The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 216
by rosin, which produced a heavy gas of reat illuminating power. The new light became atonce popular and its use so rapidly extended as to put the company to heavy expense for enlarged and new mains. In 1861 the use of rosin was discontinued, in response to the general demand for cheaper gas, and new works were erected for the manufacture of coal gas. The change, though made at a most opportune time, wasnot made in view of the probable effect of the impending war, which son after cut off the supply of rosin; the cost of the little which could be obtained was increased more than ten fold.
The success of the company from that time forward has been uninterrupted. Gas is now supplied to over fifty streets, and there are about ninteen miles of mains in use. Gas is furnished to five hundred and eighty-nine street lamps and the nmber of consumers is over seven hundred. The original capital has been increased with the growth of the business, and now amounts to $150,000, $50,000of which is in the form of scrip. Dividends have been and are regularly paid, and the economy and uniform success of the enterprise, speaks well as to the fidelity and intelligence of the management.
During the last ten years it has been managed by I. F. Terrill and Edward H. Avery, as Presidents, and for that period David S. Dunning has been the Superintendent and Treasurer, on whom the details of business management have chiefly rested. Within that time the mains have increased from nine to nineteen miles, and nearly all the old mains have been replaced by those of larger caliber; new gas holders; purifiers, &c., have been built, and the facilities for the production of gas doubled. Within the past year the comsumption of gas has increased nearly twenty-five per cent, and there has been a diminution of price corresponding to the diminished cost of production.
The following have been the officers of the company at different periods since the organization to the present time: From the first organization of the company until January 1,1877, Michael Kaenagh acted as foreman of the company, a period of twenty-six years, without being charged with one hour of lost time, a length and continuity of service, it is believed, with few parallels in the records of industrial service; he is very properly a pensioner of the company, now that he is diequalified by age from further service.
Presidents--Geroge B. Chase, 1850-53; Adam Miller, 1853-54; Benjamin F. Hall, 1854-57; Albert H. Goss, 1857-58; Z. M. Mason, 1858-59; Paul D. Cornell, 1859-60; Israel F. Terrill, 1860-61; George H. Harbottle, 1861-62; Richard Steel, 1862-63; Edward Avery, 1863-67; Israel F. Terrill, 1867-69; and Edward H. Avery, 1869 to the present time.
Superintendents---Thomas Hoadly, 1850-56; George B. Chase, 1856-60; Paul B. Cornell, 1860-62; Albert H. Goss, 1862-65; Henry S. Dunning, 1865-71; David M. Dunning, 1871 to the present time.
Secretaries and Treasurers--Benjamin F. Hall, 1850-54; Sullivan N. Smith, 1854-55; Philip R. Freeoff, Treasurer, 1854-56; Geo. R. Chase, Secretary and Treasurer, 1856-60; A. H. Goss, 1860-65; Henry S. Dunning, 1865-69; David M. Dunning, 1869 to the present time.
THE AUBURN STEAM HEATING CO., LIMITED, was incorporated June 6, 1878, and completed their organization June 26, 1878, by the election of the following named Directors: M. L. Walley, President; Chas. A. Smith, Secretary and Treasurer; Calvin Young, J. H. Osborne, C. M. Howlet, H. J. Sartwell and J. A. Cook. Calvin Young, J. A. Cook and M. L. Walley were constituted an executive committee. The object os the company is to introduce the Holly system of steam heating into public and private buildings. A one story brick building, 50 by 32 feet, is being erected on the Outlet, in rear of the Cayuga Co. National Bank, into which the company purpose putting six fifteen feet boilers. The laying of 4,500 feet of mains, all that it is designed to put down immediately, is in progress, and it is expected they will be brought into use by the middle of October, 1878.
AUBURN FIRE DEPARTMENT-- The first fire department was instituted in 1815, the year in which the village was incorporated. The president was authorized to procure " a good sized fire engine" and one hundred fire-buckets for the use of the village. November 20th, 1815, Anselm S. Howland, Abijah Keeler, Abel Terry and Ezekiel Williams, Jr., were appointed fire-wardens; and John Patty, Henry Porter, Francis M. DeKlyne, Samuel Compston, Richard Skinner, Conrad TenEyck, Helim Bennett, Samuel D. Lockwood, Abraham Gridley, Philip Grandin, Wm. R. Gregory, Jno. W. Hunter, Abraham
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1789-1879 by Elliott Storke
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