{"id":170,"date":"2016-07-22T16:50:48","date_gmt":"2016-07-22T16:50:48","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2019-02-08T13:47:09","modified_gmt":"2019-02-08T20:47:09","slug":"community-development-to-1900","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brighamcityhistory.org\/1850-1900\/community-development-to-1900\/","title":{"rendered":"Community Development to 1900"},"content":{"rendered":"
Spurred by private business and a more stable tax base, Brigham City entered a relatively prosperous period in the 1880s and 1890s, evidenced by a growth in both housing and public improvements. Some of those improvements were based on technology like telephones, electricity, and indoor plumbing became available; others simply on access to cash sources and products not readily available during the Co-op period<\/a>.<\/p>\n Although Brigham City was founded in 1867<\/a>, no written records of City Council business prior to 1875 have been located. At first, the Council met on a quarterly basis or when needed, then monthly, and were meeting bi-monthly by 1894. The first recorder included the Courthouse as the venue, but later recorders do not list a meeting place. Early council meetings began at 10 a.m., adjourned for lunch, then met again at 2 p.m. In the late 1880s, evening sessions replaced those previously held in the afternoon.<\/p>\n When Brigham City was platted<\/a> in the mid-1850s, the streets were given names, not the traditional numbered system of most Mormon towns. As additional surveys extended the city\u2019s boundaries far beyond Plat A<\/a>, this practice was continued up until 1900.<\/p>\n On a survey by Jesse W. Fox in 1868, streets centered at Main & Forest (East Forest was Locust) streets to the north were North Street, North Wall, Columbia (probably the reason the Fourth Ward school was named Columbia), Cambridge, Chestnut, Vine and Pine (700 North). South of the courthouse, the streets were South, South Wall, Tabernacle<\/a>, James, Washington, Jefferson, and Liberty (700 South). West of Main was Young, Farming, West, West Wall, Locust, and Cherry (600 West). East of Main was Pleasant, Box Elder, High, East Wall, and Walnut (500 East).1<\/a><\/sup>Map of Brigham City, compiled from original surveys of Brigham City and research from LDS Church historical data by Veara S. Fife and Chloe N. Peterson, 1976, on survey by Jess W. Fox and certified by him on 12 Feb. 1868.<\/span>\n The intersection of Main and Forest, where the Courthouse<\/a> is located, was always the center of the city, with Forest Street jogging north to accommodate the Public Square. Although its eastern portion was originally called Locust Street, the Bird\u2019s-Eye View of Brigham City<\/em><\/a> by E. S. Glover in 1875 shows its name as Forest Street.2<\/a><\/sup>E. S. Glover, Bird’s-eye view of Brigham City and Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory, 1875<\/em>,<\/a> (Cincinnati: Strobridge Co. Lith., 1875).<\/span> Perhaps this was to avoid confusion with the other Locust Street.<\/p>\n Streets were often the topic of discussion in City Council meetings, with bills submitted by various residents for road and bridge work. Most streets were dirt, although some were graveled in later years. Horse-drawn water trucks were employed to sprinkle streets to keep dust down. In 1884, a rock bridge replaced the wooden bridge crossing Box Elder Creek between 400 and 500 North on Main Street. Wagon bridges and footbridges crossed the creek and irrigation ditches in other locations. Street work often occurred in conjunction with work on watercourses, which generally were located beside roadways.<\/p>\n Main and Forest streets were the most important, especially after the arrival of the railroad. Most important visitors, including Brigham Young, used the railroad as their primary form of intercity travel, so West Forest became the showcase entry into town. In 1878, City Council purchased shade trees to be planted on the \u201cwide street or road leading from the courthouse to the UNRR station\u201d and petitioned the county court for an appropriation to help defray costs of these improvements.3<\/a><\/sup>Brigham City Council minutes, (Brigham City: 1878).<\/span>\n Controlling water resources began early in Brigham City, with surveys of the city including not only streets, but also ditches to distribute water to the platted areas. Box Elder Creek water was used to power sawmills at the mouth of the canyon, and was channeled into millraces for the grist mill, as well as the Co-op<\/a> woolen mill<\/a> and planing mill<\/a>.<\/p>\n Open wells, some of them fitted with hand pumps and others with the familiar \u201cbucket-and-rope system,\u201d were located in various areas of town. One of the oldest is still visible (2013) on former Reeder Family property at the corner of 700 West and 200 North. Those not fortunate enough to have a well depended on the open ditches as their water source.<\/p>\n Some of the first City Council minutes in 1875 record action to raise a water tax to increase the supply of water for irrigation on city lands, one of the first mentions of taxes. Watermaster Jeppa Jeppsen was allotted funds to repair and improve ditches, with $1,000 set aside to defray expenses incurred by construction of a canal along the creek to increase the supply of water for the city.4<\/a><\/sup>Brigham City Council minutes, (Brigham City: Sept. 18, 1875).<\/span>\n In 1879, the council authorized the Watermaster \u201cto cause some work to be done in the \u2018little valley\u2019 near Mantua to increase the water supply of the city.\u201d In 1881, council minutes show a new \u201cwatercourse\u201d to the southeast part of the city. That same year, it was decided that certain lots without access to water were of no use, and could be exchanged for another lot within the city or the sale price returned. The problem with open ditches was that they had many uses, not just culinary and irrigation. The Brigham Bugler<\/em> often editorialized about their unsanitary conditions. Refuse was tossed into them, domestic animals were common on city streets, and many a family outhouse was located beside the flowing canals.<\/p>\n The topic of discussion at the City Council meeting on September 6, 1881, was dominantly about water: \u201cthe question of having waterworks in the city, which of late agitated among the citizenry, was informally discussed.\u201d5<\/a><\/sup> Minutes, Sept. 6, 1881.<\/span>\n One idea brought to City Council on July 15, 1891, by Mr. P. F. Madison was that the city obtain water for culinary purposes \u201cthrough the medium of wells sank (sic) at a depth suitable to obtain flow enough to place a 3 or 4 inch pipe\u201d and suggested that the city experiment with this, using Box Elder Creek to power pumps. A committee was appointed to look into the idea.6<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, July 25, 1891.<\/span>\n The committee reported back on August 29, that the wells would have insufficient flow, and it would be cheaper and more profitable to obtain water from the main creek somewhere near the mouth of the canyon \u201cto be conducted to the city through a 3-6 or 8 inch pipe at a cost of about $15,000 . . .\u201d7<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, August 29, 1891.<\/span>\n It was not until the term of Mayor<\/a> Joseph M. Jenson<\/a>, 1891-1893, that Brigham City developed a city water system. He saw the need to clean up waste from city streets and to install a sanitary water and sewage system. The City Council passed a resolution favoring a water system and providing for a bond to finance it. Although most citizens approved, some did not:<\/p>\n A few citizens, who when organized called themselves the Safety Society, were bitterly opposed to the movement. They brought injunction proceedings in the First District Court of Ogden to enjoin the council from bonding the city. They, however, lost their case.8<\/a><\/sup>Lydia Walker Forsgren, ed., “History of Box Elder County”, (Brigham City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1937), 264-265.<\/span><\/blockquote>\n A bond was issued for $24,000 to cover the project, which included a reservoir with a 160,000-gallon capacity located on Northeast Hill, which was later named Reservoir Hill, east of the Brigham City Cemetery. Water was supplied to the city through a network of eight-inch water mains. The project was completed and water turned into the pipes on July 9, 1892. The new system was well-received by the public, with more than 120 signed up as users within two months. At the end of six months, the water system was a paying concern.<\/p>\n The Jenson home was one of the first to have plumbing. Water was piped from the cellar to the second-floor bathroom. According to family tradition, some members of the household were reluctant to have an inside toilet because of the potential odor permeating the home. As a compromise, Jenson installed a flush toilet on the second floor away from the living areas on the main floor.\u201d9<\/a><\/sup>Kathleen Bradford, Mayors of Brigham City 1867 to 2000<\/em>, (Brigham City: Brigham City Corporation, 2000), 21.<\/span><\/blockquote>\n A water system required employees. Minutes during the term of Mayor<\/a> John D. Peters<\/a>, 1893-1895, note salaries of $25 per month for Lorenzo Pett, City Watermaster, and $200 per year for J. P. Olsen, Superintendent of Waterworks. Peters also arranged for irrigation water and a sprinkling wagon for watering lawns during the summer months and hired Andrew Jensen to maintain the city waste-water ditch for $10 for the summer season.10<\/a><\/sup>Bradford, 25.<\/span> Additional water sources were brought into the system during the term of Mayor<\/a> John F. Erdmann<\/a>, 1893-1900, with the approval of a canal to lead water from West Devil\u2019s Gate and Bird Springs to the city\u2019s water system.11<\/a><\/sup>Bradford, 37.<\/span>\n As the twentieth century began, a majority of Brigham City households had running water piped into their kitchens, although outhouses were still common in the community. Demand for water, due both to greater usage and a growing population, would call for higher capacity systems in the twentieth century.<\/p>\n Local government and the LDS Church were one and the same in Brigham City\u2019s earliest pioneer days. The first record of official law enforcement came with the creation of Box Elder County in January 1856. Among those appointed as county government officials were Joseph Grover, Sheriff, and Eli H. Peirce, Justice of the Peace.<\/p>\n Law enforcement remained within county jurisdiction until Brigham City was incorporated in 1867, at which time John D. Burt was elected as Marshal. He was reelected in March 1875, and continued in office until Chester C. Loveland was elected and\/or appointed in March 1877.12<\/a><\/sup>Dane Johnson, History of the Brigham City Police Department<\/em>, unpublished manuscript, circa 1990, 2. (Johnson lists Loveland as being elected on March 5 but City Council minutes of March 24, 1875, refer to it as an appointment, perhaps an affirmation of election. Two-year terms would indicate an election process. Brigham City Council adopted an ordinance entitled \u201cCrimes and Punishments\u201d on December 18, 1875, but no copy of that document is on file.<\/span> In 1876, a committee was appointed to draw up a report on police regulations, and discussion was held on \u201crunning about of dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n On March 24, 1877, former Mayor Chester C. Loveland<\/a> was appointed to serve as Marshal and Jailer, Ephraim Wight as Captain of Police, and Alex Baird as Sexton.13<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, March 24, 1877.<\/span> Loveland had already been serving in law enforcement since at this same meeting he submitted bills for boarding two local prisoners. These individuals were both pardoned and released in April, with minutes concerning one prisoner stating he was \u201ca young boy somewhat deficient in mental facilities and now feels penitent.\u201d14<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, April 13, 1877.<\/span>\n A significant change took place in the City Council meeting of November 1, 1877. Wight was evidently a longtime police officer, as well, since when he tendered his resignation of Captain of Police on that date, he was issued a note of thanks for \u201cefficient services for many years as chief of police in this city.\u201d An ordinance was immediately passed to \u201cconnect\u201d the office of Captain of Police with the office of Marshal, after which Loveland resigned from the City Council and received a vote of thanks.<\/p>\n The Marshal was then authorized to raise a force of policemen as (special) from all the able-bodied men from 16 to 60 years of age to perform duties when requested, to guard and protect the interests of this city.15<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, Nov. 1, 1877.<\/span><\/blockquote>\n Marshal Loveland submitted regular bills for police services during 1878, which included overseeing fire protection. When the city council created an official Fire Department and appointed a Fire Chief on December 28, 1878, those duties were removed with the adoption of a motion stating: \u201cin case of outbreak of fire, CC Loveland is released from further responsibilities and duties related to the Fire Department.\u201d16<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, Dec. 18, 1878.<\/span>\n In early 1879, Jeppa Jeppsen was appointed a \u201cgeneral policeman\u201d and building inspector \u201cto guard the public interest of the city.\u201d His salary as assessor, collector, and sexton was increased in light of his new duties.17<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, April 14, 1879.\/mfn] This was not unusual, as these early marshals and\/or policemen usually had at least one other job with the city. That summer Loveland submitted a bill for boarding and locking up 54 tramps in 1878 and furnishing meals to them, as well as boarding a local prisoner under sentence, and boarding tramps from March through May — 14 in number. His report on a trial for \u201clewd and lascivious conduct\u201d included fees for Deputy Rais Cahoon, H. Stender, and J. Jeppesen for witness fees.18<\/a><\/sup>Minutes,June 3, 1879.<\/span> Again in December, he submitted a bill for police service, including boarding transients and paupers, which seemed to be the primary police duty.<\/p>\n At that same meeting, the Council discussed the necessity of having a few policemen \u201calways on hand to see that good order may prevail in the city.\u201d The following persons were then appointed policemen: William Pulsipher, David Lindsay, George Parsons, George Nichols, Peter Johnson, John Johnson, James Nielsen, and Christian Olsen. It was ordered that in case of conviction for offenses in the alderman\u2019s court, that \u201cthe officer making the arrest in cases resulting in the conviction of the parties shall be entitled to one half of the amount of the fines. . .\u201d19<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, Dec. 2, 1879.<\/span>\nLaw enforcement continued as usual in 1880, with Loveland and Jeppesen submitting bills for police services. There is no reason stated for a particular action taken, stressing that licenses for \u201ctheatrical performances, balls and exhibitions be strictly complied with\u201d which it thought would \u201chelp much to prevent small gatherings of parties with immoral proclivities.\u201d20<\/a><\/sup>Minutes, Dec. 7, 1880.<\/span> Neither is there an explanation for Loveland billing for extra time \u201cduring quarantine\u201d in 1882 although it coincides with a bill from Nurse Kaiser for \u201cwork and nursing in the pest house.\u201d On occasion, a bill would be submitted to pay one of the policemen for services, but they do not seem to have been called upon very often.<\/p>\n Loveland was reelected marshal three times, until David Rees was chosen for the position in March 1885. During part of his term, Rees also doubled as watermaster, and served as marshal until he was replaced by Heber C. Boden, who was elected in March 1891. During this period there were other persons serving as policemen, with Loveland submitting a bill for an arrest in 1891.21<\/a><\/sup>Dane Johnson, History of the Brigham City Police Department<\/em>, unpublished manuscript, circa 1990, 2.<\/span> Alex Baird was employed as night watchman, as well as city lamplighter.<\/p>\n During Boden\u2019s term, he asked the Council to clarify whether he should receive remuneration for arrests separate from his salary, and was told that his salary should cover arrests. Boden only served one term, with David Rees reelected as Marshal in January 1894. Rees served one term before being replaced by Isaac A. Jensen, who served from 1896 to 1899.22<\/a><\/sup>Johnson, 2.<\/span>\n Baird remained as night watchman, and his duties must have included being night jailer. In December, 1895, he asked the City Council that a few blankets be provided for tramps and persons brought into the City Jail. 23<\/a><\/sup>Kathleen Bradford, Mayors of Brigham City 1867 to 2000<\/em>, (Brigham City: Brigham City Corporation, 2000), 29.<\/span> In addition, bunks were installed in the jail. The location or size of this jail is unknown, unless it referred to the room(s) in the county jail set aside for the city to house tramps, drunks, and prisoners.24<\/a><\/sup>Olive H. Kotter, Through the Years<\/em>, (Brigham City: 1953), 13.<\/span>\n A small granite block building with hand-hammered crossed bars on its windows located east and south of the Courthouse was an early county jail. This is probably the jail referred to in the following:<\/p>\n During the latter part of the 90s the city had a constant weather report. Alex Baird hung different colors of flags on top of the county jail, erected near the courthouse in 1871, so they could be seen all over town. The position he hung them in declared to the citizens the kind of weather they could expect that day.25<\/a><\/sup>Kotter, 12.<\/span><\/blockquote>\n In 1896, the County Court granted the city use of the brick portion of the county jail for the \u201ctramp element.\u201d It was decided that prisoners housed in the jail who did no work would receive only two meals a day. Those willing to work got three.26<\/a><\/sup>Kotter, 33.<\/span> In 1897, the Marshal asked for and received help in meeting tramps at the depot \u201cas the town was full of tramps.\u201d The night watchman was assigned to help with this problem.27<\/a><\/sup>Kotter, 34.<\/span>\n A Bugler<\/em> story reported in 1898 that an attorney had stated there was not \u201cas vile and filthy a place in the whole world as the Boxelder (sic) county jail.\u201d At this \u201ca Box Elder officer, who is supposed to personally look after this palace, took exception to this mild charge.\u201d A reporter agreed to accompany him on \u201can inspection tour of this delightful round-up for tramps, hobos and evildoers in general.\u201d He reported, \u201cThe interior of the jail has lately been whitewashed (excepting for its apparent lack of spring house cleaning) the place is not so bad — for a jail\u201d and urged an apology to Sheriff Davis.28<\/a><\/sup>Brigham Bugler<\/em>, (Brigham City: May 21, 1898), 1.<\/span>\n Usual law enforcement duties were assigned to the Marshal up through the turn of the century, including orders that no cattle shall be allowed to run at large on streets, or that minors be kept out of the Temperance Hall.<\/p>\n Brigham City residents, like those across the nation, were excited over Edison\u2019s invention of a practical electric light bulb and eagerly read accounts of city streets and private homes being lighted by this clean and odorless power. Salt Lake City and Ogden had electric light back as far as 1880, and steam-generated electricity began service in Provo in 1890.29<\/a><\/sup>Reed A. Olsen, Hydro-Electric Power in Brigham City: Its Growth and Development<\/em>, Master’s Thesis, (Logan: Utah State University, 1970)<\/a>, 3.<\/span>\nAt this time, the local streets were still lighted by 12 coal oil lamps, first proposed in December 1882 by Councilman O. W. Stohl, who suggested \u201cerecting a few lamps to be placed on some of the principal streets of the city.\u201d30<\/a><\/sup>Brigham City Council minutes, (Brigham City: Dec. 5, 1882).<\/span> This was soon implemented. Nightwatchman Alexander Baird used a ladder to reach the lamps as he filled the lamps with oil, trimmed the wicks, and washed the globes on a regular basis. Nightly he lit them:<\/p>\n Rena Baird Hopkins remembered that when she was a child her brothers, Phil and John, often went with their father, Alex, who was a night watchman, to light the lamps. She recalled that he used a torch which he held high in order to reach the wicks. At day break he made the rounds and extinguished the flames in the lamps.31<\/a><\/sup>Louie Squires, Through the Years, Brigham City<\/em>, Utah, p 25.<\/span><\/blockquote>\n Natural gas had been looked to as a likely power source for Brigham City, touted by the first edition of the Brigham Bugler<\/em> in 1890:<\/p>\n . . . inexhaustible flows have been struck on the border of our town. They are profitably utilized for burning great kilns of lime. But a few short years will escape, it is said, before our city will be illuminated hereby and our victuals cooked by the aid of this clean, almost inexpensive, fuel.32<\/a><\/sup>Brigham Bugler<\/em>, (Brigham City: June 14, 1890).<\/span><\/blockquote>\n However, farsighted local builders were taking no chances, and included the possibility of electric power along with gas pipes into business buildings and homes they constructed during this period of rapid growth. It was evident by 1891 that the populace preferred the idea of electric lighting, so city fathers began meeting with speculators and government officials from other communities which had electric power systems.<\/p>\n On July 25, 1891, City Council was addressed by Mr. A. Moulton, agent for Thompson Houston Electric Company of Chicago, \u201cto erect a plant to light our city at a cost of $6,000, providing the city corporation bear one-half the expense ($3,000) and that the citizens purchase the balance.\u201dBrigham City Council minutes, (Brigham City: July 25, 1891). Councilors discussed this, with the idea that it was an issue that should be put to the residents, and Moulton\u2019s proposal was not again noted in minutes.<\/p>\n City-owned power was considered from the very first, with City Councilor A. E. Snow suggesting on August 29, 1891, that a profitable plant could be set in motion for $6,000. He proposed that the city \u201cappropriate $2,000 to purchase an electric light plant, providing a company could be formed to forward the other $4,000.\u201d His fellow City Councilors voiced the concern that they should \u201cnot act hastily\u201d and the issue merited more time.33<\/a><\/sup>Brigham City Council minutes, (Brigham City: August 29, 1891).<\/span>\n Discussion continued and various options were considered, with the Brigham Bugler<\/em> making reference to a printed circular urging the city to spend $50,000 within a year to bring in water, electric light,\u00a0and fire protection, of which $18,000 would be set aside for an electric system.34<\/a><\/sup>Brigham Bugler,<\/em> (Brigham City: February 21, 1891).<\/span>\n In early November 1891, local businessmen Oliver G. Snow and L. T. Peirce were granted a charter to construct and operate an electrical plant. A four-month completion date was set when the charter was granted. By the end of November, enough investors had been recruited. This was the beginning of the Brigham City Electric Light Company with F. C. Priestly as president; Herbert Moore, vice president; O. G. Snow, treasurer; Samuel Luke, secretary. Other major stockholders were Mrs. M. W. Dunn, L. T. Peirce, C.J. Rohwer, and N. P. Andersen. The franchise of the company extended for a 50-year period.35<\/a><\/sup>Reed A. Olsen, Hydro-Electric Power in Brigham City: Its Growth and Development,<\/em> Master’s Thesis, (Logan: Utah State University, 1970), 4-5.<\/span>\n Since the old Co-op<\/a> woolen mill<\/a> on 500 East was vacant and already fitted for water power, the company planned to locate its plant in the building. Priestly traveled to Pueblo, Colorado, to purchase a used electrical plant. While he was out of town, poles and wire were put up in Brigham City. The first lines extended from the power plant on 500 East to Forest Street and west to 400 West, along Main Street from 200 North to 200 South, and along 100 West and 100 East. It included 30 street lamps, replacing the city\u2019s 12 coal-oil street lamps, which had to be filled, lighted, and extinguished manually. There were two lights per block going lengthwise and one light width-wise.36<\/a><\/sup>Ibid., 5-6.<\/span>\n February 11, 1892, was a big night in Brigham City. Residents cheered as the first electrical current went through the wires at 9:30 p.m. and lamps illuminated the streets for a few minutes. Despite the fact that electric service was interrupted for four days to correct belt slippage due to the high-speed generator and to regulate the flow of water, residents were enthusiastic over the prospect of home and business lighting. The first lights illuminated only the streets and business buildings, but within a month private homes were using electric power. The homes of John Crawford, Thomas Blackburn<\/a>, Heber Boden, and Clem Horsley were the first to have electric lighting.37<\/a><\/sup>Brigham Bugler<\/em>, (Brigham City: May 28, 1892).<\/span>\n This power system had one major drawback: it was direct current, which meant the entire city was on one electrical circuit. If that circuit broke, all the lights went out. At the time, this was not seen as a major problem. Although direct current could only be used for lighting, that was viewed as electricity\u2019s major purpose. It did not handicap the sale of power. Most businesses had been wired as the system was being put up, and lights were being installed in homes at a rapid rate by mid-March.38<\/a><\/sup>Reed A. Olsen, Hydro-Electric Power in Brigham City: Its Growth and Development<\/em>, Master’s Thesis, (Logan: Utah State University, 1970), 7.<\/span> More problematic was the inconsistent water flow of Box Elder Creek. Coupled with an announcement that the woolen factory would resume operations under new ownership, the power company decided in May 1892 to purchase a coal-powered 40-horsepower engine and relocate the power plant to a new building south of the railroad depot. An agreement was made with Union Pacific Railroad<\/strong> to build a spur track to deliver coal in return for free lighting at the depot and railroad yard.39<\/a><\/sup>Brigham Bugler<\/em>, (Brigham City: May 28, 1892).<\/span>\n A very bright and steady light was produced by the new machinery. During a demonstration, Samuel Luke, company secretary, enthusiastically described the facilities as follows: \u201cWith the rapidity of lightning, it runs as smooth and noiseless as a cat stealing onto a mouse. The friction of the engine seems to have been reduced to a minimum.\u201d40<\/a><\/sup>Ibid., (Brigham City: July 23, 1892).<\/span>\n Although the new plant was successful in the consistent quality of electric service, it was considerably more expensive than water power and the company was not breaking even financially. With profits down, acting managers Priestly and Luke (residents of a neighboring city) sold their holdings in the company to local residents, at which time the Brigham City Electric Light Company became a local corporation in every sense of the word.41<\/a><\/sup>Reed A. Olsen, Hydro-Electric Power in Brigham City: Its Growth and Development<\/em>, Master’s Thesis, (Logan: Utah State University, 1970), 7.<\/span>\n Within six months, February 1893, the company officers decided to return to \u201cfree\u201d water power and construct a new plant in the mouth of Box Elder Canyon. During this period, two new members of the corporation, prominent businessmen C. W. Knudson and J. Y. Rich, assumed leadership of the company.42<\/a><\/sup>Ibid., 10.<\/span>\n A rock powerhouse, approximately 20 x 30 with 28 inch thick walls, was built about 2,000 feet east of the present city-owned powerhouse. Water was diverted through an open ditch to the water wheel which was connected to the generator, and the dynamo purchased by Priestly was moved once again. Steady electric power served local subscribers well.<\/p>\n During the first year of electric light in Brigham City, many changes took place — changes which gave a great amount of protection as well as economic benefits. No longer were the people in constant danger of the oil lamps causing fires. Better lighting of the streets gave more protection to those people who were on the streets after dark. Lights were placed in the post office to protect the patrons going there at night time. With the new power plant in full operation and new management by trusted local business leaders in place, it was expected that the Brigham City Electric Light Company would develop into a sound investment for its stockholders. However, the power company\u2019s initial success was also its downfall. Electricity was convenient, clean, and its uses quickly expanded from mere lighting. By the turn of the century, local residents were demanding more electric power than the company facilities would provide, both due to increased population and to heavier usage. People also wanted lower rates comparable to neighboring communities, as well as electric power for home appliances and well pumps for irrigation.44<\/a><\/sup>Ibid., 11.<\/span> The Brigham City Council stepped in with a request for improvement in the power system, beginning a whole new phase of negotiation and \u201cpower plays\u201d between factions as the 1900s dawned.<\/p>\n Although it had less impact at the time, even before Brigham City had a newspaper or electric power, it had at least one telephone. Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone Company was given permission to erect poles and run wires in Brigham City on December 3, 1889.45<\/a><\/sup>Lydia Walker Forsgren, ed., History of Box Elder County<\/em>, (Brigham City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1937), 37.<\/span>\n Telephones were considered more of a curiosity than a necessity at that time. It was not until approximately 1895 that records show a public toll telephone being installed at the Charles Davis rooming house, which was moved to Doctor Wade\u2019s drugstore in 1897.46<\/a><\/sup>Sarah Yates, “It’s been 25 years since days of ‘number please,'”\u00a0Box Elder Journal<\/em>, (Brigham City: January 30, 1985).<\/span>\n It is interesting to note that the telephone was a factor in making Brigham City\u2019s first public library possible. In December 1898 the Mutual Improvement Association completed a $1,000 library building in the town square. A cooperative arrangement was made with the telephone company for staffing. The one-room building was lined with cloth, not plaster, to save money. In one corner was the town telephone and in the center was a heating stove.47<\/a><\/sup>Ibid., 1.<\/span> John E. Baird was called to serve as librarian, and was also appointed toll agent. The library exchanged free rent for the telephone station for Baird\u2019s salary being paid by the company, a satisfactory arrangement since neither was considered a fulltime position. Shortly after settling into the job, Baird was called to serve an LDS mission. His sister, Rena Baird (Hopkins), took over in the same co-position in June 1899.48<\/a><\/sup>Ibid., 1.<\/span>\n In about 1900, when the company had about 25 subscribers, the first exchange was established in the Eddy Drug Store, with Wynn L. Eddy as manager and Rena Baird as operator. Telephones were gaining in popular use, moving from business use to home connections at the beginning 20th Century, entering a period when telephone service expanded to almost every household.<\/p>\n It was not until the disastrous fire that destroyed the Co-op woolen mill<\/a> on December 21, 1877, that Brigham City government focused attention on the organization of a city fire department. Until that time, neighbors formed bucket brigades to transfer water from city canals to the location of a fire. \u201cCouncilor H. E. Jensen spoke upon the expediency of procuring fire engines and organizing companies to have charge of and regulate the use of the same and thought it proper to have an appropriation made to enable us to proceed in the matter, the same being necessary for the safety of the city in cases of conflagration.\u201d49<\/a><\/sup>Brigham City Council minutes, (Brigham City: February 9, 1878).<\/span><\/blockquote>\n A committee of three — H. P. Jensen, E. A. Box, and A. Nichols<\/a> — was appointed to consider protocol to proceed to organize and establish fire companies and produce the necessary implements.<\/p>\n Upon the committee\u2019s recommendation, Brigham City\u2019s first firefighting unit was created on April 16, 1878, when the City Council appointed Mayor<\/a> Chester Loveland<\/a> to organize a fire company. He accomplished that task by December 28, at which time Lars Mortensen was selected as chief, with Jeppa Jeppsen and James Pett as assistants.50<\/a><\/sup>Ibid., December 28. 1878.<\/span>\nRoads and Streets<\/h2>\n
Water System<\/h2>\n
Law Enforcement<\/h2>\n
\nOccasionally, the council and mayor would order the marshal to take care of specific problems. He would be ordered to stop the juveniles from writing on the walls of the tabernacle or to enforce the ordinance against unnecessary businesses remaining open on Sunday.17<\/a><\/sup><\/span>Lydia Walker Forsgren, ed., History of Box Elder County<\/em>, (Brigham City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1937), 1.<\/span><\/blockquote>\n
Electric Power<\/h2>\n
\nThe financial gains can be illustrated by the financial reports of Brigham City. The following entries were made for the year ending March 1, 1891: \u2018Oil for lighting street lamps $135.10, night watchmen and the lighting of the street lamps $490. For the year ending January 1, 1894, an entry was made that it had cost the city $511.45 to light the city streets. Since a greater number of lights were used with the new system, this indicates the financial savings was considerable. In 1891, the city had twelve old oil lamps, whereas in 1892, it had thirty electric lights.43<\/a><\/sup>Ibid., 10.<\/span><\/blockquote>\nTelephone<\/h2>\n
Fire Department<\/h2>\n
\nAlthough there was no community newspaper to report the incidence of fire, many family diaries note the burning of a home, outbuilding or business. City Council minutes of February 9, 1878, note:<\/p>\n