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<br />nOllO:l
<br />
<br />March. 1982
<br />
<br />Colorado Rural Eleclric News
<br />
<br />,-';."".'
<br />
<br />Page a
<br />
<br />Postwar Boom For Empire Electric
<br />Capped Its Humble 1941 Beginning
<br />May 5,1941 wlUJ,the big date in.biB. 7
<br />tory f9r Sou'thwes_tern Colo:re.do, for ,it
<br />w,llS thel;l that Empire Electric Associa-
<br />tiQ,n first se>>t -eiectticity sfngl~g
<br />funn,igh 87 miles 01 line to 260 C,ustOJ:Il-
<br />el:61n'Mont\lllun)8,.and DQI.,..res cou_lJ.ties
<br />and the town of DQve Greek.
<br />Betore this date Highlimd Utilities, a
<br />Chicago controlled firm, provided the
<br />-only distributing service in the state!s
<br />southwest corner. 'Highland $erved Cor-
<br />tez, Dolores and 'Mancos-towns people:
<br />and a, few farms on the 'pe~jmeter of
<br />these towns.
<br />Atter many unsuccesslul attempts to
<br />obtain reason'ably priced electricity
<br />from Hilhland for rural residents an,d
<br />the con'ununities of. Cahone, Lewis,
<br />Pleasant View, Arriola and Dove-Creek,
<br />community leaders turned for_ help to
<br />ilie Rural Electrification ,Administra-
<br />tion.
<br />To name all the people'who played a
<br />part in formation of this rI,lral electric
<br />would be Impossible. It most certainly
<br />would include the 260 oriBinal con-
<br />sumers, and many others who in spite
<br />of many holll'S spent in the original
<br />planning were not among the first
<br />consumers served.
<br />History's searc!illght must first of all
<br />.slngle out the eleven incorporators_of
<br />Empire Electric Association on whose
<br />shOUlders l'ested the initial responsi_
<br />bmty. These men were W. I. Campbell,
<br />T. 'W. Cox, B. R. Scott, David Hamilton,
<br />Charles D. Snyder, Harry Rogers, E. C.
<br />Failing, J. C. Denton, C. T. Hamilton,
<br />F. Fred Allison and W. L. Larrance.
<br />At their first meeting these members
<br />adopted articles of incorporation 'and
<br />by"laws Ut.at had been drawn up by
<br />attorneys J. J. Downey and Dan Mil.
<br />. ens1ti. Fred Alllson was elected the first
<br />president; W. I. Campbell, vice presi-
<br />dent; T. W. Cox, secretary and J. C.
<br />. penton, treasurer. M,r. Denton stjll
<br />bolds the position of treaslU'er with
<br />Emplrel
<br />George Herron of Dove Creek played
<br />a vital role asllrst superintendent for
<br />the association. He was also the pre.
<br />allotment engineer for the project,
<br />charged with the :responsibility of pre-
<br />paring the prelimInary maps of the area
<br />tor presentation to REA before a loan
<br />could'be obtained,.
<br />The late Dan B. Hunter was another
<br />important, hard"working pioneer who
<br />devoted years of service to rural elec.
<br />tric. He was named Co-ordinator at the
<br />:first meeting, after having served un-
<br />officially for some time. Elected to the
<br />board of directors in March Hl41,' he
<br />subsequently was named secretary, an
<br />office he held until his passing In-1958.
<br />Mr. Hunter also served the Colorado
<br />Rural Electric Association In many ca-
<br />pacities down through the years.
<br />A. L. Lancaster, W. L. Larrance and
<br />Walter Longenbaugh were named soli-
<br />'citorstocanvastheareafrommember_
<br />ships to the IlSsociation. For $5.00 a day
<br />l\lld expenses they worked hours that
<br />e:Ktended from early morn until late.
<br />evening.
<br />A. 'W, Cowling is not only one of the
<br />Empire Electric pioneers, b).lt one of
<br />the founders of the first electric plant
<br />in Cortez several years before Empire's
<br />beginning. Cowling served as an early
<br />director and was also a project line-
<br />man in the early days of toil and
<br />. trouble.
<br />C, C, McAfee' who serves today as
<br />
<br />
<br />The lole Don Hunler, Empire Ele(:.
<br />trlc pioneer ond co-fQunder, in this
<br />picture was reporllng to the member-
<br />ship at an early annual meeting held
<br />In Dove Creek. He WGS Boord sec-
<br />retary. fro,;, 19.n to 1958.
<br />
<br />
<br />C. C. McAfee-"<right) Empire Eleclrlc Qnd,Colorado !Jle Electric presl.dent,
<br />and I. W. PQtterson, Empire monager, join In reviewing Q mop 'showing
<br />EmpIre Electric, Co(ol'(ldo-Ute, transmission lines, as We,ll as the proposed
<br />BureClU of Reclamation tr-tlnsmission system from Glen Canyon. McAfee Clnd
<br />Pallerson rap-orled at some.length to' Empire stockholders Qt their 1962 ann_ual
<br />meeling 1!1 'Corlez. - Photo courtesy. MontezumCl Valley Journal.
<br />president of Empire Electric 'and also REA financed system in Colorado, the
<br />heads Colorado-Ute Electric Assn., Grand Valley ,Rural Power Lines Asso_
<br />was appointed to the board in ciation.
<br />1.9~0. During th.e war he .ser_ved for a District Judge James M. Noland IS'
<br />time as supermtendent when - Cecil one of Empire's pioneers having served
<br />Stokes resigned that position to enter the company's legal needs when he was
<br />the armed forces. District Attorney. James Garrison fo1-
<br />The late O. E. Schlege_l pioneered in Jowed. J~dg.e Nola~d as Il~tor~ey for
<br />both Empire Electric and the Colorado ~e aSSOCiation serymg. until hiS death
<br />Ute association. Named to the Empire m 1~53. George Dilts JS presently the
<br />board in 1942 Mr:' Schlegel served as Empire attorney. .
<br />president for a number of years. He One of the most pressmg P1;oble1,Us
<br />also served as a vice president of Colo- that needed to be met by EmpJlle ~no_
<br />rado Ute neers was the matter o~ an economlcal,
<br />. , dependable source of power. The first
<br />Among the other early _ day board ,generator, two small 50 KW diesel
<br />members who served well and helped powered generators located -at Lewis,
<br />to build a strong successful a~sociation soon became overloaded. The problem
<br />'Were Glen Grace, Fr,ed Smith, Claude was solved with the acquisition of -the
<br />Everett, and many more. Highland Utilities System in 1943. The
<br />Empire Electric's present manager, purchase- included transmission lines
<br />Mr. t. W. Patterson who joined the that brought power from the- Western
<br />association in 1944 was a rural eleetric Coloralio Power Company generators in
<br />pioneer before his arrival in the South- DuraI)go and Tacoma.
<br />west corner. He had been one of the Empire's real surge ahead came after
<br />organizers and first manager of the first the war years when supplies again be.
<br />
<br />Sand Bags And Pumps Helped Protect
<br />Moon lake's RangelyGenerating Plant
<br />
<br />An ice.jam of the White' River ~t
<br />Rangely, 'Colorado the night of. Febru"
<br />ary 10 threatened to flbod the Moon
<br />Lake Generating Plant at Rangely.
<br />Unseasonably warm weather exper-
<br />Ienced 'early In February caused 'II
<br />rapiq dse in the river Jevel, and the
<br />resulting break-up of the ice jammed
<br />at many points on the stream, causing
<br />the river to overflow' its banks.
<br />Moon Lakes Generating Plant is pro-
<br />tected by a dike completely surround-
<br />ing the plant area, but the twelve foot
<br />rise of the riyer's level overflowed .j~
<br />at several places. '
<br />Plant personnel 'and'oil field 'Vorkers
<br />pressed Into servioe lapored' for 'over
<br />forty~e!ght_-hoUrs_ to reinforee th)':! dike;
<br />Over 2500 s&,!ld qag_s were u~ed aecbrd~:
<br />Ing to Cla1,lde 'White, Plant superiB~
<br />tendent.
<br />Several large pumps were wed to
<br />remove, the ,water which did, ge( inside
<br />the ,diked. area, ,and 'no water ac~uaUy
<br />reached the 'generating piant.
<br />Mr. -E. J, Ballard Jr.' manager tit
<br />Moon Lake emphasized .that service to.
<br />Moon Lake's..ar_ea .was, nf:}t end!!:nger-ed.
<br />Adequate emergency power is av!ill.
<br />able from other SOlU'ces-to.supply_t:Qn....
<br />tinuous service with p!;1rt or all of ,the
<br />Rsngely plant out of service.
<br />,Damage by the ice and water }Vas
<br />general for many miles along the r~ver
<br />bottoms, a,nd in the town of Rangely
<br />rn!!lly homes and businessses were
<br />flooded. Some livestock, and even some
<br />deer were either drowned or 'erushed
<br />by ice.
<br />
<br />came available :for making the plans of
<br />the pioneers })ossible. Swingfug into
<br />high gear the comp'any launched II con~
<br />strllctlon program including 3fl5 miles.
<br />(If now rUl'lll exten.sioll.~: a new 4!.OO~
<br />volt transmission line .from MiU1COS to
<br />Cortez end the rehabilitation ot the-
<br />entire system acquired from Highland
<br />Utilities.
<br />Empire bas continued to grow and
<br />.no)\' ssxves 5,100 consumers over 1,090
<br />miles of lines in Montezuma, Dolores.
<br />and San .'Miguel counties in Colorado>
<br />and San Juan County in Utab, a terri-
<br />tory of 1,100 square miles. Growth of
<br />the company and it's importance to the
<br />consumer is graphically illustrated by
<br />figures showing that where early usel1l
<br />consumed an average 20 KWH pel"
<br />months, todays domestic consumer
<br />averages 325 -KWH per month;
<br />P1 eax]jer y~s very f~ eommercl~
<br />businesses were serv~d but today Em-
<br />,pire serves many commercial and in-
<br />dUstrlal consumers.
<br />
<br />You Can Help Supply
<br />More Historic Fads
<br />
<br />Today's_events ,become hblory
<br />~monow.
<br />It -seems only yesterday Ihat
<br />1'\I1'a1 elec:J.tic:s went druggling Us
<br />lhe fonnati.,e stages_truly pic..
<br />nee:ing in Us lIhictesl sense.
<br />The 2S yeus 01:' so whicb bave
<br />pllI!led since Ibe beginnings of
<br />th_Gse modeto servlOll' otganlzatloQ
<br />have already dimmed Ibe'memo.
<br />nes of Hold timen."
<br />In some- associations reC-ordt.
<br />have been mlsplllC!l'4 or losl in re-
<br />peated. ,moves 10 enlarged quarleo
<br />during :lhe mlene-nlng quarte1'
<br />century or Ie$ll.
<br />For 1h1e reason Colorado Rural
<br />E1ecIrIc Hews has sought 10 roconl
<br />"early day" fads in the- March and
<br />April editions.
<br />Whet& other pbases. of pioneer_
<br />ing in ,Colorado rural ele~ uo
<br />known to former ofticers 0: indi.
<br />viduals we urge Iballbis informa._
<br />tlon be sent us so we may melud.
<br />il in suhliequel1l edillonllo
<br />P1ctuns of pion"" and :lhel:r ef-
<br />forls Ille also weleomaa.
<br />We hope :this rec:ording of Colo-
<br />rado lural eleclric hlsloty.ls appu-
<br />clated by OUI readen as much 811
<br />the' edUo:rs and ('ouespoudenls
<br />have enjoyed, galhering U: for you.
<br />
<br />ASK US ABOUT. . .
<br />Oll..IAll..IA.C, GENERATORS
<br />I~ I~FOR STANPBY
<br />. TRACTOR DRIVE GENfRATORS
<br />. ENGINE DRIVEN GfNERATORS
<br />500t<> 230.000 Wott.
<br />W.<a"y20unll.onJooompJm
<br />f',,,,.,,...kiaDenver
<br />
<br />B, K, SWEENEY CO.
<br />INDUstRIAL DIVISION
<br />1&0123.dSI~et_O...v" 17,Colo.
<br />534-6211 Exl. 49 o' SO
<br />
<br />DEALER WANTED!
<br />
<br />for in$ulalion in your area - we train
<br />
<br />INSTALL
<br />
<br />"CAPTO-WOOL" INSULATION
<br />"COTTON FLUFF" BLANKET
<br />
<br />Made' of fire f&sisIQnl, vermin"pr()Qf cellulose
<br />ACCEPTED ,BY. FHA and VA
<br />
<br />8c:tst For Electric Heating
<br />. . ,. , '. ~
<br />. MORE,P_ROfIT'SY INSTALL,ING:":'" DIRECT FACTORY-TO"YOU
<br />
<br />. CAPITOL
<br />INSUbtTlNG.'
<br />COMPANY
<br />
<br />2Q46 W. Colfax Av&.
<br />Denver 4, -CGlcJrG_do
<br />
<br />SEND THIS COUPON
<br />
<br />j'l am'intere.t.dln be......inllroc..pfo.Waol_&COll<ln I
<br />I-fluffdo-ale,. I
<br />I No';'. I
<br />'Add,." I
<br />I I
<br />ICfty sl"'-_,
<br />f PI.o.. 0 Canhacta. [J Ol~er I
<br />IChuok, Omrl,ibular 'OUlillty I
<br />---------------r-~
<br />
<br />~. ; ,,;, <~
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