Memories of Bygone Days

As Told By William “Bill” Rice, In His Own Words

In 1946, I had been home from the Navy and World War II for only a short while. Mayor Duble asked me to come to work for the Town of Thurmont as an electrician. After a little coaxing, I said yes. I was paid 50 cents an hour. I had learned a lot about electricity in the Navy.

I worked for the Town and went to night school, under the GI Bill, studying electrical engineering. My main job was an electrician, but I did anything that needed to get done. The Town Office was in the basement of The Thurmont Bank, next to the barber shop.

At that time, the electric department consisted of a 1932 Chevrolet pickup truck, a shovel and a spade, one old set of pole climbing equipment, and one pair of worn rubber gloves.

I read electric meters along with Paul Shaffer. Paul read the East end of town, and I read the West end. The Town Clerk, Charlie Stocksdale, would give each of us $20.00 in ones and $5.00 in change. We would read the meter, write up the bill, and hand it to the resident. Residents would usually pay us right then. Our money was expected to come out to the penny, or we’d have to pay the difference. I would always be a cent or two off. However, Paul would always come out to the penny. At some of the homes, I would try to get the bill made out, stick it under the door, and tiptoe off the porch before they saw me. Some were grumpy and would always complain about their bill.

Residents who had only one light bulb in their kitchen would get a flat rate bill of 60 cents. I believe there were only two residents who would not pay the flat rate fee and, therefore, had no electricity. A lot of the meters were in the attic, so I’d have to go upstairs and climb up into the attic with a flashlight, being careful not to fall through the attic floor. At that time, there were approximately 550 customers.

Electric poles were rotting, and the wires were in poor condition. The street lights were falling apart. At that time, there were only five or six lights going in each direction from the square.

The Public Service Commission met with the Town Board and told them to improve the electrical system or sell it. The Town Board agreed to make improvements. PEPCO sold us the materials needed, and I updated the electric system.

In 1947, the Taylors on Altamont Avenue were the only town residents who had an electric cooking range, and there were no electric water heaters yet.

Mayor Duble died in September 1947, and Mr. Saylor Weybright became Mayor. That year, Paul Shaffer and I installed the first parking meters.  Paul and I would help out the street maintenance crew whenever needed, especially after big snows. We would shovel, by hand, all the parking meter areas. The streets were in bad condition; many were just stoned.

In 1947, the corporate limits were expanded as follows:

East to Apples Church Road

West to the Frank Bentz Pond

North to Elmer Bollinger’s farm

South to Potomac Edison Substation on Moser Road

Now, we had more streets to improve! Mayor Weybright ordered 25 train cars of cinders. We unloaded them at John Creeger’s coal bins. The cinders would be so frozen, we’d have to build a fire under the trap door to get them out of the cars. We loaded up the Town’s dump truck and spread the cinders on the streets.

In 1952, C. Ray Weddle became Mayor. Streets were again improved; this time by tar and chipping. Additional men were hired, and the Town purchased a used roller, tar box, and stone spreader, and did the work.

In 1956, the Town purchased the Mechanicstown Water Company, and I was put in charge of the water system also. With the help of Bernard Fink and Edgar Palmer, I soon had a working knowledge of the system and how to maintain it. As Thurmont continued to to grow, I had to budget for improvements and enlarge the system as needed.

I’m sure some of you have heard about the Annie Laurie Well at the corner of West Main Street and Shipley Avenue. It was drilled by private individuals, supposedly looking for oil. There was oil in the water, but to the disappointment of many, it was just oil from the pump. That well once served the Canning Factory. The Canning Factory was pumping water from Hunting Creek to use in their operations. The State outlawed that source of water supply. The Mechanicstown Water Company then piped water from the Annie Laurie to their factory. When the Town purchased the Water Company, this well became the Town’s, but it was not an efficient well and was abandoned.

In the late 1950s, I hired a young man by the name of Joe Fraley to be an electrician. He was drafted into the Army and worried that he would not have a job when he came back home. I promised him I would hold his job for him, and I did. In later years, I trained him in the other departments, and he became my assistant. 

Around 1957, a new and modern Town Office building was constructed on Frederick Road.

In the early 1960s, Mayor Donald Lewis appointed me Public Works Supt. I was now responsible for all departments except the Police and the office.

I was required to take the necessary classes to become a State-Certified Water and Sewer Plant Operator. This job was a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week job. I was always on call for emergencies and complaints.

During my employment, there were three major expansions to the sewage treatment plant.

In 1982, I was selected the water plant “Operator of the Year” by the American Water Works Association. I went to Ocean City for what I thought was to give a talk about our water system, and was surprised to be given this award.

I am proud of the Town parks I built: Thurmont Community Park, Eyler Road Park, and East End Park. When we were creating the Thurmont Community Park, I advertised in the local paper for shrubbery donations.  I got so many offers, we weren’t able to accept them all. All of the evergreen trees and shrubbery came from the citizens of Thurmont and the surrounding areas.

I drew all the engineering plans and construction drawings for the electrical expansions, water and sewer systems, and streets. I also did all the bidding for new construction and was the on-site inspector.

Some of the former longtime Town employees I had the pleasure of working with were Paul Shaffer, Paul Seeney, Charles Yingling, Manuel Willard, Whitey Eigenbrode, and Charles Wilhide. When I retired this past December, Joe Fraley became my replacement.

I had a very good relationship with all the Mayors. Nearly every Sunday, the Mayor and one of the Commissioners would stop by my home to be brought up to date on what was happening.

My 41 years with the Town gave me lots of good memories and no regrets. I still get calls from the Board members about things from the past, and I’m glad I can still help them out.

By William “Bill” Rice,  January 1988

(Submitted by Bill’s wife, Nancy Rice)