FotoLense
Greenville Falls
In 1872 R. M. Albery purchased a run down saw and feed mill just south of Covington, OH on the east bank of the Stillwater River.4 R.M. updated and upgraded the mill and it became a showplace in the area.
R.M. had three sons, Martin, Morris, and Richard Jr. They became interested in a newfangled thing called electricity and coaxed R.M. into buying the “Falls Electric Company” at Greenville Falls in 1897.
A new and larger water wheel, alternator, switchboard equipment, raceway and dam were installed. It was also found necessary to install auxiliary steam plant to provide electricity in the summer months when the water level was low in Greenville Creek.
They took turns operating the plant which was a twenty-four hour, seven days a week job. They improved the power lines into Covington which had arc burning type street lights at that time.
Falls Electric Company and dam
With the improved service, the use of electricity grew by leaps and bounds. Electric light lines were extended to farmers at the edge of town so soon they were pumping their water and grinding their feed by motors instead of by hand. Farmers further away learned of this and were anxious for a line to them also.
To build miles of rural electric line was something new and a hazardous undertaking for such a small concern. R.M. and his boys felt that such a investment required too much for their pocketbooks, not withstanding the merits of such a program. In 1912, an eastern public utilities concern headed by a Mr. Robinson became interested and purchased the entire property. The new owners had considerably more financial backing and they re-named the concern “The Buckeye Light & Power Co”. R.F. continued on as general superintendent.
The following years of expansion were hectic and replete with trials and some disappointment. Starting with the 1913 flood, R.F. was the last man to cross the covered bridge before it was washed away by the floodwaters of the Stillwater River. Upon arriving at the power plant at Greenville Falls he was greeted by water in the raceway spilling over into the boiler room. He ran down the inside stairway and slammed the door behind him. Already the water gushing could be heard against the door but fortunately it held and the alternators and equipment were saved from flood damage. After the high waters receded the stairway was found full of coal which had washed down from the boiler room.
After a menial, hasty cleanup job was completed an auxiliary power line was installed across the Stillwater River due to the original line going down with the covered bridge. In spite of all this, electric service was interrupted only a few days.
Several months later the large driving belt broke in two between the eight foot in diameter pulley on the water wheel and the electric alternator. With no load to pull, the water wheel revolved like mad and the large steel pulley on its shaft flew apart. The impact tore the front end of the powerhouse away with a deafening roar. The night attendant on duty, Wilbur Harry, thought the world had come to a end. Fortunately he was not injured. A neighboring farmer jokingly claimed his chickens laid nothing but cracked eggs for the next two weeks.
With the addition of many large electric motors replacing the steam or gas driven engines at the creamery, sawmill, and other shops in Covington a new problem posed. This additional electric load was too heavy for the power plant to carry satisfactorily. In fact, the large electric motor at the sawmill would cause the lights all over town to flicker as the power saw started through the log. R.F. had to ask Bill Drees, the sawmill operator if he couldn’t nurse the saw along when starting the cut through the log. With Bill’s permission, he took the sawmill controls over briefly and from his own sawmill experience showed Bill what he wanted.
It was quite evident that a larger power supply must be provided. A larger hydro-electric plant was immediately built along side the old one. This was of modern type with the electric alternator directly connected to the water wheel shaft. No belts to break this time!
Some interesting sidelights to this new plant construction are recalled. Will Furnas, the carpenter foreman, lost his footing on the scaffold and fell thirty feet into the icy water below. Although sustaining a broken leg, he swam unaided to shore still clinching a stogie cigar in his mouth. Bill lived in Covington after his retirement.
A stump was dynamited from the raceway to provide a wider channel. Old “Cheese” Swartz miscalculated the dynamite charge and the big stump sailed about a hundred feet into the air and descended through the ice house roof. The air was also filled with “Cheese’s” violent invictives.
With this additional electric power the demand was met and more expansion was planned. Farmers were still clamoring for electric lights and power. R.F. approached his boss, Mr. Robinson, with the proposition of building rural electric lines. “It isn’t a paying proposition for the investment R.F.” was his answer. However R.F. got permission to talk the proposition over with farmers. After several meetings, a plan was agreeable to both parties whereby the farmers would assume a portion of the rural line investment to offset the lack of revenue from country lines to that received in town. The company attorney, J.H. Marlin, now deceased, and R.F. Albery established the first contract, to my knowledge, for rural electrification in Ohio. This took place in 1921.
Hundreds of farmers in the Stillwater valley enjoyed the service and satisfaction from this public utility long before others throughout the state and nation. Of course there were larger electric power companies in Ohio but they were reluctant to venture any capital in this field due to the smaller revenue in return for their investment. After the Buckeye Power and Light Company made a financial success of it’s rural electrification, other companies soon followed suit.
The water dam at Greenville Falls was raised several feet and a surplus power was gained during the rainy seasons. This surplus power was sold to Dayton, Covington, and Piqua traction lines which operated its own power plant at West Milton by steam power.
A high voltage line power line was built from West Milton to Dayton to secure the resources of the Dayton Power and Light Company. When a surplus at Covington was available it was metered and sold to the Dayton Power and Light Co. and when needed at Covington and West Milton it was likewise received through the same power line. This provided a very stable system and eliminated the need of a steam power at the Covington plant during the low water stages.
In spite of all the pioneering, trials, and errors, the Buckeye Light and Power Company was prosperous and continually paid an 8% dividend to its stockholders. Such earnings did not go unnoticed. In 1927 a Chicago concern became interested enough to make an offer of purchase that could not be turned down. The stockholders of Buckeye Light and Power Co. were quite pleased to learn that their $100 per share par value of stock were purchased at $285 each.
The new owners headed by the Insull interest of Chicago further expanded the properties. Power lines were built to the Greenville electric power plant which also supplemented the services. R.F. continued with this new company, supervising all power line construction.
After several years the Insull financial bubble burst and the company was reorganized and changed hands again. On February 4, 1948 it was purchased by the Dayton Power and Light Company, who was already interested in its services and has maintained ownership to the present time.
The old sawmill and plants water wheels no longer turn. Their years of service have been retired and supplanted by the power lines from the giant modern steam turbines of the Dayton Power and Light Company.
In silence these properties proudly stand today as monuments to men of strong hearts and courage. Their mute evidence marking another milestone of yesteryear’s service in Ohio’s constant march of progress.
In April of 1967, The Dayton Power and Light Company announced plans to donate 126 acres of land to the village of Covington, OH, including the Greenville Falls area.
After several years of holding the land, The village donated the land to the State of Ohio, Department of Natural Resources in the late 1980s.
Greenville Falls
In 1872 R. M. Albery purchased a run down saw and feed mill just south of Covington, OH on the east bank of the Stillwater River.4 R.M. updated and upgraded the mill and it became a showplace in the area.
R.M. had three sons, Martin, Morris, and Richard Jr. They became interested in a newfangled thing called electricity and coaxed R.M. into buying the “Falls Electric Company” at Greenville Falls in 1897.
A new and larger water wheel, alternator, switchboard equipment, raceway and dam were installed. It was also found necessary to install auxiliary steam plant to provide electricity in the summer months when the water level was low in Greenville Creek.
They took turns operating the plant which was a twenty-four hour, seven days a week job. They improved the power lines into Covington which had arc burning type street lights at that time.
Falls Electric Company and dam
With the improved service, the use of electricity grew by leaps and bounds. Electric light lines were extended to farmers at the edge of town so soon they were pumping their water and grinding their feed by motors instead of by hand. Farmers further away learned of this and were anxious for a line to them also.
To build miles of rural electric line was something new and a hazardous undertaking for such a small concern. R.M. and his boys felt that such a investment required too much for their pocketbooks, not withstanding the merits of such a program. In 1912, an eastern public utilities concern headed by a Mr. Robinson became interested and purchased the entire property. The new owners had considerably more financial backing and they re-named the concern “The Buckeye Light & Power Co”. R.F. continued on as general superintendent.
The following years of expansion were hectic and replete with trials and some disappointment. Starting with the 1913 flood, R.F. was the last man to cross the covered bridge before it was washed away by the floodwaters of the Stillwater River. Upon arriving at the power plant at Greenville Falls he was greeted by water in the raceway spilling over into the boiler room. He ran down the inside stairway and slammed the door behind him. Already the water gushing could be heard against the door but fortunately it held and the alternators and equipment were saved from flood damage. After the high waters receded the stairway was found full of coal which had washed down from the boiler room.
After a menial, hasty cleanup job was completed an auxiliary power line was installed across the Stillwater River due to the original line going down with the covered bridge. In spite of all this, electric service was interrupted only a few days.
Several months later the large driving belt broke in two between the eight foot in diameter pulley on the water wheel and the electric alternator. With no load to pull, the water wheel revolved like mad and the large steel pulley on its shaft flew apart. The impact tore the front end of the powerhouse away with a deafening roar. The night attendant on duty, Wilbur Harry, thought the world had come to a end. Fortunately he was not injured. A neighboring farmer jokingly claimed his chickens laid nothing but cracked eggs for the next two weeks.
With the addition of many large electric motors replacing the steam or gas driven engines at the creamery, sawmill, and other shops in Covington a new problem posed. This additional electric load was too heavy for the power plant to carry satisfactorily. In fact, the large electric motor at the sawmill would cause the lights all over town to flicker as the power saw started through the log. R.F. had to ask Bill Drees, the sawmill operator if he couldn’t nurse the saw along when starting the cut through the log. With Bill’s permission, he took the sawmill controls over briefly and from his own sawmill experience showed Bill what he wanted.
It was quite evident that a larger power supply must be provided. A larger hydro-electric plant was immediately built along side the old one. This was of modern type with the electric alternator directly connected to the water wheel shaft. No belts to break this time!
Some interesting sidelights to this new plant construction are recalled. Will Furnas, the carpenter foreman, lost his footing on the scaffold and fell thirty feet into the icy water below. Although sustaining a broken leg, he swam unaided to shore still clinching a stogie cigar in his mouth. Bill lived in Covington after his retirement.
A stump was dynamited from the raceway to provide a wider channel. Old “Cheese” Swartz miscalculated the dynamite charge and the big stump sailed about a hundred feet into the air and descended through the ice house roof. The air was also filled with “Cheese’s” violent invictives.
With this additional electric power the demand was met and more expansion was planned. Farmers were still clamoring for electric lights and power. R.F. approached his boss, Mr. Robinson, with the proposition of building rural electric lines. “It isn’t a paying proposition for the investment R.F.” was his answer. However R.F. got permission to talk the proposition over with farmers. After several meetings, a plan was agreeable to both parties whereby the farmers would assume a portion of the rural line investment to offset the lack of revenue from country lines to that received in town. The company attorney, J.H. Marlin, now deceased, and R.F. Albery established the first contract, to my knowledge, for rural electrification in Ohio. This took place in 1921.
Hundreds of farmers in the Stillwater valley enjoyed the service and satisfaction from this public utility long before others throughout the state and nation. Of course there were larger electric power companies in Ohio but they were reluctant to venture any capital in this field due to the smaller revenue in return for their investment. After the Buckeye Power and Light Company made a financial success of it’s rural electrification, other companies soon followed suit.
The water dam at Greenville Falls was raised several feet and a surplus power was gained during the rainy seasons. This surplus power was sold to Dayton, Covington, and Piqua traction lines which operated its own power plant at West Milton by steam power.
A high voltage line power line was built from West Milton to Dayton to secure the resources of the Dayton Power and Light Company. When a surplus at Covington was available it was metered and sold to the Dayton Power and Light Co. and when needed at Covington and West Milton it was likewise received through the same power line. This provided a very stable system and eliminated the need of a steam power at the Covington plant during the low water stages.
In spite of all the pioneering, trials, and errors, the Buckeye Light and Power Company was prosperous and continually paid an 8% dividend to its stockholders. Such earnings did not go unnoticed. In 1927 a Chicago concern became interested enough to make an offer of purchase that could not be turned down. The stockholders of Buckeye Light and Power Co. were quite pleased to learn that their $100 per share par value of stock were purchased at $285 each.
The new owners headed by the Insull interest of Chicago further expanded the properties. Power lines were built to the Greenville electric power plant which also supplemented the services. R.F. continued with this new company, supervising all power line construction.
After several years the Insull financial bubble burst and the company was reorganized and changed hands again. On February 4, 1948 it was purchased by the Dayton Power and Light Company, who was already interested in its services and has maintained ownership to the present time.
The old sawmill and plants water wheels no longer turn. Their years of service have been retired and supplanted by the power lines from the giant modern steam turbines of the Dayton Power and Light Company.
In silence these properties proudly stand today as monuments to men of strong hearts and courage. Their mute evidence marking another milestone of yesteryear’s service in Ohio’s constant march of progress.
In April of 1967, The Dayton Power and Light Company announced plans to donate 126 acres of land to the village of Covington, OH, including the Greenville Falls area.
After several years of holding the land, The village donated the land to the State of Ohio, Department of Natural Resources in the late 1980s.