanks on System 127
Total Number of Fire Hydrants on System 251
Active Services :
8 Inch 6 11/2 Inch
20
6 Inch
12
11/4 Inch
30
4 Inch
30
1 Inch
222
3 Inch
4
3/4 Inch
3,491
21/2 Inch
1
1/2 Inch
92
2 Inch
33
Total of all Active Services 3,941
Inactive Services:
2 Inch
3 3/4 Inch 73
1 Inch
11 1/2 Inch 2
29
Total of all Inactive Services 89
Total of all Active and Inactive Services ยท
4,030
Valves Inside Borough Limits 679
Valves Outside Borough Limits
80
Total Valves in System 759
Number of Domestic Consumers Inside Borough Limits 3,521
Number of Domestic Consumers Outside Borough Limits
260
Total Number of Domestic Consumers 3,781
Number of Industrial Consumers
42
Number of Railroad Consumers
4
Number of Public Consumers
43
Number of Free Consumers
29
Total Number of Active Metered Consumers
3,899
Meters on System January 1, 1947:
8 Inch 5 11/2 Inch 27
6 Inch
9
11/4 Inch
2
4 Inch 18 1 Inch
30
3 Inch 1.6
3/4 Inch
103
2 Inch 31
5/8 Inch 3,726
Total Number of Meters on System 3,967
Data for Year 1946:
Total Cubic Feet Registered by Master Meters 139,566,400
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Domestic Consumers
37,694,202
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Industrial Consumers 34,187,634
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Industrial Consumers, Siloam 7,069,141
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Railroad Consumers
9,794,017
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Public Consumers
5,144,318
Total Cubic Feet Furnished Free Consumers
5,061.096
Estimated Total Cubic Feet Furnished for Fire, Flushing Streets, Trenches, Fire Hydrants and Sewer Flush Tanks
5,657,500
Total Cubic Feet Accounted For (Mountain Water) 97,538,767
Total Cubic Feet Lost between Master Meters and Consumer 42,027,633
Percentage Lost between Master Meters and Consumer 30.1%
50% of Loss is in Mains
21,013,817
45% of Loss is in Service Pipes 18,912,435
5% of Loss is Due to Under-Registration of Meters 2,101,381
Average Cubic Feet Registered by Master Meters per Day
382,374
Average Cubic Feet Used by Consumers per Day 267,229
Average Cubic Feet Unaccounted For per Day 115,145
Average Gallons Registered by Master Meters per Day 2,867,803
Average Gallons Per Day per Domestic Consumer
205
Average Gallons per Day per Industrial Consumer
20,184
Average Gallons per Day per Railroad Consumer 50,312
Average Gallons per Day per Public Consumer
2,458
30
Average Gallons per Day per Free Consumer Estimated Average Gallons Used per Day for Fire, Flushing Streets, Sewers, Trenches, Fire Hydrants and Sewer Flush Tanks
3,586
116,250
Average Gallons per Day Used for All Purposes 2,149,478
Average Gallons per Day Unaccounted For 718,325
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Domestic
50.0
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Industrial 54.7
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Railroad 13.0
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Public
6.8
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Free
6.7
Average Gallons per Capita per Day Flushing, Fire Hy- drants, Etc.
7.5
Total Average Gallons per Capita per Day Consumption
138.7
Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes Inside Borough
$ 38,456.50
Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes Outside Borough
6,624.91
Total Received from Water Sale for Domestic Purposes
Total Received from Water Sale for Industrial Purposes
45,081.41 13,814.14
Total Received from Water Sale for Industrial Purposes,
Siloam
2,113.75
Total Received from Water Sale for Railroad Purposes
3,161.49
Total Received from Water Sale for Public Purposes
2,498.44
Total Received from Sale of Meters, Cocks, and Accessories
6,224.29
Total Received from All Sources
72,893.52
Total Credits for Water Furnished Free Consumers and Other Borough Departments 9,151.03
Total Receipts and Credits 82,044.55
Cash Receipts from Water Sale for All Purposes, 1946 $ 66,669.23
Cash Receipts from Water Sale for All Purposes, 1945 66,205.38
Increase in Receipts from Water Sale for the Year
463.85
Cash Receipts from Sale of Meters, Cocks and Accessories, 1946 6,224.29
Cash Receipts from Sale of Meters, Cocks and Accessories, 1945
5,981.90
Increase in Receipts from Sale of Meters, Etc. for the Year 242.39
Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Domestic, In- cluding Minimum Charges
$ 1.23
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 .39
Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Industrial, Includ- ing Minimum Charges .05
Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Railroad, In- cluding Minimum Charges .32
Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Railroad, Includ- ing Minimum Charges .04
Average Received per 1,000 Cubic Feet from Public, Includ- ing Minimum Charges .49
Average Received per 1,000 Gallons from Public, Including Minimum Charges .06
31
Average Received per Quarter per Domestic Inside Bor - ough
2.73
Average Received per Quarter per Domestic Outside Bor-
ough
6.37
Average Received per Quarter per Public Consumer 14.53
Average Received per Month per Industrial Consumer 31.60 Average Received per Month per Railroad Consumer 65.86
Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Inside Bor - ough
$ 1,522.81
Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Outside Bor-
ough
Received from Water Sale per Mile of Main Inside and
292.49
Outside Borough Limits 1,073.92
Total Lost in Bad Accounts, 1946
$ 0.00
Percent Lost in Bad Accounts, 1946
0.00
Receipts and Credits for 1946
82,045.00
Receipts and Credits for 1945
81,187.00
Increase for the Year
858.00
BALANCE SHEET WATER DEPARTMENT Assets
Fixed Capital
Fixed Capital Installed
$1,350,939.13
Construction Work in Pro- gress
22,152.34
Total Fixed Capital
$1,352,570.68
Funds and Special Deposits
Sinking Fund Assets
$ 173,106.17
Total Funds and Special Deposits
$ 173,106.17
Current Assets
Cash (Borough Treasurer's Account)
$ 25,547.13
Accounts Receivable from Consumers
14,388.03
Materials and Supplies
5,890.49
Other Current Assets and
Interest on U. S. Notes Total Current Assets
329.17
$ 46,154.82
$1,592,352.46
Liabilities
Municipal Ownership
Net Worth, Water Depart- ment $ 954,181.63
Current Liabilities
Assessments for Line Con- struction 7,518.61
32
Reserves
Reserve for Renewals and Replacements
244,611.19
Surplus
Unappropriated Surplus
386,041.03
Total Liabilities
$1,592,352.46
RECAPITULATION OF NET WORTH
Net Investment, December 31, 1945
$1,304,792.27
Additions During Year 1946
38,010.20
Net Income for Year
$1,342,802.47
Deductions During Year 1946:
Free Water to Borough
$
2,579.81
Balance December 31, 1946
$1,340,222.66
REVENUE AND EXPENSE STATEMENT WATER DEPARTMENT
Operating Revenues
Metered Domestic Sales
$
40,761.49
Metered Commercial Sales 7,940.13
Metered Industrial Sales
19,444.19
Metered Public Sales
3,215.08
Sales for Private Fire Pro- tection 113.19
Consumers' Discounts For-
feited and Penalties Im-
71.49
Total Operating Revenues
.
$
71,545.57
Operating Expenses
Water Collection System:
Operating Labor $ 706.34 933.97
Maintenance
$
1,640.31
Purification System:
Operating Labor
$ 1,413.15
Supplies and Expenses
1,375.67
Maintenance
236.63
$
3,025.45
Distribution System:
Operating Labor (Gen- eral)
$ 1,121.13 Operating Labor (Reser- voir)
706.34
33
posed
Maintenance of Mains and Pipes
416.08
Maintenance of Storage
Reservoirs, etc. 133.09
Maintenance of Meters, Vaults, etc.
608.50
Maintenance of other Dis- tribution Property
371.20
$ 3,356.34
General Expenses
Office Salaries
$ 10,658.36
Salaries of Meter Readers
1,365.76
Office Supplies and Ex-
penses
350.53
Other General Property Ex- penses
405.20
Taxes, Water Lease and
Right of Way Charges .
1,131.47
Other General Expenses
336.30
Maintenance of General Pro- perties
570.07
Depreciation
12,886.83
Total General Expenses
$ 27,704.52
Total Operating Expenses .
$ 36,098.29
INCOME STATEMENT WATER DEPARTMENT
Operating Revenues
Operating Income $ 71,545.57
Operating Expenses
Water Collection System $ 1,640.31
Purification System
3,025.45
Pumping System 372.67
Distribution System
3,356.34
General Operating Expenses
27,704.52
Total Operating Expenses
36,099.29
Net Operating Income
$ 35,446.28
Non-Operating Revenues .
4,168.31
Non-Operating Expenses
1,604.39
Net Non Operating Income .
2,563.92
Net Income
$ 38,010.20
34
ANALYSIS OF FIXED CAPITAL WATER DEPARTMENT
Description
Balance Dec. 31, 1945
Additions 1946
Balance Dec. 31, 1946 $ 11,024.28
Organization
$ 11,024.28
Water Collection System:
Rights of Way
3,143.00
Water Diversion Rights
40,400.00
3,143.00 40,400.00.
Impounding Reservoirs
194,524.78
194,524.78
Collection Reservoirs and Intake Wells
51,084.39
51,084.39
Aqueducts and Supply Mains
407,718.29
407,718.29
Purification ters
System Fil-
1,090.25
1,090.25
Purification System, Chemical Treatment Plant
2,799.63
2,799.63
Purification System, Water Testing Equip- ment
31.50
31.50
Pumping System, Pump- ing Station Structures
5,208.85
5,208.85
Pumping System, Pumps and Pump Equipment Distribution System, Rights of Way
12,469.80
12,469.80
Distribution System, Transmission Mains . .
330.43
330.43
Distribution System, Reservoirs, Tanks, etc.
11,994.02
11,994.02
Mains
414,538.40
$ 175.80
414,714.20
Distribution System, Fire Hydrants and Cis- terns
26,577.26
26,577.26
Distribution System, Fountains and Troughs
11,107.75
11,107.75
General Equipment, Other General Structures
3,329.00
3,329.00
General Equipment, Office Equipment
922.34
922.34
General Equipment, Other General Equipment
9,495.63
9,495.63
Engineering and Superin- tendence during Con- struction
33,566.50
33,566.50
Administrative and Legal Expenses during Con- struction
11,024.28
11,024.28
Interest During Construc- tion
34,065.04
34,065.04
Development Cost
63,913.91
63,913.91
Totals
$1,350,763.33
$ 175.80
$1,350,939.13
35
404.00
404.00
Distribution System,
WATER DEPARTMENT-SINKING FUND
1946
Balance in Sinking Fund January 1, 1946 $ 11,887.28 54.51
Jan. Interest on Time Certificates
Mar. Transfer from Water Department, General
39,000.00 2.50
Interest on $80,000.00 U. S. Bonds 11/4 %
500.00
June
Interest on $40,000.00 U. S. Bonds 21/4 %
450.00
Interest on Time Certificates
2.42
July
Interest on Time Certificates
54.77
Sept.
Interest on Time Certificates
200.01
Interest on $80,000.00 U. S. Treas- urer's Bonds 11/4 %
500.00
Dec.
Interest on Time Certificates
4.68
Interest on $40,000.00 U. S. Bonds 21/4 %
450.00
Balance in Treasurer's Hands De-
cember 31, 1946 $ 53,106.17
SUMMARY OF SECURITIES HELD BY WATER DEPARTMENT SINKING FUND
DECEMBER 31, 1946
$80,000.00 U. S. Treas. Notes 11/4, Series "B" 1947 40,000.00 U. S. Treas. 234's, 1959-62
$120,000.00 Total
WATER DEPARTMENT-CREDIT ACCOUNTS 1946
Metered Water, Light Plant
$ 656.91
Metered Water, Park of the Valiant
128.52
Metered Water, Gas Plant
10.12
Metered Water, Fire Houses
51.76
Metered Water, City Hall, Meter
Room
and Police Headquarters
76.88
Metered Water, Municipal Market
6.00
Memorial Fountains
227.27
Comfort Station
363.40
Borough Farm
12.92
Disposal Plant
458.03
Borough Garage
8.36
Parks and Playgrounds
61.83
East Queen Street and South Fourth
12.31
Street Properties
$ 2,074.31
36
-
$ 53,106.17
Interest on Time Certificates
FREE WATER PER AGREEMENT
Penn Hall Farm
$ 86.31
Nitterhouse Farm
11.12
Children's Home (75%)
35.79
Hospital (75%)
367.32
Salvation Army
4.96
$
2,579.81
Note: This amount, $2,579.81, used in Comparative Income Statement as Free Water furnished in 1946.
FREE UNMETERED WATER FURNISHED THE FOLLOWING IN 1946
240 Fire Hydrants @ $15.00, plus 11 add- ed during the year $ 3,655.00
126 Sewer Flush Tanks @ $16.96, plus 1 added during the year
2,141.22
Flushing Storm Sewers and Street Work . 750.00
Road Roller and Street Sweeper 25.00
$ 6,571.22
Note : This amount, $6,571.22 does not appear in any other statement.
WATED LIENS
Balance to be Collected January 1, 1946
$ 853.16
Interest Accrued
269.27
Costs Accrued
53.30
$ 1,175.73
Collected During 1946
$ 451.61
Interest Collected
273.05
Costs Collected
53.30
Balance to be Collected January 1, 1947 ..
397.77
$ 1,175.73
HERBERT C. KEEFER, EUGENE V. MILLER, JOHN A. BURKHART, Auditors.
GAS DEPARTMENT
During the final days of 1946 the Borough completed negotiations for the purchase of the physical properties of the Chambersburg Gas Company. These properties included the gas plant, mains in the streets, services to houses, meters, materials and supplies and merchandise held for sale. The purchase price of $370,000 was borrowed for the purpose from the Sinking Fund of the Electric Light Department with the understanding that interest would be paid on this loan at 2% annually.
Since the Borough operated this property only a few days during the year covered by this report no operating figures are presented herewith and the only reflection of the purchase in this report appears in the transfer of funds from the Electric Light Department Sinking Fund and an offsetting figure in the list of the value of the Borough property. Operating figures on this utility will appear in the report for the year 1947.
37
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 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 Chambersburg, under the name of "The Franklin Electric Company":
James McKnight and Agent
B. M. Nead
B. Frank Gilmore
Van T. Haulman
William McKnight
Samuel L. Hawbaker
J. Spoonhour William Nixon William Sellers M. A. Foltz C. H. Fulwiler
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 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 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 Cham- bersburg 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.
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 operated 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 bounded on the North by Falling Spring Creek, on the East by what is now North Fourth Street, on the South by what is now East King Street, and in the West by what is now Kennedy Street.
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 Mt. Alto Park Grounds. Mr. Hull was a mechanical genius, and one of the beautiful things he created, with this car and an arc lamp, was a fountain which sprayed steam of different colors
38
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.
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 Electric Light Company at a price of $9,797.50. This plant was installed solely for furnishing lighting for the streets of town. The plant was operated from dark in the evening 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.
AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION
1936- 9,439,105 kilo-watt hours
1937-10,472,343 kilo-watt hours
1938-10,191,690 kilo-watt hours 1939-11,590,400 kilo-watt hours 1940-13,729,150 kilo-watt hours 1941-16,243,700 kilo-watt hours
1942-18,996,100 kilo-watt hours
1943-19,918,059 kilo-watt hours
1944-19,463,973 kilo-watt hours
1945-19,795,909 kilo-watt hours
1946-20,989,200 kilo-watt hours
During the year 1946, the peak load on the Electric Light Plant reached 5,400 kilo-watts, which involved the operation of two 2,500 Kilo-Watt Turbine Generators. The total generated in kilo-watt hours during the year was 19,204,100 kilo-watt hours, and there was pur- chased 2,849,300 kilo-watt hours.
The total cash and credits in' this Department for 1946 were $484,192.21, and the total operating and non-operating expenses were $255,205.69, including $38,104.13 for depreciation, leaving a total gross profit of $228,986.52.
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