Eastern Oregon Light and Power Company
By Phyllis Badgley
| Directly across from Baker
Garage in the 1700 block of Washington Street, al alley
extends about 200 feet south. In former years, a brick
building and a huge round metal tank (above ground) were
located there. Longtime Baker City resident Virgil Wunder recalled the red brick building being part of a coal-gas operation with the huge cistern storage tank nearby at ground level. Roland Campbell, retired city recorder, concurred with that theory. He at one time lived near the facility. Campbell stated that the Eastern Oregon Light and Power Co. used the facility to generate gas for heat and power. Coal with gas removed produced a by product "coke" which was used as fuel in some homes. |
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Shown is Ray Comstock, employee of Eastern Oregon Light and Power Co. As mechanic of the 1030's era, he serviced the fleet of cars for the power company. Note the auto's hard rubber tires, spot lights and radiator cap that contained the heat thermometer. This building was located west of the alley in the 1700 block of Washington Street. later Comstock was the foreman for 20 years at the power company's auxiliary steam plant in South Baker, located of Highway 7 near Powder River |
| The gas
storage tank was in close proximity to the brick
building that housed control gauges. An operator kept
watch on gas pressure output from the above ground steel
tank. The mechanically designed tank had steel balls on
a track that allowed the structure to gain or decrease
height. Manufactured gas from the facility served some of the Main Street businesses, lines also extended north on First and Second Streets and a short way south on Dewey Street. Campbell stated that City Hall had early day gas light fixtures before converting to electricity. The manufactured gas cistern was dismantled in the mid-30s by McKim Foundry and Machine Shop. Glen Bates, board director for Oregon Trail Electric Co., told me of discussions he had with former Eastern Oregon Light and Power Co. officials Leon Gray and Bill Riordan. In the late 1920s and early 30s the coal-gas operation was not showing large financial returns for the company. Consequently, these two men were given the task of convincing Main Street merchants to convert to electricity. Touting that electricity was definitely the key to the future, Gray and Riordan successfully pushed sales of electric stoves and water heaters. Longtime Baker City residents will recall, as I do, officers and department heads of E.O.L. & P. during the 30s and 40s. In addition to those mentioned, familiar names were Lottridge, King, Wiggins, Lyman, Lanning, Enright, Reider and Comstock. |
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Bates explained to me that
power sources were originally designed to aid the mining
industry. When excess occurred, lines were built to
carry electricity to additional customers. Water-powered
electric plants were established by E.O.L. & P. Co. as a
network between Rock Creek, Bourne, and Fremont. One
former power plant operator, Henry "Hank" Potts, still
lives in La Grande.
With unlimited electric power available, homes of the 1930s began to accumulate numerous appliances. Heating pads gained popularity, electric curling iron enabled made-moiselle to obtain a "marcell" at home. Electric mixers provided ease in preparing cakes, mashed potatoes and juices. Farmers utilized electricity for pumps and |
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milking
machines.
My aunt in that era had a modern appliance
that fascinated me. It was an ironing mangle. This
device allowed the operator to iron while seated.
Clothing was fed through a heated roller to diffuse
wrinkles. Definitely a step ahead of commonplace
hand-held irons. |
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Printed here with the permission of Baker City Herald
