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Community of LeRoy
Electricity
McLean County, Illinois

(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

It being the request of the majority of the residents of LeRoy to light the city with electric lights an ordinance was passed on December 14, 1891 toward acquiring lights for the city. On June 18. 1892 a tax levy was passed in the amount of $1500 to light the city streets in LeRoy with electric lights. Also, a committee was instructed to confer with the LeRoy Electric Light and Heating Company and agree on a franchise and draft an ordinance covering same. On October 9, 1893 a franchise was granted to L. A. Reynolds and assignees to set poles and stretch wires upon the streets of LeRoy for the purpose of lighting the city with electricity. This was the first lighting of the city with electricity. Kerosene lamps placed in various locations were used before that. As a previous franchise had been signed to have the LeRoy Electric and Heating Company furnish electricity to the city, at the regular city election April 16, 1895 the issue of the city paying for the lighting of all streets was placed on the ballot. The issue passed, the city to pay $6 per month for each light installed. On November 1, 1901 the LeRoy Electric Light, Power and Heating Company was purchased by W. F. Crumbaugh and a franchise was issued to him to furnish lights, power and steam heat until 1908. On November 5, 1909 Wartena Bros, of Hammond, Ind. purchased the LeRoy Electric Light, Power and Heating plant from Morrell Tomlin for a consideration of $15,000. Mr. Tomlin conducted the plant during the previous six years. In 1911 the Wartenas gave to LeRoy 24-hour service, the first of any town this size in Illinois. It soon became apparent that the old plant was inadequate to furnish the sort of service they wished to render and they undertook the building of a transmission line from Bloomington to LeRoy. With the completion of the line in 1912 the service was greatly improved and the old plant was dismantled. LeRoy's street lighting system was changed from the old arc-light method, blocks apart, to 60-watt lamps on nearly every street corner. Cluster lights were installed by the city a few years later on both sides of Center St. from the City Park to East St. With the purchase of electricity from the Bloomington- Normal Power and Light Company the Wartenas continued to expand the operation of the LeRoy Electric Light, Power and Heating Company by including Downs, Ellsworth, Cooksville and Colfax in their service area involving about 100 miles of transmission lines and embracing more than 1000 customers. Illinois Power and Light Company, a growing statewide utility, purchased the Wartena interests in 1926 and took over serving the area. The utility later shortened its corporate name to Illinois Power Company. IPC is now the second largest electric utility in the state. LeRoy's first mercury vapor light system was first turned on in October, 1951, replacing the old ornamental cluster light system. The LeRoy Kiwanis Club sponsored a meeting a year earlier attended by business men and interested citizens at which groundwork for the new lights was laid. Then Illinois Power Company advanced an alternate plan to the city council, which was accepted. Thirty mercury vapor lights were placed on Center St. from the High School to Rt. 150, on Main St. from the City Park south to the Presbyterian Church, on Chestnut St. from the Methodist Church south to Cedar St. and two blocks on East Street. [Heritage of the prairie : a history of LeRoy and of Empire and West townships, McLean County, Illinois (1976) LeRoy Historical Society; LeRoy Bi-Centennial Commission]

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