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Page 38 February 2016 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
Photos Courtesy of Thurmontimages.com
(left) The outside of the old
Thurmont Electric Power
Plant.
by James Rada, Jr. (below) Pictured is the
generator that was located
1908 — Let There Be Light on the inside of the old
Thurmont Electric Power
Thomas Edison invented the light some problems. A right of way was town would eventually take Plant.
bulb in 1879, and soon thereafter, needed to bring the water from over the company and the
companies began forming to provide Hunting Creek to the turbine wheel to stock would be exchanged for The town also maintained a separate
electricity and light to homes and generate the power. Two landowners municipal bonds that paid five light bulb account of $628.17 to sell
communities. Larger cities were the decided to try and gouge the percent interest annually. light bulbs to residents who needed
first recipients, but eventually, it company, asking three times as much them once their homes and businesses
became a feasible project for smaller as the right of way was worth. The Clarion, which had been were wired for power.
communities. an early supporter of the plant
Eventually, they were convinced turned against it for this reason. The plant served Thurmont for
However, as community after to sell the right of ways, but a second The editors saw that even though fifteen years, but then because of town
community turned on their lights, problem wasn’t so easily addressed. the bonds were a good deal for the growth and intermittent dry periods
Thurmont remained in the dark. As the project to use the water from stockholders, it was believed that the for Hunting Creek, Thurmont had to
Hunting Creek to power Thurmont cost of paying off those bonds would start buying current from Potomac
A small blurb in a 1907 Catoctin started, the creek entered a drought require an increase in town taxes. Edison until a new power system was
Clarion read, “Rumor has it that period and the water flow began The newspaper reported, “the town constructed.
certain parties have been in town falling off. Questions were raised as is about to take a step that will mean
this week looking up the question of to whether the plant would be able to a burden to its people for the next
installing an electric lighting plant, deliver on its promises. twenty years in attempting to get a
who knows anything about the fact in lighting system that will prove a most
this matter? Assuredly we will not get An article in the Catoctin Clarion costly experiment to the town.” The
anything better until some strangers noted, “I think all will agree that the newspaper projected that taxes would
come to town and start the ball present drought is unprecedented, jump from 30 cents per $100 to at
rolling, for it seems that we don’t have except perhaps last year.” The article least 80 cents.
enough enterprising spirit in town to then went on to explain that it was
have anything other than what we estimated that 102 horsepower hours This fear did not come to be,
have now, which is next to no light at was needed each day to light the and the plant was built. It began
all. Come on Mr. Man whoever you town. Even at the lower water flow, furnishing power to the town.
may be, the field is yours, with no not only could the town’s lighting
competitor but the Moon.” needs be met, but “We will still have During the 1910 legislative session,
163 horsepower hours for commercial Thurmont commissioners asked for
Although the town of Thurmont purposes or day load, even at the and received the authority needed to
had no authority under its charter to small flow of the stream,” the allow the town to run and maintain
build an electric lighting plant, some newspaper reported. an electric plant. It also received the
local citizens did decide to step up authority to buy the existing plant
to the challenge. Peter Hammaker, The project went forward, and and to pay the stockholders with
Charles Mackley, Lester Birely, and citizens of the town could purchase municipal bonds.
Morris Birely created The Citizens’ stock in the company in $100 shares
Electric Light and Power Company (about $3,100 in 2015). Although The following year’s budget
of Thurmont. Working with the town expensive, the idea was to keep the showed that the entire cost of the
government, the company made plans money in town. Local stockholders purchase of the plant (not including
for bringing electricity to the town. would own the company and the annual interest payments) amounted
company would in turn power the to $21,100.83, and the annual
However, as the company began town where the stockholders lived. operating expense was $1,074.40.
purchasing rights of way that were In addition, it was expected that the
needed to run the plant, it ran into
Photos Courtesy of Thurmontimages.com
(left) The outside of the old
Thurmont Electric Power
Plant.
by James Rada, Jr. (below) Pictured is the
generator that was located
1908 — Let There Be Light on the inside of the old
Thurmont Electric Power
Thomas Edison invented the light some problems. A right of way was town would eventually take Plant.
bulb in 1879, and soon thereafter, needed to bring the water from over the company and the
companies began forming to provide Hunting Creek to the turbine wheel to stock would be exchanged for The town also maintained a separate
electricity and light to homes and generate the power. Two landowners municipal bonds that paid five light bulb account of $628.17 to sell
communities. Larger cities were the decided to try and gouge the percent interest annually. light bulbs to residents who needed
first recipients, but eventually, it company, asking three times as much them once their homes and businesses
became a feasible project for smaller as the right of way was worth. The Clarion, which had been were wired for power.
communities. an early supporter of the plant
Eventually, they were convinced turned against it for this reason. The plant served Thurmont for
However, as community after to sell the right of ways, but a second The editors saw that even though fifteen years, but then because of town
community turned on their lights, problem wasn’t so easily addressed. the bonds were a good deal for the growth and intermittent dry periods
Thurmont remained in the dark. As the project to use the water from stockholders, it was believed that the for Hunting Creek, Thurmont had to
Hunting Creek to power Thurmont cost of paying off those bonds would start buying current from Potomac
A small blurb in a 1907 Catoctin started, the creek entered a drought require an increase in town taxes. Edison until a new power system was
Clarion read, “Rumor has it that period and the water flow began The newspaper reported, “the town constructed.
certain parties have been in town falling off. Questions were raised as is about to take a step that will mean
this week looking up the question of to whether the plant would be able to a burden to its people for the next
installing an electric lighting plant, deliver on its promises. twenty years in attempting to get a
who knows anything about the fact in lighting system that will prove a most
this matter? Assuredly we will not get An article in the Catoctin Clarion costly experiment to the town.” The
anything better until some strangers noted, “I think all will agree that the newspaper projected that taxes would
come to town and start the ball present drought is unprecedented, jump from 30 cents per $100 to at
rolling, for it seems that we don’t have except perhaps last year.” The article least 80 cents.
enough enterprising spirit in town to then went on to explain that it was
have anything other than what we estimated that 102 horsepower hours This fear did not come to be,
have now, which is next to no light at was needed each day to light the and the plant was built. It began
all. Come on Mr. Man whoever you town. Even at the lower water flow, furnishing power to the town.
may be, the field is yours, with no not only could the town’s lighting
competitor but the Moon.” needs be met, but “We will still have During the 1910 legislative session,
163 horsepower hours for commercial Thurmont commissioners asked for
Although the town of Thurmont purposes or day load, even at the and received the authority needed to
had no authority under its charter to small flow of the stream,” the allow the town to run and maintain
build an electric lighting plant, some newspaper reported. an electric plant. It also received the
local citizens did decide to step up authority to buy the existing plant
to the challenge. Peter Hammaker, The project went forward, and and to pay the stockholders with
Charles Mackley, Lester Birely, and citizens of the town could purchase municipal bonds.
Morris Birely created The Citizens’ stock in the company in $100 shares
Electric Light and Power Company (about $3,100 in 2015). Although The following year’s budget
of Thurmont. Working with the town expensive, the idea was to keep the showed that the entire cost of the
government, the company made plans money in town. Local stockholders purchase of the plant (not including
for bringing electricity to the town. would own the company and the annual interest payments) amounted
company would in turn power the to $21,100.83, and the annual
However, as the company began town where the stockholders lived. operating expense was $1,074.40.
purchasing rights of way that were In addition, it was expected that the
needed to run the plant, it ran into
