Philadelphia Electric Company records

Transcription

1 1780 Last updated on October 08, Manuscripts and Archives Department

2 Table of Contents Summary Information...3 Biography/History...3 Scope and Contents... 5 Arrangement...5 Administrative Information... 6 Related Materials... 6 Collection Inventory Page 2 -

3 Summary Information Repository Hagley Museum and Library: Manuscripts and Archives Department Creator Philadelphia Electric Company Title Call number 1780 Date , bulk Extent 36 microfilm reels Language English Abstract The Philadelphia Electric Company was incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania on October 31, 1929, as a merger of The Philadelphia Electric Company (incorporated in Pa. on October 27, 1902), the Philadelphia Suburban-Counties Gas & Electric Company, and three other small utility companies. It is the primary gas and electric company for Philadelphia, its surrounding counties and Cecil and Harford Counties in northeastern Maryland. Their records consist of microfilm copies of the minute books of about 150 of the predecessor companies of the Philadelphia Electric Company. Biography/History The Philadelphia Electric Company was incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania on October 31, 1929, as a merger of The Philadelphia Electric Company (incorporated in Pa. on October 27, 1902), the - Page 3 -

4 Philadelphia Suburban-Counties Gas & Electric Company, and three other small utility companies. It is the primary gas and electric company for Philadelphia, its surrounding counties and Cecil and Harford Counties in northeastern Maryland. After the invention of electric lighting systems in the late 1870s, several companies were formed in Philadelphia. The first was the Brush Electric Light Company of Philadelphia, formed by Thomas Dolan and others for the purpose of lighting Chestnut Street in March 1881 and utilizing the Brush arc light system. The Maxim Electric Light & Power Company was formed in September 1881 by Martin Maloney, William L. Elkins, Peter A. B. Widener, William G. Warden and others to use the systems invented by Hiram S. Maxim and Edward Weston. It was soon named the United States Electric Lighting Company of Philadelphia and set up isolated plants to provide electricity to specific buildings. In 1885 the "Electric Trust" was formed for the purpose of consolidating the Brush and United States companies, and over the next ten years the Trust began to acquire some twenty small companies organized to serve specific areas of Philadelphia County. The Edison Electric Light Company of Philadelphia was organized in December 1886 by Samuel B. Huey and William D. Marks with the backing of the Edison Electric Light Company of New York. The company used the Edison system and constructed what was then the largest central generating station in the world in By 1895 the Edison company was the largest and most profitable electric company in the city. Martin Maloney organized the Pennsylvania Heat, Light & Power Company in February 1895 to promote the Siemens system. In 1896 it acquired the stock of the Edison company and then purchased the Electric Trust. In February 1898 Maloney organized the Pennsylvania Heat, Light & Power Company and proceeded to buy up the remaining independents. Another holding company, the National Electric Company, was formed in May 1899 and began buying utility companies in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties. The Philadelphia Electric Company was incorporated under the laws of New Jersey on October 5, 1899, for the purpose of merging the National and and Pennsylvania Manufacturing, Light & Power Companies. In 1901 it acquired the Kensington Electric Company, the last independent in the city. A separate "The Philadelphia Electric Company" was incorporated in Pennsylvania on October 27, 1902, to act as a single operating subsidiary. Under the presidency of Joseph B. McCall ( ) it imposed uniformity on the patchwork quilt of local companies and introduced the alternating current system. It also arranged to supply power to the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, operating the city's streetcars and subways, and the Pennsylvania Railroad electrification?s beginning in In 1911 the reform mayor Rudolph L. Blankenberg appointed Morris Llewellyn Cooke as Director of Public Works. Cooke, a Progressive advocate of public ownership of utilities, began a campaign against Philadelphia Electric. Partly as a result, the New Jersey corporation was dissolved on November 19, 1917, and The Philadelphia Electric Company became the parent firm. Large central stations were built at Chester (1918), on the Delaware River near Penn Treaty Park (1920) and Richmond (1925). In 1923 the company's bankers, Drexel & Co., purchased the Susquehanna Power Company of Maryland, which had acquired rights to build a hydroelectric dam on the Susquehanna River at Conowingo. It was turned over to the Philadelphia Electric Power Company, a Philadelphia Electric subsidiary, and the dam was completed in In 1927, Philadelphia Electric formed the Susquehanna Utilities Company to operate six local electric companies in southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland associated - Page 4 -

5 with the Conowingo project. The Philadelphia Electric Company, Pennsylvania Power & Light and the Public Service Electric & Gas Company of New Jersey formed the first interconnected power grid in Under McCall, Philadelphia Electric made no attempt to expand beyond its original service area. In 1928, after McCall's death, control of the company passed to the United Gas Improvement Company, a Philadelphia-based national utility holding company long associated with Philadelphia Electric. UGI also controlled a number of gas and electric companies serving the northern and western suburbs which had been consolidated into the Philadelphia Suburban-Counties Gas & Electric Company. Philadelphia Suburban-Counties were merged into Philadelphia Electric in Under orders from the SEC, United Gas Improvment Company divested itself of Philadelphia Electric in Scope and Contents The records consist of microfilm copies of the minute books of about 150 of the predecessor companies of the Philadelphia Electric Company. However, some important firms, such as the early Brush and Edison companies, are not represented. The bulk of the companies are from the suburban and fringe area. The minute books document the consolidation and merger process that took place between 1895 and Many of the companies represented were short-lived intermediate steps in the larger merger process. More substantive coverage is available for some of the larger companies, whose minutes contain financial and statistical statements. The minutes also describe the replacement of older systems of light and power by the Westinghouse alternating current system. There are also long runs from many of the suburban gas companies. There are minutes for many of the predecessor companies involved with the early stages of the Conowingo Dam project and the companies in Harford and Cecil Counties that were acquired in connection with it. Two of these predecessors, which were acquired to eliminate conflicting charter rights, are the oldest companies represented. The Tide Water Canal Company ( ) operated a canal along the west bank of the Susquehanna River from Havre de Grace to the Pennsylvania state line in connection with the Susquehanna Canal Company of Pennsylvania. The Conowingo Bridge Company ( ) operated a series of toll bridges across the Susquehanna at Conowingo. The road, now U.S. 1, was relocated to the top of the Conowingo Dam. Arrangement Arranged alphabetically by company. - Page 5 -

6 Administrative Information Manuscripts and Archives Department Use Restrictions Literary rights retained by Philadelphia Electric Company. Existence and Location of Originals Originals held by the Philadelphia Electric Company. Related Materials Related Material Reading Company Records (Accession 1520), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library - Page 6 -

7 Collection Inventory The Abingdon Light Company. 1 Reel Ambler Electric Light, Heat and Motor Company. 1 Atlgen Gas Company. 1 Atglen Gas Company and Christiana Gas Company. 1 Aston Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Colowyn Electric Company. 1 Aston Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Rutlidge Electric Company. 1 Aston Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Upper Providence Electric Company. 1 Aston Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Middle-Town Electric Light & Power Company. 1 Aston Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Marple Electric Co. 1 - Page 7 -

8 Aston Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Nether Providence Electric Company. 1 Bala and Merion Electric Company (stockholders). 1 Bala and Merion Electric Company (directors). 1 Beacon Light Company (stockholders and directors). 1 Beacon Light Company, Darby. 1 Beacon Light Company, Glenolden. 1 Beacon Light Company, Ridley Park. 1 Bedminster Township Bucks County Electric Company. 1 Bensalem Light, Heat & Power Company. 1 Township of Bensalem Light & Power Company. 1 - Page 8 -

9 Bowman's Bazaar (The Oxford Electric Light & Power Company). 1 Bowman's Bazaar Light & Power Company. 1 The Bristol Gaslight Company. 2 Township of Bristol Power and Light Company. 2 Bristol Light, Heat and Power Company. 2 Bryn Athyn Electric Company. 2 Bryn Athyn Gas Company. 2 Bryn Athyn Heat & Fuel Company. 2 Bucks-Bensalem Electric Company. 2 Bucks-Middletown Electric Company - Bucks-Bristol Electric Company. 2 - Page 9 -

10 Bucks County Electric Co. 2 General note Incorporated June 20, 1913 Bucks County Gas and Fuel Company. 3 Bucks County Public Service Company, Bucks County Southern Gas Company. 3 Bucks-Falls Electric Company. 3 Bucks-Hulmeville Electric Company. 3 Chalfont Electric Company. 3 Cheltenham Electric Light, Heat & Power Company, Vol 1, Cheltenham Electric Light, Heat & Power Company, Vol. 2, Page 10 -

11 Cheltenham Electric Light, Heat & Power Company, Vol. 3, Cheltenham Electric Light, Heat & Power CompanyVol. 2, Executive Committee, Cheltenham Electric Light, Heat & Power Company, Vol. 3, Executive Committee, Chester County Electric Company, Vol. 1 - Avondale Borough Light Company, Chester County Electric Company, Vol. 1 - West Grove Borough Light Company, Chester County Electric Company, Vol. 1 - Kennett Township Light Company, Chester County Electric Company, Vol. 1 - New Garden Township Light Company, Chester County Electric Company, Vol. 1 - East Marlborough Township Light Company, Page 11 -

12 Chester County Electric Company, Vol. 1 - London Grove Township Light Company, Chester County Gas Company, Vols. 1-3, Chester County Light & Power Company, Vol. 1, Chester County Light & Power Company, Vol. 2, Chester County Light & Power Company, Vol. 3, Chester County Light & Power Company, Vol. 4, Chester County Public Service Company, Chester Electric Light & Power Company, Chester Gas Company, Chester Gas Company, Page 12 -

13 Chester Steam Heating & Power Company. 6 Chester Township Electric Company - Lower Chichester Township Electric Company. 6 Chester Township Electric Company - Upper Chichester Township Electric Company. 6 Chester Valley Electric Company, Vols Chester Valley Electric Company Constituent Companies. 6 The Chester Valley Electric Light, Heat & Power Company, Vols Citizens Electric Light & Power Company of Delaware County, Vols. 1-2, Coatesville Consumers Electric Light, Heat & Power Company. 7 Coatesville Elecric Light, Heat & Power Company, Vols Coatesville Gas Company, Vols. 1-3, Page 13 -

14 Collegeville Electric Light, Heat & Power Company. 7 Collegeville Gas Company, Vol. 1, 1906 June December 5. 7 Collegeville Gas Company, Vol. 2, Collegeville-Trappe Gas Company. 8 Columbia Electric Light Company of Pennsylvania. 8 Columbia Electric Light Company. 8 Conowingo Bridge Company, Vols. 1-4, Conowingo Land Company of Cecil County. 8 Borough of Conshohocken Electric Light Company. 8 Conowingo Electric Light and Power Company. 8 - Page 14 -

15 The Conshohocken Electric Light and Power Company, Vols The Conshohocken Gas Light Company, Vols Conshohocken Power Company. 9 Consolidated Schuylkill Gas Company, Vols Counties Gas and Electric Company, Vols Counties Gas and Electric Company, Vols Darby Gas Company. 10 Delaware River Power Company (New Jersey). 10 General note Name changed to Deepwater Light and Power Company Delaware County Electric Company, Vol. 1, Page 15 -

16 Delaware County Electric Company, Vols. 2-4, Delaware County Gas Company. 11 Gas Company of Delaware County. 11 Gas Illuminating Company of Delaware. 11 Delaware River Manufacturing Company. 11 Delta Electric Light Company, Vol Delta Electric Light Company, Vol. 2, Delta Electric Power Company, Vols. 1-3, Delta Water Power Company - Lower Chanceford Electric Light, Heat & Power Company, Delta Water Power Company, Page 16 -

17 Diamond Electric Company, Dilworthtown Electric Company, Doylestown Electric Company, Vols Doylestown Electric Transmission Company. 13 Doylestown Gas Company, Vols Drumore Water & Power Company. 13 Dublin Boro-Bucks Electric Company. 13 East Caln Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Goshen Electric Light, Heat and Power Company. 13 East Caln Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - New Electric Light, Heat and Power Company Page 17 -

18 East Caln Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Pocopson Light, Heat and Power Company. 13 East Caln Electric Light, Heat and Power Company - Uwchlan Light, Heat and Power Company. 13 East Norriton Electric Company. 13 Lower Oxford Elecric Company - Upper Oxford Electric Company. 13 Lower Oxford Elecric Company - East Nottingham Electric Company. 13 Lower Oxford Elecric Company - West Nottingham Electric Company. 13 Lower Oxford Elecric Company - Wst Fallowfield Electric Company. 13 East Pennsylvania Gas & Electric Company. 14 EasttownTownship Light Company, Vols Edison Electric Illuminating Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Vols Page 18 -

19 Electric Realty Corporation, Vol. 1, Electric Realty Corporatioin, Vol. 2, Electric Trust (Philadelphia). 15 Elkton Electric Company, Incorporated. 15 Eureka Electric Light, Heat and Power Company, Vols. 1-2, Falls Light, Heat and Power Company, 1923 March Township of Falls Electric Light & Power Company, 1912 May July Faraday Heat, Power and Light Company. 15 Franconia Gas Light Company, 1913 January October Frederick Township Electric Light Company Page 19 -

20 E. K. Freed Electric Light Company, 1903 February October E. K. Freed Electric Light Company, 1903 February September Fulton Water & Power Company, 1902 May August Fulton Water & Power Company, 1902 April May Germantown Electric Light Company, Green Lane Light, Heat and Power Company. 16 Hamilton Electric Company. 16 Hatboro Electric Light Company, Hatboro Electric Light Company, Hatfield Borough Gas Company Page 20 -

21 Hatfield Gas Light Company. 16 Hatfield Township Electric Company. 16 Haverford Electric Light Company, Vol. 1, General note Vol. 2 filmed out of sequence on Reel 17 Haverford Township Electric Light Company, 1903 April May Havre de Grace Electric company of Harford County, Vols Home Manufacturing Light & Power Company, Vols Horsham Gas Company. 16 Horsham Township Electric Company. 16 Hulmeville Light, Heat and Power Company Page 21 -

22 Huntingdon Valley Light & Power Company, Vols Ivyland Electric Company. 17 Haverford Elecric Light Company, Vol Jenkintown & Cheltenham Gas Company, Vols Jenkintown Light Company. 17 Kennett Gas Company, Vols Kensington Electric Company, Vols General note Formerly Frankford Avenue Merchants Electric Light Company Keystone Light and Power Company Page 22 -

23 Langhorne Electric Light and Power Company, Vols. 1-2, 1914 June January General note Papers in Book No. 2 Langhorne Manor Light, Heat and Power Company. 18 Lansdale and North Wales Gas Company. 19 Lansdowne Electric Company. 19 General note Subsequently the Philadelphia Suburban Electric Company Line Lexington Heat & Fuel Company. 19 Line Lexington Gas Company. 19 Lower Chanceford Elecric Light, Heat and Power Company. 19 Lower Frederick Township Gas Company Page 23 -

24 Lower Gwynedd Electric Company. 19 Township of Lower Makefield Electric Light & Power Company. 19 Lower Merion Gas Company, Vols Lower Pottsgrove Gas Company. 19 Lower Pottstrove Heat and Fuel Company. 19 Lower Providence Electric Transmission Company. 19 Lower Providence Electric Company. 19 Lower Salford Township Electric Light Company. 19 The Manufacturers Electric Company. 19 Marple Light, Heat and Power Company Page 24 -

25 Media Electric Light, Heat & Power Company. 19 Media Gas Company, Merion & Radnor Gas & Electric Company, Vols. 1-2, General note Name changed July 23, 1912 to Counties Gas & Electric Company Merion & Radnor Gas & Electric Company - Minutes of Committees. 20 Middletown Light, Heat & Power Company. 20 Gas Company of Montgomery County, Vols. 2-3, Montgomery Heat and Fuel Company. 20 Montgomery Township Electric Company. 20 Fuel Gas Company of Moreland Page 25 -

26 Gas Companh of Moreland. 21 The Moreland Light Company. 21 Morrisville Electric Light & Power Company. 21 National Electric Company, Vols New Britain Electric Co. 21 New Hope Electric Company, Vols New London Electric Company. 21 Newtown Electric Light and Power Company, Vols Newtown Square Gas Company. 21 Newtown Square Heat and Fuel Company Page 26 -

27 Newtown Township Electric Light Company. 21 Norristown Electric Light and Power Company, Vols Norristown Gas Company, Vol Norristown Gas Company, Vol Norristown Power Company. 23 Norristown Steam Heat Company. 23 Northampton Electric Company. 23 Northampton Light, Heat and Power Company. 23 North Coventry Electric Company. 23 Northern Electric Light and Power Company, Vols Page 27 -

28 Northern Maryland Electric Company. 23 Northern Maryland Power Company. 23 Northern Montgomery Gas Company. 24 North Penn Gas Light Company. 24 The Overbrook Electric Company, Vols Oxford Electric Company, Vol. 3, General note Vol. 1 of Southern Pennsylvania Power Company Oxford Steam Heating Company. 24 Parkesburg Electric Light, Heat & Power Company. 24 Parkesburg Gas Company, Vols Page 28 -

29 Peach Bottom Water and Power Company, Vols Penn Electric Light Company, Vols. 1-4, Penn-Oxford Electric Co. 24 Pennsylvania Heat, Light & Power Company, Vols. 1-3, Pennsylvania Manufacturing Light & Power Company, Vols Pennsylvania-New Jersey Power & Light Company. 25 General note Formerly Bucks County Electric Company People's Gas Company of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Vols People's Gas Company of Pottstown and Pottstown Gas Company. 25 People's Gas Light & Fuel Company of Bucks County, Pennsylvania Page 29 -

30 Perkiomen Township Electric Light Company. 27 Perkiomen Townshp Gas Company. 27 Perkiomen Valley Gas Company - West Pottsgrove Gas Company. 27 Perkiomen Valley Gas Company - Coventry Gas Company. 27 Perkiomen Valley Gas Company - Peach Bottom Township Electric Company. 27 The Philadelphia Electric Company, Executive Committee, 1927 April March The Philadelphia Electric Company, Valuation Committee, 1926 September November Philadelphia Electric Lighting Co.,Minute Book No. 1, The Philadelphia Electric Lighting Co., 1916 February December Philadelphia Sectional Electric Underground Company Page 30 -

31 Philadelphia Steam Company, Vols Philadelphia Steam Heating and Power Company. 27 Philadelphia Suburban-Counties Gas and Electric Company, Vols Phoenix Gas, Light and Fuel Company. 28 Plumstead Township-Bucks Electric Company. 28 Plymouth District Power Company. 28 Plymouth Electric Company. 28 Plymouth Power Company. 28 Plymouth Township Electric Light Company. 28 Pocopson Townshp Electric Company Page 31 -

32 Pottstown Light, Heat & Power Company, Vols Powelton Electric Companh, Vols Radnor Township Electric Light Company. 29 Radnor Township Heat Company. 29 The Gas Company of Rockledge. 29 Royersford Electric Company. 29 Schuylkill Township Electric Company. 29 Schuylkill Valley Illuminating Company, Vols Schwenksville Electric Light Company. 29 Schwenksville Gas Company Page 32 -

33 Skippack Township Electric Light Company. 29 Southampton Light, Heat and Power Company. 29 Southampton Township Electric Company. 30 South Coventry Township Electric Company. 30 Southern Bucks County Gas & Fuel Company. 30 Southern Electric Light and Power Company, Vols Southern Pennsylvania Power Company, Vol. 2, Southern Pennsylvania Power Company, Vol. 1, General note See also Oxford Electric Company South Langhorne Light, Heat and Power Company Page 33 -

34 Sowego Water and Power Company. 30 Spring City Electric Company. 30 Springfield Electric Company. 30 Square Light Heat & Power Company. 30 Suburban Electric Company, Vols. 1-2, Suburban Electric Company of East Coventry. 31 Suburban Electric Company of East Pikeland. 31 Suburban Electric Company of East Vincent. 31 Suburban Electric Company of Limerick. 31 Suburban Electric Company of Lower Pottsgrove Page 34 -

35 Suburban Electric Company of Upper Pottsgrove. 31 Suburban Electric Company of Upper Providence. 32 Suburban Electric Company of West Pottsgrove. 32 Suburban Gas Company of Philadelphia, Vol. 1 (two). 32 Susquehanna Construction Company of Baltimore City. 32 Susquehanna Electric Power Company. 32 Susquehanna Power and Paper Company. 32 Susquehanna River Elecric Company of Baltimore City. 32 Susquehanna River Power Company. 32 General note Name changed to Sussex Power Company - Page 35 -

36 Susquehanna Utilities Company, Vol. 1, pp , Susquehanna Utilities Company, Vol. 1, pp. 295-end, Susquehanna Utilities Company, Vol Susquehanna Water Power and Paper Company of Harford County. 33 Thornbury Light Company. 33 Tidewater Canal Company, Directors, Tidewater Canal Company, Stockholders, Towamencin Light, Heat & Power Company. 33 Trappe Electric Company. 33 Tredyffrin Electric Company Page 36 -

37 Tredyffrin Township Elecric Light Company. 33 Trevose Light Company. 33 Tullytown Electric Company. 33 Tullytown Light & Power Company. 33 United States Electric Lighting Company of Pennsylvania. 33 Upper Darby Light, Heat & Power Company. 33 Upper Dublin Township Electric Company. 33 Upper Gwynedd Electric Company. 33 Upper Merion Electric Company. 33 Upper Merion Electric Light Company Page 37 -

38 Upper Merion Power Company. 34 Upper Pottsgrove Gas Company. 34 Upper Pottsgrove Heat & Fuel Company. 34 Upper Providence Electric Light Company. 34 Upper Salford Township Electric Light Company. 34 Valley Forge Electric Light Company. 34 Warminster Townshp Electric Company. 34 Warminster Township Gas Company. 34 Warminster Township Heat & Fuel Company. 34 Warrington Township Electric Company Page 38 -

39 Warwick Township Electric Company. 34 Wayne Electric Light Company, Wayne Electric Light Company, Wayne Electric Light Company, Works Committee, Wayne Electric Light & Steam Heat Company. 35 Wayne Steam Company. 35 Wayne Steam Heat Company. 35 West Bradford Townshp Electric Company. 35 West Chester Gas Company. 35 The Gas Company of West Chester Page 39 -

40 Borough of West Conshohocken Electric Light Company. 35 West Conshohocken Fuel Gas Company. 35 West Conshohocken Gas Light Company, Vol. 1 (two). 35 West End Electric Company of Philadelphia, Vols. 1-22, West Harriton Electric Company, West Pikeland Electric Company, West Telford Gas Company, West Telford Heat & Fuel Company. 35 Whitemarsh Gas Company, Whitemarsh Power Company, Page 40 -

41 Whitemarsh Township Electric Light Company, Whitemarsh Township Fuel Gas Company, Whitpain Electric Company, Whitpain Power Company, Whitpain Township Electric Company, Willistown Township Electric Light Company, Wissahickon Electric Company, Stockholders, Wissahickon Electric Company, Directors, Wissahickon Electric Company, Wissahickon Electric Light Company, 1895, Page 41 -

42 Worcester Electric Transmission Company, Worcester Power Company, Worcester Township Electric Light Company, Worcester Township Gas Light Company, Yardley Electric Light, Heat & Power Company, York Road Light Company, Page 42 -