subject: Gas Companies Massachusetts Wakefield
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Wakefield Municipal Light Plant, September 9, 1905 [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – Photo courtesy of the Wakefield Daily Item.
- – 1 picture :
- – "The citizens of the Town of Wakefield established the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department in 1894. In 1905, the Wakefield Municipal Light Plant had 206 electric consumers, an increase of 16 over the previous year, and 834 gas consumers, a gain of 116 consumers. According to the Annual Report for the year ending January 31, 1906 sales of gas and electricity increased more during the year than any other year, and because of the increased demand, a decision was made to provide electric current during the day. Since the department was unable to generate a constant supply of current, a contract was signed with Malden Electric Company to install lines to the plant on North Avenue. From there, the extra 'juice' was distributed over the regular lines to the consumer." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:35Z
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:35Z
- – 2007.
- – 2007.
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 2007 ; Back cover.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
Wakefield Municipal Light Department [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – Collins photo courtesy of the Wakefield Historical Society. Gas house photo courtesy of the Payro family and Louis Picardi.
- – 2 pictures :
- – "Before the Wakefield Municipal Light Department, the Citizens' Gas Light Company of Reading, Wakefield and Stoneham, a private company, supplied gas and eventually electricity to the residents from its generating station on North Avenue. Established in 1860, with a capital of $93,000, its gas house and works were located in Wakefield with pipes leading into Reading and Stoneham. In 1868 it was manufacturing 4,000,000 cubic feet of illuminating gas which sold for approximately $20,000. It was 1882 when Edison discovered electricity in his Pearl Street generating station in New York City and within a few years towns like Wakefield were illuminating their downtown areas with incandescent and arc lamps. The Citizens' Gas Light Company continued to provide services to the community until 1894. In 1891, the General Court made it possible for all towns to operate their own municipal light plants, a move many Wakefield residents approved. In 1893, the citizens voted to purchase the plant, land and manufacturing equipment with a bond of $180,000. On August 4, 1894, the town officially assumed operation of the plant with all customers owning a part of the department. To govern the newly formed municipal light plant, a Board of Commissioners was established to oversee the operation. Silas W. Flint, an active member of the community, was selected as one of the first three members of the Board, serving as Chairman during the first year. The first Manager of the MLD was Charles S. Spaulding who served as Manager from 1894 to 1899 and again from 1919 to 1921. He was followed by Charles E. White (1899-1907), Albert B. Morton (1907-1912), Sidney L. Cole (1912-1918), C.W. Whiting (1921-1922), Samuel H. Brooks (1922-1942), James M. Whitehead (1942-1951), Michael Collins (1951-1976), and William Wallace (1976-present). Michael Collins served as Manager of the MLD from 1951-1976, the longest period of time of any MLD Manager. Active in the Department only after his appointment as Manager, he nonetheless served the town well for 25 years. During his tenure, he was the first president of the Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA), Secretary and Treasurer of the Municipal Electric Association of Massachusetts (MEAM), and Director, Vice President and President of the American Public Power Association (APPA). He was an Honorary Member of the American Public Power Association and was included in the Congressional Record as Manager of 'one of the outstanding examples of a successful municipal public utility.' Mr. Collins' record of community service is itself impressive, having been chosen by the School Committee and Selectmen to fill a vacant seat on the School Committee in 1949 and was subsequently elected for two terms. He served as Secretary to the Committee, was a member of the High School Planning Committee, and was a member of several community groups. Shortly after retiring to Kennebunk, Maine, Mr. Collins continued his involvement with the electric industry, running for and winning election to the position of Trustee of the Kennebunk Light and Power Company. He passed away in 1980 at the age of 66." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
- – Captions: 1. Wakefield Municipal Light Department Manager Michael Collins served the MLD from 1951 to 1976. -- 2. The MLD Gas House on North Avenue in 1909.
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:38Z
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:38Z
- – 1989.
- – 1989.
- – 2004
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)
- – Citizens' Gas Light Company (Wakefield, Mass.)
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 1989 ; July.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
Wakefield Municipal Light Plant, 1919 [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – Photo courtesy of the Wakefield Daily Item.
- – 1 picture :
- – "The Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department sold gas and electrical appliances for many years. In 1918, there were 2538 gas customers and 1,235 electric customers. The following year, there were 100 additional gas customers (2638) and 159 additional electric customers (1394). By 1919, the WMGLD had an office at the Town Hall in addition to its North Avenue plant." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
- – 2008-06-24T18:19:34Z
- – 2008-06-24T18:19:34Z
- – 2007.
- – 2007.
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 2007 ; Inside back cover.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department building [picture]
description- – Photo shows a view of the building housing the offices of the Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department, located at 9 Albion Street on the north side of the street. The brick building was built for the Wakefield Post Office in 1924 and used by them until 1937. The WMGLD purchased it in 1947. Photo taken at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 29, 2007.
- – 1 photograph :
- – 2007-12-21T21:21:28Z
- – 2007-12-21T21:21:28Z
- – 2007.
- – 2007.
- – Wakefield, Mass. Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – multiple URL identifiers
Municipal Light Department [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – 2 pictures :
- – "The Wakefield Municipal Light Department, as it is known today, was formed as a result of a vote of Wakefield citizens at the Annual Town Meeting on August 1, 1894. Because of their dissatisfaction with the Citizens' Gas&Light Company of Reading, South Reading and Stoneham, the citizens voted to purchase the plant, land and all the manufacturing equipment of the firm at a cost of $180,000. At the time of its founding, 18 people were employed by the MLD and the three member Board required to oversee the operation was established. The MLD's progress continued throughout the next three decades and in 1923, an influx of 446 customers brought the total number of electric meters in town to 2,800, compared to the 10,000 meters in use today. Prior to the 1950s, electric current was only generated during the evening hours and the only appliances used in homes throughout the town were irons and fans. Streetlights were extinguished each night at 1 a.m. due primarily to the cost of generating electricity. The MLD, at the time, paid 1.9 cents per kilowatt hour, it was delivered at a cost of 5.6 cents and sold to the customer at 12 cents. But progress soon came to town and Wakefield became the first suburban community in New England to leave its lights on throughout the night. In the mid-1960s there were 8,533 electric meters in use. The cost of generating the electricity was considerably lower than the pre-1950 prices: the electricity cost the MLD 1.23 cents, it was delivered at a cost of 2.1 cents, and sold to the customer at 2.3 cents with a low step residential rate of 1.4 cents (net). Today, 54 men and women are employed by the MLD." -- Text from calendar.
- – Captions: 1. Christmas lights adorn downtown Wakefield in 1940. -- 2. The Wakefield MLD crew, 1920.
- – 2007-12-20T21:41:50Z
- – 2007-12-20T21:41:50Z
- – 1987.
- – 1987.
- – 2004
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 1987 ; December.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – multiple URL identifiers
Gas division [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – 1 picture :
- – "The Wakefield Municipal Light Department not only provides electricity to its customers, but also supplies natural gas to the community. The town of Wakefield purchased the community's electric and gas systems from the Citizens' Gas&Light Company of Reading, South Reading and Stoneham by a vote of its citizens in 1894. After supplying the gas until the mid-1920s, the Wakefield Municipal Light Department began buying its gas from the Malden Gas Copmany in 1924 and later continued purchasing its gas from the company's successor, the Mystic Valley Gas Company. In 1969, gas service to the Montrose section of the town was supplied by a connection obtained from the Lynn Gas Company. Shortly after obtaining this connection, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ordered the New England Electric System to sell its gas systems, two of which were the Lynn Gas Company and Mystic Valley Gas Company. The companies were purchased by Boston Gas Company, the present supplier to the Wakefield MLD. Today the MLD provides gas service to 5000 homes in Wakefield." -- Text from calendar.
- – Caption: The old Municipal Light Barn, on North Avenue, in 1893, just prior to the town's purchase of the Citizens' Gas&Light Company. Standing in front of the building is Superintendent Wallace.
- – 2007-12-20T21:41:50Z
- – 2007-12-20T21:41:50Z
- – 1987.
- – 1987.
- – 2004
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 1987 ; August.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield.
- – multiple URL identifiers
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