Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-12-30
New Line Will Furnis h
Electric Service To Farm
ers In Parts of Middlebury
and Salisbury
CURRENT SUPPLIED
BY VT. MARBLE co.
Initiative of Four Men Re-
suits in Formation of Com
pany and Marks M os t
Progressive Step


Progressive Step
A determination to have electric
light service, and a concerted action
on the part of three or four persons in
the vicinity Of East Middlebury last
June has resulted in the organization
of the Community Light and Power
Company, Inc pasmodiCally, during
the past five years, there have been at
tempts on the part of farmers in this
locality to obtain electricity for light
ing and power from power companies
serving this territory. But owing to
the fact that these attempts were pure
ly individual, little progress was made
until cooperative efforts during the
summer brought a start in the right
direction
Need of Electric Service
Seeing the need of an electric line
that would serve the farmers adjacent
to AIiddlebury, f. B Nelson and Z l.
Kelley, both of Salisbury, took the
matter up early in the summer with
the Hortonia Power company in Rut-
land and succeeded after considerable
effort in obtaining some sort of a pro-
posal upon which to work The rates
quoted at that time, however, were
not at all favorable, and as a conse-
quence Of their findings a meeting OF
all those interested in the lighting pro-
| position was called
When the matter of rates was brought
before the meeting, it was suggested
that the Vermont Marble company be
approached and an attempt made TO
interest them in the project This was
done, and at a subsequent Hneeting 4
| favorable report was made, and tenn
porary officers were appointed for the
purpose of going into the matter OF
lighting fully Probable costs of con-
struction, rates, etc, were ascertained
with the idea OF forming a local cor
poration which would build and main
tain its own lines and purchase cleo
tricitv at wholesale rates for distrbu
tion to its customers.
Charter Is Granted
The temporary officers made their
report and it was approved. Then
without delay application was made to
the Public Service commission for
charter and on the llth OF August
there was a hearing before the Com
mission at the Addison House in Mid
dlebury The charter was granted and
the petitioners decided to take imme-
diate steps to push the project to COM
pletiOn
Permanent Officers Elected
The first step to be taken was the
election of a board of directors and
permanent officers for the Community
Light and Power company. These were
accordingly elected at a regular meet
ing of the petitioners. The officers
are: President, J. Z. Dewey; Vice
President, S. 5. Reynolds; Treasurer,
f. B. Nelson; Clerk, Z. l. Kelley. In
addition to the officers the board Of
directors includes ]. B. Bryant.
Eight Miles of Poles Erected
Work was soon under way. In Oc-
tober, poles and line material were or
dered and on November , the first
pole of the new line was set The work
has steadily progressed until now there
are eight miles OF poles standing and
the cross arms and wire will be hung
soon. Plans call for a switching sta
ton to be erected near the old cheese
factory site in the south part OF the
town The current from the Vermont
Power company's high tension line will
be taken at the switching station,
where the current will be stepped down
from 1900 volts to 23OO volts, at which
pressure it will be dinstributed over
the territory to be served.
Capital Stock Is $4,000
The company is organized with an
authorized capital stock of S2O.OOO OF
which about $4,000 has been Subscrih-
ed. The board of directors IS endea-
voring to keep the company strictly
concern as the name I'M
plies. and is asking no one to sub
scribe for the capital stock, except
those who are to be patrons Of the
electric service. 1t is ex-
oected that sufficient line can be built
so that service can be extended to
East Middleburv and the surrounding
part of the town, and also a portion
Of the town of Salisbury.
The enterprise of those who conceiv-
I'd and put into existence the Com
Light and Power company
marks an advance in progress that has
not been equalled by any local organ
zation in recent years, and 1t VIII De
lf great benefit to the community. The
lfficers of the company feel very gra-
flied over the progress that has been
II lde since the work was started IN
he fall and they state that they are
indebted to the Vermont Marble COM
,any for assistance and many courte-
lies extended, particularly for the CO.
operation of Messrs. Proctor, Davis
md Wallet. c. c. Wells of the MIDI
llebury Electric company has also
,iven counsel and advice that have
,een of great assistance in getting the