Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

warehouse near the old iron bridge. enabling him to
store up to 3500 tons of ice a season.
William A. Cunningham died Dec. 9, 1913, age 63.
In later years. E.W. Smith ran the Wapsipinicon Ice
Company, and afterwards it was operated by the
Hubbard Ice Company of Cedar Rapids.
If memory serves, it was the drivers of the Hubbard
Ice truck, who would chip off pieces of ice for the
neighborhood kids, gathered around the truck. This
would be when the temperatures were perhaps in the
90s, during the steamy hot summers. l can still
remember the times we would line up to wait, while he
lifted the tarp, and with a long spiked pole he would
pull the blocks of ice from their bed ofsawdust.
This was not an every-time occurrence. At times he
would merely shake his head, get into the truck and
drive away. Of course, this would add to the
anticipation the next time the truck was spotted.
The ice took the place of the 3-dipper, 5-cent ice
cream cones, when the nickels were hard to come by.
The ice, after wiping away the sawdust. was just as
refreshing.
The paying customers, who needed ice for their
wooden ice-boxes, would place a large square card in
the window, turning the card to indicate the needed
number of pounds. The ice-man would carry the ice on
his shoulder, taking it from the truck with large ice
tongs.
Electricity — Water Power
by Lucille Kucera
in 1893, H.C. Metcalfand his son, C.W. Metcalf, who
were engaged in the milling business at Anamosa,
started an electric light business under the name of
Metcalf Light Company. The plant was located in the
mill and ran on water power with a steam engine as an
auxiliary unit.
in 1900, H.A. and F.E. Zinn, who operated a mill at
Oxford Junction, followed the Metcalfs example and
established another small company under the name of
Zinn Electric Light & Power Company. A franchise was
granted to the new company in August 1900 by the
town ofOxford Junction.
In 1906, Harry Zinn and Park Chamberlin, attorney
from Anamosa, purchased the Metcalf Electric
Company and consolidated it with the Oxford Junction
company. In 1912 a Mr. Anderson took over the
business for a short time until the property was
transferred to the Eastern Iowa Consolidated Electric
Light 8: Power Company.
This company encountered financial difficulties and,
in 1913, it went into receivership. The property was
sold to satisfy the bonds that were in default. In 1914
the company was incorporated into the Iowa Electric
Company.
REC - 50 Years in Anamosa
Maquoketa Valley REC
When Anamosa was celebrating its 100th
Anniversary, most of the rural families still relied on
the kerosene lamp and lantern to give a flicker of light
on long dark evenings. Electric motors and modern
appliances were not yet available to ease the drudgery
of the farm family.
When Franklin Roosevelt signed the Executive Order
7037, establishing the Rural Electrification
Administration, on May 11, 1935, a new dawn shone on
the horizon for farm families.
Anamosa was quick to become the hub of the rural
electrification activity. Before the end of the year, Jones
County farm people were busy signing up their
neighbors with the promise that, ‘With a $10.00
membership and a dedicated effort we can get a loan
from REA and build our own electric system.‘
County Agent Carl Smith assisted the farmers to form
their own cooperative. On December 27, 1935, they
organized their Jones County Rural Electric
Cooperative at a meeting in the Farm Bureau office.
Sixteen directors were elected and they set to work to
hire a manager, contract for the engineering and apply
for an REA loan to build the lines.
Farmers volunteered to cut trees and clear the rightof-way
before the lines were built. Many farmers were
very generous to give easements to allow the line to be
built over the shortest route. The goal was to connect
three services per mile ofline.
The Jones County Cooperative had the jump on
neighboring counties. Jackson County farmers chose
to join the Jones County group. The name was changed
184
to Maquoketa Valley Rural Electric Cooperative. It was
dedicated to serve both Jones and Jackson County
farmers who did not have central station power.
Dubuque and Delaware county farmers joined later.
Lines also extended short distances into five adjoining
counties.
On May 11, 1938, exactly three years after the
signing of the REA Act, the first 12 members were
connected AND THERE WAS LIGHT. There was a
steady progression of building lines and electrifying
more farmsteads until ‘Area Coverage’ was completed
in the early 1950s.
Not only the farmsteads along the main road. but also
the most remote residences were connected. After the
Pace Act of 1944, the only charge for building line to
the member was the $10.00 membership fee.
In 1988, the Cooperative serves 10,800 meters on
farms as well as residences and businesses which have
been established in the rural area. Forty-two people are
employed at the Anamosa headquarters and 12 service
people live in the outlying areas.
People are the key to the efficiency of the
Cooperative. Enthusiastic members support the
business as they did 50 years ago. Capable directors
have been providing strong direction and leadership for
all those years. Dedicated and willing workers have
helped to make Maquoketa Valley Rural Electric
Cooperative one of the most efficient niral electric
systems in the nation.
In the half century there has been only three
managers, Edgar D. Beach during the building years