Lighting up Our Lives: the History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 7 a Wine Press

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LIGHTING UP OUR LIVES The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative

Written by Al Gough Jr. Tis book was published by Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. 15035 Burnt Store Road/P.O. Box 1937 Hughesville, MD 20637 www.smeco.coop

© 2012 Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the copyright holders except brief quotations used in connection with reviews. All photos © their respective copyright holders. All photos not credited are from the collection of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. Every efort has been made to obtain permission to reprint photos. ISBN: 978-0-615-66998-4

Book design, layout, and jacket design by Jonna Jones. Te editing and book design were coordinated by Terry Ressler.

Factual content is solely the responsibility of the author. Any questions concerning possible omissions or errors should be addressed to the author, care of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. All inquiries concerning reproduction or permissions should be addressed to Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc., Hughesville, Maryland.

Printed in the United States of America. Table of contents

Acknowledgements...... iv

Foreword ...... v

1 Back to the Future: 1880–1925 ...... 6

2 Alas! Poor La Plata: 1925–1929 ...... 10

3 Holding Companies, Folding Companies and Cooperatives: 1930–1937 ....24

4 The Popes Creek Connection: 1937–1941 ...... 36

5 The Home Front: 1942–1946 ...... 50

6 Slipping into the Modern Groove: 1947–1959 ...... 64

7 The Sixties ...... 82

8 For Your Times They Are a-Changin’: 1970–1979...... 98

9 The Next Generation: 1980–1989 ...... 110

10 The New Millennium (Opening Pandora’s Box): 1990–2002 ...... 128

11 Dealing with Pandora’s Opened Box: 2003–2012 ...... 156

Epilogue...... 174

Honored employees and board members ...... 178

Notes ...... 182

Index...... 188

Photo credits ...... 192

iii Acknowledgements

Shortly before my retirement from SMECO in June of 2006, SMECO President and Chief Executive Ofcer Joe Slater suggested a retirement project: “Write the history of the cooperative for the 75th Anniversary and you will have fve years to do it.” At the time I was thinking golf and travel, and besides, I said, I would need a word processor for such an undertaking and promptly dismissed the idea. Several months into retirement Joe came to the house one morning bearing a gift of a word processor. Needless to say, without his encoragement and support over the past fve years, this history would not have been written. I would like to thank the many organizations who opened their doors and their photo archives to us. Tese organizations include the Calvert Marine Museum, the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, the Southern Maryland Studies Center at the College of Southern Maryland, as well as our local libraries. Many thanks to Bernadette Lewis for coordinating the photo archiving efort and former employees and co-workers who assisted with identifying photos: Fred Benton, Joyce Bowling, Carl Burch, Lorraine Cook, Ralph Cross, Lena Gardiner, Kenny Hayden, David Hogge, Sharon McWilliams, Bob Mitchell, Joan Mitchell, Louise Morgan, Glenn Sosbe, and Charlie Wible. Tanks also to Judy Dudley for her assistance and patience answering personnel inquiries, to Jonna Jones for her outstanding design and production work and to Colleen O’Neill, Patty Tennyson and John Johnston for their editing eforts. A special thanks to Terry Ressler for her editing and many constructive suggestions. It was she who had the responsibility of bringing this project together and did so with patience and humor. Lastly I would like to thank the many SMECO employees who assisted in compiling information and providing support by providing access to the Cooperative’s archives. Without their assistance this would have been an all but impossible task.

Al Gough Leonardtown, Md. June 2012 iv Foreword

In the early days of electric cooperatives, local residents worked together to encourage their neighbors to sign up for service and become a member of the co-op. Not everyone did. Some didn’t see the need. Tey were self-sufcient, and they were satisfed with the status quo. But some had the vision, the tenacity and the wherewithal to push the cooperative movement forward. Tose who did found themselves working alongside like-minded individuals who rallied their friends and neighbors, farmers and business people, shop keepers and bankers—people like themselves—to join the co-op. Tey provided the frm foundation of an electric cooperative that answers to its members, providing the community with reliable, afordable service. Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative has grown in the past 75 years to become one of the nation’s largest and most respected co-ops. Over the years we have surmounted adversities to provide electric service to a rural area too sparsely populated to be proftable for investor-owned utilities. We’ve built generating stations and purchased power on the open market. We’ve dealt with the complexities of deregulation. And through it all, we’ve held elections every year for customer-members to choose the directors of the co-op. While our mission—to serve our members faithfully—continues the same as it did when we began, today we are faced with new challenges: championing the use of renewable energy, constructing transmission lines to ensure reliable electric service and implementing technological upgrades for every facet of our business, from online billing and payment services to installing advanced metering infrastructure and smart meters. Since this book was written, more events have occurred and new utility regulations have been instituted. But our years of experience and our dedicated workforce have provided us with the confdence and agility to face any new endeavor and ever more powerful storms. Hurricane Irene was one for the history books. Te storm hit the mid-Atlantic states and rolled up the coast. On Saturday, August 27, 2011, rain began to pour on Southern Maryland and the outages began. In the early morning hours of Sunday, August 28, we had 108,000 customers without power. When the sun came up, the skies cleared, and we worked full force to restore electric service to all customers by Friday night, September 2. Battling the efects of rain, snow and ice storms has improved our emergency response eforts as we’ve learned to improve our planning process and engage our community. In that regard, we have stayed true to our roots. Te electric cooperative was formed by the community to serve the community, and that remains our mission today. Tis book documents our history and captures the events as they happened, and we are very proud to be able to present it to you, our customer-members.

Joseph Stone Chairman of the Board

v CHAPTER 1 Back to the Future: 1880–1925

Lollie and Susie Hunnt sitting with Carlton Gibbons (center) at Marshall Hall Park on July 4, 1899.

Chapter one: 1880–1925 In 1885 the Chesapeake Bay produced more oysters than anywhere else on Earth—quite a contrast to today’s oyster harvest. Te year wasn’t all that eventful, yet there were a number of occurrences that continue to impact our lives. “Huckleberry Finn,” the frst action character, the Dr Pepper soft drink and Good Housekeeping magazine all were introduced to the public. Te Washington Monument was dedicated; the French naval ship Isere arrived in New York Harbor loaded with crates containing pieces of the Statue of Liberty; and Christmas became a national holiday in the United States. On Friday, June 4, 1885, a futuristic article appeared in the Saint Mary’s Beacon, a weekly newspaper that had been published in Leonardtown since 1839. “Te Future of Electricity,” prophesied the unidentifed author, “will work wonderfully in unexpected changes in the near future.” “Te supply of force is incomprehensible, greater than all the coal felds in the world could furnish,” he continued. “Te Tames could light London and have a force to spare. Te power could be applied to sewing machines, sawpits, lifts or a local railway. Te power of the wind and sun can be made the source of electricity. Te power of storage is limited but when solved, a locomotive, boat or tricycle could be supplied and a carriage could be driven. One of the benefcent results is the use in isolated households. Te use of steam has brought about our factory system that has led to the concentration of our population in large cities. Electric power is divisible and can be used economically in smaller quantities, hence its use will be to distribute rather than to concentrate population. We can scarcely conceive the changes that electricity will bring not only economically but to the social condition of mankind.”

Some fve years before, on Jan. 22, 1880, the Saint Mary’s Beacon had run an article noting that Tomas Edison had opened his home at Menlo Park in New York to the public on New Year’s Day, to exhibit his electric lights—some of which had been burning for 218 hours. A mere two years later, his work had led to the frst commercial power plant, the Pearl Street Power Station in New York City, which was a direct current (DC) system that could power 5,000 lights. In 1886 George Westinghouse, armed with some 400 patents, formed the Westinghouse Electric Co., and in 1893 his company used an alternating current (AC) system to light the Chicago World’s Fair. It was found that an AC system was more conducive to sending electricity over long distances and in that same year, a 22-mile AC power line was opened in California, sending electricity from Folsom Powerhouse in Folsom to Sacramento. Our visionary was right on track.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 7 A wine press. Te turn of the century brought the frst power line between the United States and Canada, constructed at Niagara Falls in 1901. Tree years later, President Teodore Roosevelt touched a telegraph key in the White House that turned on the most fabulous display of electric lighting ever seen in one place, and in so doing ofcially opened the St. Louis World’s Fair. In 1907 the electric vacuum cleaner was invented by James Murray Spangler, while in 1910 electric current for domestic residences became standardized with the use of alternating current (AC). After that the electrical revolution was in full swing, with Willis Carrier developing an electric air conditioner in 1911 and A. Goss unveiling the electric refrigerator in 1913. Progress was such that a government agency was deemed necessary; the Federal Power Commission was established in 1920. As the lights came on in cities across the country and labor-saving devices powered by electricity were invented, life in Southern Maryland and other rural areas remained difcult.

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative customer Lena R. Welch, of Newburg, Charles County, shared what living conditions were like in those days on the occasion of SMECO’s 50th anniversary in 1987: “When I frst came to Charles County from Florida in 1916, there was no telephone or electricity and the only hard surfaced road was U.S. 1 to Washington. Te dirt roads were so bad in winter that most people jacked up their cars until spring and used their horse and buggies for getting around.

“Washing for a family was an all day job. Pump the water by hand, carry it to the house, heat it on a wood stove, scrub the clothes on a wash board by hand, boil the white clothes (there were no deter- gents then) and hang in the sun to dry. Water had to be heated on the stove for baths, too.

“Later we had a washer powered by a gasoline motor, and a Delco system for electric lights with a large battery. Radios were just coming into use, also powered by battery.

“Lots of farmers in freezing weather cut blocks of ice from the river or ponds, which they stored in underground cellars, which lasted thru the

Chapter one: 1880–1925 Richard Berry, Joshua Trueman, John Trueman, George Duckett and Sauls Berry Claggett at Joshua Trueman’s Sawmill in Aquasco, Maryland, circa 1910. summer. Te truck from the ice plant in La Plata “Young people growing up now take all these bless- delivered blocks of ice twice a week for ice chests. ings for granted but we oldsters still remember when we had to do it the hard way.” “When Mr. Wallace Miller came around asking people to sign up for the R.E.A. electric service, In 1925 a diesel generating plant would be built in we were happy to sign up and gladly furnished the Leonardtown, and two years later the Prince Frederick light poles running into the farm. cooperative power plant began providing power to the “What a change electricity has made. No more village within a one-mile radius of the courthouse. drudgery, plenty of hot water for a morning Mechanicsville, La Plata, Waldorf, Indian Head, shower. Te electric percolator has cofee ready in Chesapeake Beach, North Beach and points along minutes, along with wafes or toast and a dish- the main roads and lines would enjoy the benefts of washer takes care of the mess. electricity by 1929. Southern Maryland would not be “Washing is done with the fip of a switch, and in fully electrifed until several years after World War II the evening events of the world are brought into ended, as over the course of the frst half of the 20th your living room by television or you can visit century, a sparse population, Baltimore-driven politi- a relative across the country by telephone. Te cal agendas and war impeded the electrifcation of R.E.A. service thru all the years has been the best. Southern Maryland.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 9 CHAPTER 2 Alas! Poor La Plata: 1925–1929

One of two classrooms at La Plata Elementary School that were destroyed by a tornado on November 9, 1926.

Chapter two: 1925–1929 Prior to the construction of an electric lighting plant at Leonardtown wharf by William F. Cecil in 1925, there existed no central generating plant in Southern Maryland. Small, individually run generators—most notably, Delco and Kohler units—were the only source of electric power in the area. Te late Arthur W. Dowell of Calvert County recounted in his autobiogra- phy Growing up in Prince Frederick during the 1920s & 30s: “We had nothing in the way of electricity. We just had oil lamps. We didn’t use many candles, but we always had candles around. Te coal oil lamps were what we used all over the house. Tat’s what we read by, and what we did everything by the frst few years of my life. When I was about 7 or 8 years old, my father built a new garage for his automobile business and put a Kohler plant in it. A Kohler plant was a little generator plant that any garage in those days had to have, because there wasn’t any current for the general public. Daddy ran one line up to the house and, when he did that, he bought a big two-door Frigidaire electric refrigerator. Tat’s the frst electric thing we had in our house. Later on, he ran a wire to one room and put an electric light in that one room. But until then we had just the oil lamps and the refrigeration. … “Now, what happened here in Calvert County was similar to what happened in many places all across the United States. We, in our place, were fortunate in that we had electricity in our house, only in one room really in the beginning for an electric refrigerator. In Prince Frederick back in those days, the only people that had electricity really were those people that got it through a garage, because these garages each had to have some electric current to take care of the battery charges and some of the tools they used in the garage. So, every garage had its own little generating plant. Nobody else had electricity.”

Te Dowell family Christmas tree, frst lit in 1926 by the garage generating plant referenced above, as of this writing still greets motorists as they enter Prince Frederick each December.1

During the summer of 1925, the Saint Mary’s Enterprise ran a number of articles relating to electricity: “MODEL FARM SHOWS WHAT ELECTRIC POWER CAN DO. HARDLY A MAN-SIZED TASK OR A FARMHOUSE CHORE THAT AN ELECTRIC MOTOR COULD NOT TACKLE WITH SUCCESS.”

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 11 “LEISURE WITH CULTURE ON THE Leonardtown. Tirty-two residents of the town had ELECTRIC FARM.” signed contracts to enlist in the nascent fre department, and it was reported that the fremen from the “URGES FARMERS TO CO-OPERATE. Hyattsville Fire Department “will put our boys thru OWEN D. YOUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE their frst drill and instruct them in the modern meth- BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFTHE GENERAL ods of fre fghting.” ELECTRIC CO., URGED POWER COMPA- NIES TO STUDY FARMERS’ PROBLEMS William F. Cecil, “a man of very progressive spirit, may AT A JOINT CONFERENCE OF FARMERS many more appear in our midst,” the article continued, AND POWER COMPANIES HELD IN NEW “has perfected plans for the installation of an electric YORK STATE.” lighting power plant at his ice plant at Leonardtown wharf. A three-phase alternating current generator Tat summer the paper ran many other articles relat- powered by a 40-horsepower (HP) diesel motor will ing to the improved quality of life provided by elec- aford sufcient current for the power and lighting tricity. Te time had come! Leonardtown circa late needs of this city with ample provisions for the growth summer 1925 shows the impact of the rapid advances: of our town.” 3 “CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, FIRE On Sept. 28 the St. Mary’s County Commissioners DEPARTMENT, ELECTRIC LIGHTING granted Cecil a franchise to erect and maintain poles PLANT. “over and under” the public ways over which they had “After its Rip Van Winkle sleep of over 250 years jurisdiction within a 1½-mile radius of the incorporated Leonardtown awoke and stretched itself about ten limits of Leonardtown.4 Te following month, Cecil years ago and then turned over for a beauty sleep and Aloysius King, an attorney and editor and publisher until two years ago when she set up and seemed to of the Saint Mary’s Beacon, went to Baltimore for a take notice. On Monday last she wiped the cobwebs Public Service Commission (PSC) hearing relating to of and started sprucing up like a widow in search the construction of the power plant. 5 of a second husband. She formed a Chamber of By February 1926 the electrifcation of Leonardtown Commerce to advertise her beauties and advan- was well on its way. On the 18th of that month, the tages and possibilities, organized a fre department Saint Mary’s Beacon reported that engineers had and topped it all of with an electric lighting plant installed a Frigidaire electric refrigeration ice cream in order that its advantages may show in both a cabinet that could hold 60 gallons at Duke’s Soda social and commercial way.” 2 Fountain. “Tis will eliminate packing and repacking More than 100 people had enrolled in a countywide of ice cream and as the cabinet is a very good looking Chamber of Commerce, with committee forma- fxture adds to the already attractive appearance of the tion and the decision to place its headquarters in store,” the article said.6

Chapter two: 1925–1929 Photo at left. Disaster struck Nov. 9, 1926, in the form of a tornado that destroyed a schoolhouse in La Plata, killing 13 children and four townspeople. All of Southern Maryland was in mourning over the tragedy. Many of those injured were taken by private automobiles to hospitals in Washington, D.C. The tragedy was the stimulus for the founding of Physicians Memorial Hospital, renamed Civista Medical Center in 1998.7

In April 1927, Prince Frederick in Calvert County trifcation of Southern Maryland. In the middle of took a giant step for progress when 21 citizens granted February, George W. Woolford had been granted fran- George D. Turner, Rutherford B. Smoot and Maurice chises from the county commissioners of St. Mary’s, T. Lusby, trustees for the Prince Frederick co-operative Charles, Calvert and Prince George’s counties to build power plant, rights of way to construct, maintain and electric lines in all areas of their respective counties operate lines for the transmission of electricity. Te not currently being served. Tus Leonardtown, Prince rights of way were within 30 feet of the Annapolis- Frederick and all but the seven southernmost elec- Solomons state road and the Prince Frederick-Holland tion districts of Prince George’s County were excluded Point state road and situated within a radius of one from the franchise areas.10 mile of the courthouse.8 Woolford was not unknown in Southern Maryland. In When the plant was sold to the Suburban Electric 1925, the Saint Mary’s Beacon had reprinted an article Power Co. (the new name of the Suburban Light & that had been published in the Marylander magazine Power Co.) in June 1928, the plant assets consisted of concerning Woolford, the president of the Eastern a transmission line extending from St. Paul’s Church to Shore Trust Co., composed of 10 banks on the Eastern Calvert County High School and from the state road Shore and in Southern Maryland. Te article noted: in Prince Frederick to the Calvert Motor Co. shop. “In fact the solid infuence this solid combina- In addition, the assets included one Fairbanks-Morse tion of banks has had in the Southern Maryland 10-HP oil engine; one 6-kilowatt (kW) DC generator Counties and in the development of that, here- and the switchboard belonging to the unit; one 6-HP tofore backward, section of Maryland, has Fairbanks-Morse gas engine; one 3½-kW generator been phenomenal, and not a small share of the and the switchboard belonging to the unit; several decided improvement in the condition of afairs fuel and cooling tanks; one set of batteries (56 cells); in the tobacco growing sections has been due to about 500 gallons of kerosene in tanks; 45 gallons of the liberal policy of Mr. Woolford’s combination cylinder oil; four fat wrenches; two socket wrenches; of banks—for the two things most needed in those one torch; one hydrometer; and the building in which counties have been the construction of decent the plant was housed, but not the land. Suburban was roads and the availability of much capital as was to use the building for one year, rent free, and then necessary to enable farmers and others to secure remove it from the property.9 the money required to carry on these operations On Feb. 24, 1928, Southern Maryland awoke to some in an expeditious and satisfactory manner. And exciting news—there were some new players on the the great advantage in the prosperity of this, the block, or at least in the tobacco patches. Te Times- oldest settled section of Maryland, has been largely Crescent of La Plata, owned, edited and published due to the aid rendered by the Eastern Shore Trust by state Sen. Walter J. Mitchell, and the Saint Mary’s Company and its afliated banks, together with Beacon ran articles concerning the proposed elec- the considerable other banks, which in their recent

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 13 years, have been established throughout Southern more than a year. Teir labors have been rewarded Maryland. And to the energy, ability and foresight through interesting Mid-Western capitalists who of Mr. Woolford is largely due the great impetus now propose to put electric power within the terri- that has been given to all enterprises, agricultural tory above indicated, which is not without it.” 12 and otherwise, especially throughout the counties Te ofcers of the corporation were George Woolford, of St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles and contiguous president; J.M. Price of Cleveland, vice president; sections of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel, for Roy M. Meade of Cleveland, second vice president; his banks are scattered through all the region from C.R. Arbaugh of Cleveland, secretary-treasurer; and Point Lookout to a line drawn from Baltimore Clarence M. Miles of Baltimore, general counsel. and Washington.” Te board of directors consisted of Tomas Parran Te resources of the Eastern Shore Trust Co. exceeded of Calvert County; Henry B. Tomas Jr., formerly $14 million, making it—outside of Baltimore—the of St. Mary’s County and president of the Century strongest bank aggregation in the state. Woolford, Trust Co. of Baltimore; Robert Crain of Charles the Marylander magazine concluded, “above all else is County; and Edward Ledogar of Cleveland. Te of- a loyal patriotic Marylander, of the best old school, cers of the company and state Sen. Walter J. Mitchell conservative, careful and just, a credit to the State.”11 of Charles County and state Sen. Dudley G. Roe of Queen Anne’s County were to act as the executive Te Times-Crescent noted in an editorial titled board. Te other Cleveland investors were operators

“Progress Worth While”: of banks and utilities in Duke’s Corner in various parts of the coun- Leonardtown, circa “During the past week developments toward the try. Te attorney, Clarence 1927. The author’s father, introduction of electric lights and power in the Miles, noted the stock of lower counties of Southern Maryland have taken the Maryland company substantial efect. Anne Arundel and upper Prince would not be held by any George’s Counties enjoy the beneft of this modern holding company.13 equipment through their proximity to the great cities of Baltimore and Washington, but within On March 19, 1928, the territory comprising the counties of Charles, the PSC held a hear- St. Mary’s and Calvert, as well as that part of ing on the matter of the Prince George’s below the line of the Chesapeake Suburban Light & Power Beach Rail Road there is no electric service. Time Company’s application. was when there was no need for such service; that William F. Cecil, owner date has passed because every progressive commu- of the Leonardtown plant, nity now possesses electric power. To keep step with appeared in opposition. that progress a group of men headed by George Representatives of the W. Woolford, president of the Eastern Shore Trust Potomac Electric Power Company, have been working on the project for Co. (Pepco) of Washington,

In 1928 Herbert Hoover defeated Al Smith to become the 31st president of the United States. Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in London, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, television sets or kits manufactured by the Daven Corp. went on sale for the first time, and in March there was record trading on Wall Street, with 4,796,270 shares changing hands.

Chapter two: 1925–1929 D.C., and the Consolidated Gas Electric Light and contract was awarded to Engineer Construction Co. Power Co. of Baltimore were present at the hearing. of Cleveland, with R.M. Meade and Ezra Whitman of Tey conceded the necessity for power in Southern that company preparing the construction plans. Miles Maryland and expressed a willingness to cooperate also announced a change in the name of the company with the new company. Tey stated that either of the from Suburban Light & Power Co. to Suburban two companies could supply electricity to Suburban Electric Power Co. to avoid confusion with a company over power lines, yet to be constructed, until a power of a similar name in Ohio.16 plant could be built in Southern Maryland, thereby As construction work began in late June,17 it was assuring power in Southern Maryland as soon as becoming apparent that progress was beginning to Suburban completed its line construction. Suburban’s collide with what soon would become the past. Te chief engineer assigned to the proposed project, Ezra newest Delco-Light plants were being advertised Whitman, testifed that trunk lines would be built as weekly in the Southern Maryland papers: far as La Plata and to Point Lookout via Leonardtown and Solomons via Prince Frederick. Whitman esti- “Te new type plant operates from the battery on mated there would be a hundred miles of transmission small loads. Automatically switches to power for line built at a cost of $1,850 per mile. He further stated heavier service. Uses small battery—thus costs that construction would progress at one mile a day less. Requires less fuel. Demands practically no for a hundred days for the completion of the project, attention. It is the result of ffteen years’ research and construction could start by Delco-Light engineers. Approved by General Alfred “Tick” Gough, within the next two months. Motors after seven years of grueling feld tests. stands behind the man wearing a hat. Suburban hoped it could Even engineers who are in daily contact with the begin providing service by newest trends of electrical science marvel at this the end of that year (1928).14 achievement of Delco-Light and General Motors.”

After an investigation into At $950 a unit, “other models as low as $225,” it was Cecil’s complaint, the less expensive to purchase an automobile and, given commission in mid-April the economic conditions of the day in Southern approved the application of Maryland, the small generators may have been a Suburban Light & Power household item—just not in a lot of households.18 Co. to provide service to Construction progressed during the summer on nine St. Mary’s, Charles, Calvert miles of line from Piscataway Creek to Waldorf under and lower Prince George’s the supervision of R.D. Mauk, line superintendent counties. At about the who, it was reported, had 12 years of experience in same time, the company’s this kind of work. Suburban by this time had moved lawyer, Clarence W. Miles, its ofce from Upper Marlboro to Waldorf. Te announced that Suburban company would be supplied with electricity from had contracted with George Pepco at Piscataway Creek from its 13,000-volt line. D. Turner, the owner, to At that point, a step-up station would raise the current purchase the electric plant at to 33,000 volts for the Suburban Electric Power Co. Prince Frederick. He further transmission lines. stated no attempts had been made to purchase the plant Te line construction required 294 western red cedar at Leonardtown.15 In late poles 35 to 50 feet in length. Te poles had been April, Miles announced shipped from Idaho, with the lower 10 feet of the that construction work poles treated with creosote for preservation. Tree No. was to begin no later than 2 solid copper wires were to deliver the 33,000-volt May 9. Te construction current to Waldorf in a three-phase circuit requiring

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 15 about 28,000 lbs. of wire. Te static wire was to be carried on a 66-inch steel-angle iron bayonet fxed at the top of the poles. Tis required 9,000 pounds of No. 4 galvanized steel for the nine-mile length of line.

In the fall of 1928 Suburban Electric Power Te company reported the static wire was grounded at every second pole and would collect static and act Co. wasn’t the only news around Charles as a ground wire for the protection of telephones County. It was reported that the “enter- and radios as well as the line itself. Tere were two prising town of Waldorf” was given a thrill cross arms on each pole, a 10-foot fr cross arm for when one of its youthful former residents the 33,000-volt transmission line, and below that a returned home in his own Curtiss airplane six-foot cross arm to carry the 6,600-volt distribution after completing a 17-month course in system, which contained about 16,000 pounds of 19 aviation in Seattle. Frank Kerr, 22, the son No. 4 solid copper wire. of Waldorf merchant Ida M. Kerr, gave November 1928 was a busy month for the employ- the public short air trips from a field east ees of Suburban. Te company began construction of of town upon his return from Seattle. Prior the La Plata–Indian Head line under the direction of to his decision to take up aviation as a H.M. Sherman, who was to act as line superintendent for this section of line. He organized separate crews profession, he had struck out to see the of laborers and linemen so as not to slow up the work world and joined the Merchant Marine already begun on other lines. Te Indian Head line to meet expenses. In Seattle he made would connect with the La Plata line at the Triangle enough money to purchase his plane by Filling Station and would follow the state road to conveying passengers on air trips for hire.20 Indian Head. It was to be a 6,600-volt three-phase line of solid copper wire with six-foot cross arms on 30-foot poles. Te company announced that residents of Pomonkey, Accokeek and Marbury could secure electric service through line extensions, provided a sufcient number of subscribers could be secured in these villages and along the road leading to them.21

R.D. Mauk, the line construction superintendent, noted that 17 customers—a high percentage of the Hughesville village at that time—were using current. He further stated the line was to be extended to Forrest Hall, just below Mechanicsville, as soon as possible; he said every efort was being made to energize Mechanicsville by Christmas. Materials were in place and engineering plans completed so construction would go forward at a rapid rate.24 A jousting tournament in La Plata, Maryland, in 1926. Jousting officially became Maryland’s state Tragedy struck in mid-December when James sport in 1962. Cummings, an employee of Suburban, was electrocuted while working on the power line at White Plains. Cummings, originally from Virginia, left his widow, the former Lilly Christ of Hughesville.25

Chapter two: 1925–1929 Te year 1929 dawned with a proposal to cross the Hughesville, Maryland, in the 1920s. Potomac River at a point just opposite the “Ferry Farm” of John Matthews, thereby shortening the distance between New York and Norfolk many miles. Te editor of Te Times-Crescent noted that:

“In other sections numbers of bridges support- ing local trafc have been projected or built; the proposed bridge across the Patuxent River, at Benedict, in this county, being one of them. At the present time prompt and efcient service is given the public through a small ferry owned and operated by Mr. Perry C. Henderson, a resident of Benedict, and it may be some length of time before the public demand for a bridge connecting Aviation came calling again on Nov. the counties of Charles and Calvert will justify 23, when Suburban’s Waldorf office the investment of the capital necessary for its proper construction. received a visit from flying salesman Jack Larsen, a representative of an electrical “However, there are those who feel that the day supply manufacturing company from is not far distant when trafc will justify such an investment, and because of this fact, a bill was Milwaukee, and his pilot, a former army introduced in Congress, by Representative Stephen aviator.22 Each official of the power W. Gambrills, on Friday last, for the purpose company was offered an opportunity [of] securing the necessary funds from the Federal to ride in the plane, with J.M. Price, the Government. Te name of the Editor of this paper vice president and general manager; was in total support of Congressman Gambrills’ George W. Dick, purchasing agent; R.D. introducing this bill.” 26 Mauk, construction superintendent; and Te Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge crossing the T.C. Hann, office manager, accepting Potomac River would be opened ofcially in 1940, the offer. Because the plane could only with the Patuxent River bridge at Benedict opening in 1952. Originally a toll bridge, there was not enough hold three people, each director, along trafc on the Patuxent River bridge to justify the salary with his wife, was given a separate ride. of a toll collector. The plane, regularly used in the western United States and Canada and brought On the national front, the frst Academy Awards were held in Los Angeles, with the movie Te Jazz Singer to Southern Maryland as a special favor receiving a special award and Wings winning the Best to Larsen,23 coursed over the four lines Picture Award; in other entertainment news, lyrics erected by Suburban—Piscataway to were added to Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” tune Waldorf, Waldorf to Mechanicsville (via and Wyatt Earp died in his sleep at the age of 80. Te Hughesville), Indian Head to La Plata, and New York Times reported that Wall Street expected a realignment of utilities in Maryland, Pennsylvania and La Plata to Waldorf—in short time. New Jersey. Te Morgan interests were rumored to be The next day, Suburban turned current buying up stock in various utilities. When the stock on at Hughesville. of Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Co. of Baltimore began to rise on the rumor of a buyout

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 17 towns and $2.50 a month elsewhere. Tere was a great deal of dissatisfaction with the hook-up charges of the company, which a local paper reported were “something over $200 and a number of persons in the county feel that this rate is too high.” Te PSC was to look into the matter.28

State Sen. Walter J. Mitchell, editor and publisher of Te Times-Crescent and a member of the executive committee of the Suburban Electric Power Co., responded in an editorial:

“IS THIS GOOD FAITH?

In front of La Plata’s first town hall, circa 1925. “It is regrettable to note an apparent change of front on the part of some of the citizens of La Plata by a large holding company, Harold E. West, chair- toward the activities of the Suburban Electric man of the Maryland PSC, prepared a bill that was Power Company in Southern Maryland. When introduced in the legislature to prevent ownership of the assurance that the company would extend its Consolidated from passing to interests not situated in lines to Charles County was frst realized, a unity 27 the state of Maryland. Tis bit of history repeated of sentiment prevailed here, in that the proposi- itself in 2006 with the unsuccessful efort of Baltimore tion represented the greatest boost La Plata has yet Gas and Electric Co. (BGE), the successor in title to enjoyed, and nearly every householder here readily Consolidated, to merge with Florida Power and Light subscribed to the terms of the Electric Company, Co., and the ensuing trauma the proposal caused and entered into contracts for the service. Not within the PSC and the state legislature. a cent’s worth of stock in the company has been In March the Suburban Electric Power Co. announced ofered here; its management, in good faith, has it had fled a new schedule for rates with the PSC to take taken our people at their own word and contracted efect upon its approval. Te proposal called for about with them in the open, assuming all risk of such a 75 percent decrease in all rates. Te existing house a project in a sparsely settled section, with its own lighting rate was 15 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh); capital and not as a promoter with the capital of a under the proposed schedule, it would be reduced to gullible public. Speedily the lines have been built two to four cents per kWh depending on the amount in various sections of the county and Waldorf, of energy used. Te minimum charge would remain Bryantown and Hughesville are already enjoying the same—$2 per month for service in incorporated the service and are satisfed with same.

Dr. Roy Guyther, a native son of Mechanicsville, recalled there was definitely electricity in Mechanicsville in 1928. He was 8 years old at the time and told the author in 2007 he has a vivid memory of getting in one of the holes that had been dug for a transmission pole and not being able to get out. His friends ran to his house to get his mother, who was unable to rescue him on the first attempt, and in turn had to borrow a neighbor’s ladder to extricate him. After that he went on to become a physician, practicing medicine in Mechanicsville from 1948 to 1990 and then teaching at the University of Maryland Medical School until 1995. He was awarded the “Doctor of the Year” by the American Academy of Family Physicians in 1979.

Chapter two: 1925–1929 “Now that the company has demonstrated its fnancial ability to fully perform its part of the contract we are advised that there is a disposition It was not the first time that La Plata had on the part of some of our citizenship to repudi- taken an editorial hit. Some 19 years ate their own actions, and seek the authority of before, Saint Mary’s Beacon Editor Aloysius the Public Service Commission of Maryland in evasion of their individual contracts. As a result King had playfully chided his fellow La the company may well consider the cessation of its Plata editors when he wrote: activities here, and build its lines in communities which enjoy some semblance of progress. “Leonardtown is on the boom and the latest thing to come this way is the “ALAS! POOR LA PLATA.” 29 Matthews–Howard Implement Co. After Tere appears to have been some confusion in the their March visit to this town the wide- local papers of the day over just what the actual electric awake and hustling members of this rates were. Te gold ring for Suburban was to get its Company saw our many advantages lines into the incorporated towns of North Beach over La Plata and determined to start a and Chesapeake Beach, where some 1,500 potential customers awaited electric service—or about 25 business here. On Monday last Messrs. percent of the total prospective customers in that part Matthews and Howard came down and 31 of Southern Maryland. In its rate fling, Suburban bargained for a site for their warehouse proposed a special rate for the beaches. It was reported on the green to the left of the Hotel that a connection fee of $50 was proposed, in contrast St. Mary’s and will soon erect a building to connection charges of $315 and $305 for the rest of Southern Maryland. Additionally, the company had there and open up for business. We admire proposed energy charges of seven cents per kWh for their judgment and taste in coming to the frst 25 kWh per month, fve cents per kWh for the Leonardtown and commiserate with broth- next 25 and three cents per kWh for all kWh in excess ers Mitchell and Posey who will never have of 50, with a monthly minimum charge of 75 cents. the chance if they live to be Methuselah’s Te PSC denied the proposed rates for the beaches,

holding: “Tese proposed rates are so much lower age to report a Leonardtown firm moving than the rates proposed for the remainder of Southern to La Plata.”30 Maryland that the Commission is of the opinion they are discriminatory in favor of the beaches and would provide a burden on customers in other parts of Southern Maryland.”32

Te commission then showed its true concern for Southern Maryland. After the Suburban Electric Power Co. applied for authority to build its branch lines into North Beach and Chesapeake Beach, the Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Co. of Baltimore submitted an application to construct a line to serve these communities. Te commission granted that application, thus cutting Suburban of at the legs much to the beneft of Consolidated and to the detri- ment of Southern Maryland.33 Te Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Co. traced its origin back The Hotel La Plata, circa 1930.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 19 Passengers boarding the train at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Station, circa 1915–1920. to the Gas Light Co. of Baltimore and the moment A full discussion was given to the present status of in 1816 when noted portrait artist Rembrandt Peale the power project in this section, as brought about illuminated a room in his Holiday Street museum in by the action of the Public Service Commission Baltimore with burning gas. On June 17, 1816, the granting the Consolidated Gas and Electric Light city council approved his plan to light the city’s streets. Company the privilege of serving the incorporated In 1955, the company name was changed to Baltimore towns of North Beach and Chesapeake Beach Gas and Electric Co. which were included in the contemplated territory to be served by the Suburban Company, and the On April 5 a letter appeared in Te Times-Crescent resultant determination by the latter Company signed by James P. Ryon, Joseph H. Howard, J.L. to cease further power construction in Southern Orem, Peter Schroeder and J.L. Groves asking the Maryland and it was the opinion of all present citizens of Southern Maryland to attend a meeting to at the meeting that the future development and be held at the Waldorf Community Hall on April 7 progress of this section demanded that immedi- concerning the interest of light and power in Southern ate and determined action be taken to bring to Maryland. Te April 12 issue of Te Times-Crescent the attention of the Public Service Commission reported on the Waldorf meeting: the necessity of a reconsideration of its ruling with “Te meeting at Waldorf last Sunday afternoon, respect to the North Beach and Chesapeake Beach in the interest of the electric light and power situ- territory. It was emphasized by all who spoke at ation in Southern Maryland, was attended by the meeting that, unless some relief from the pres- a large and representative class of citizens from ent unfortunate situation is efected, all hope of the lower counties of the State. Te meeting was energizing the remaining towns and communi- called to order by J.L. Orem, and organized with ties of this section in the original contemplated the selection of John F. Mudd as Chairman and program of the Suburban Company will be lost George D. Turner of Prince Frederick as Secretary. for years to come.” 34

Chapter two: 1925–1929 Mr. John B. Gray Jr. of Prince Frederick ofered a reso- part of the territory which they had a reasonable lution that a committee, composed of himself and right to expect to be able to serve.” 35 George Turner of Calvert County; L. Johnson Canter A copy of the resolution was forwarded to Gov. Albert and R.H. Pembrook of St. Mary’s County; James P. Ritchie and members of the PSC. Te Southern Ryon and John J. Gehring of Charles County; and two Maryland Electric Power Committee, as they had members to be appointed from Prince George’s County, “resolved” themselves, was successful in getting the proceed immediately to arrange a hearing before the PSC to hold hearings on the matter beginning April PSC. It was hoped the desired relief could be obtained, 22 in Baltimore. A large and representative delegation for, stated the resolution, “all hope for a worth-while of Southern Marylanders, representative “of the best development and real progress in Southern Maryland hangs in the balance.” citizenship of the counties interested in the project,” attended the hearing and urged the commission to It was noted that at its initial hearing before the PSC, allow the Suburban Electric Power Co. to carry out Suburban had announced it contemplated serving the its proposed program of supplying power through- beach communities; the resolution continued: out the territory originally contemplated by it and in accordance with such rates and conditions as would “And whereas, notwithstanding previous eforts enable it to furnish service without undue fnancial to procure electrical service in even a part of hindrance. All who testifed expressed their satisfac- this community by the Potomac Electric Light tion with the company, and those who were enjoying and Power Company and the Annapolis and service were emphatic in their declarations of satisfac- Chesapeake Bay Power Company, a subsidiary tion with the service and reasonableness of the charges. of Consolidated, neither of these Companies has Most who attended the meeting from Charles County heretofore expressed a willingness to develop even a made the trip by bus specially chartered from the part of the territory, but have steadfastly refused to Tidewater Co.36 Because of its length, the hearing was do so; and whereas it is apparent that neither of these continued until April 29. Companies can develop the territory contemplated by the Te Times-Crescent reported that Suburban Company upon President Roy Meade and Ezra their fled and published Whitman, the chief engineer of schedule of rates, and Suburban, conclusively showed neither of them has shown the schedule of rates fled by the any desire or inclination to company was both fair and prac- so develop the territory upon tical. Meade ofered to leave to any other rates, but on the the commission the matter of contrary every condition fxing any plan as a substitute for points to the fact that if this The Crossroads Post Office was located in the company’s connection charge; territory is not developed by Murphy’s Store in Port Tobacco, circa 1910–1950. his only demand was that a fair the Suburban Company there is no immediate income upon the investment in the lines be allowed. It prospect of its being developed within a reasonable further was shown that, notwithstanding the repeated time. … Terefore be it resolved, that it is the sense appeals to Consolidated Gas Electric Light and of this meeting that the people here assembled in Power Co. and Pepco to provide service in Southern their own behalf and on behalf of their friends, Maryland, no action had been taken by them, but relatives and neighbors similarly situated, do to the contrary “a deaf ear” had been turned on each hereby vehemently protest against the decision occasion. Now that the Suburban Electric Power Co. of the Public Service Commission of Maryland, had demonstrated both its desire and ability to serve awarding to the Consolidated Company of this territory, noted the article, “a diferent attitude Baltimore a portion of the territory naturally had been evidenced by the petition of the Baltimore within the sphere of Suburban’s operation and a Company to enter into the populous section of

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 21 Northern Calvert County.”37“It was gratifying,” stated an article, “to note the almost unanimous sentiment of the people of Southern Maryland in favor of the frst and only Power Company which had the nerve to take the risk of serving all sections of Lower Maryland, both populous and sparsely populated.” 38

Te Maryland Independent called it a “queer decision,” an “eventful week for Suburban Power,” whose application to provide service to North Beach and Chesapeake Beach was turned down and awarded to Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Co., “a powerful corporation of Baltimore City.”39 If the walls of the then-smoke-flled rooms of the venerable old Maryland Club could talk, there would be a footnote.

With the adverse decision by the PSC, the construction activities of Suburban came to a halt. To add insult to injury, the Popes Creek train line discontinued service after having provided uninterrupted service since 1870 from Charles County to Washington and Baltimore. Editor Mitchell waxed poetically: “TIMES CHANGE Passengers riding the trolley in North Beach, Maryland, “No longer will the people of this section be awak- circa 1923. The trolley line originally opened on May ened by the thrill of the Five o’clock whistle—no 31, 1914, and ran until Sept. 30, 1918, when it went into longer will they welcome its return at eventide, receivership. It was sold in November 1918 and then when the day’s work is done, and weary foot- it recalls to memory sweet reminiscences of a dead steps plod their homeward way. Time was when past. Truly: such a change would be looked upon as a distinct Swift to its close calamity. Te morning train for Baltimore and Ebbs out life’s little day; Washington was the scene of all classes of business Earth’s joys grow dim, activity. As it wended its way, the afairs of the Its glories pass away.” 40 country, State and Nation were discussed by those who at that time guided the destiny of their respec- With hope fading for line extensions south of tive localities. Upon the old time coaches drawn Mechanicsville after the PSC’s decision against by “Tom Tumb” engines, local politicians molded the Suburban Electric Power Co., the St. Mary’s the politics of the day. Southern Maryland then County commissioners on Aug. 13, 1929, possessed but one highway to the cities, namely the granted William F. Cecil a franchise to serve Pope’s Creek Line. St. Mary’s County.41

And now alas! Tese feeting years have removed Several weeks later, Te Times-Crescent reported it had from the scene of earthly action, the strong men been “ofcially advised” that Suburban would begin and angelic women of that day and time. It may extension of the lines on or about Sept. 1. Te work be that from the clouds above they watch with the would proceed in Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert coun- present generation, the vicissitudes in all things; if ties. For some time, the article reported, the company they do, they too will note the passing of the “Old had been marking time in its operations because of Pope’s Creek Train” with a tinge of sorrow, in that the uncertainty with which it viewed the rulings of

Chapter two: 1925–1929 System—the “Fed”—had by 1929 raised interest rates several times in an efort to cool the overheated market. On Oct. 24, panic selling occurred as investors realized the stock boom had been an overinfated bubble. Margin calls could not be met and many overnight millionaires became overnight paupers. Te stock market crashed on Oct. 28–29. By November the Dow Jones had sunk from 400 to 145. In three days the New York Stock Exchange erased more than $5 billion worth of share values. In all, by the end of the debacle, $16 billion had been shaved of stock capitalization. To make matters even worse, banks had invested their deposits in the stock market, and when the stocks were obliterated the banks lost the depositors’ money. More than $140 billion in depositors’ money disappeared as nearly 10,000 banks failed.43 All of the banks in Southern Maryland at the time remained solvent.

On Oct. 28, William F. Cecil sold his ice and power plant to William F. Stevens of Chicago.44 Te Nov. 1 Times-Crescent reported the death of George W. Woolford by a pistol shot fred by his own hand. abandoned. In 1921, it was revived and ran until 1923, Ill health and grief due to the recent death of his only during which time it was pulled by a Fordson Tractor. It son were blamed solely for his death. At the time of his was abandoned again in 1923. death he was president of the Suburban Electric Power Co. of Waldorf, executive head of the Eastern Shore the PSC as to the franchises previously granted by Trust Co., consisting of 21 banks on the Eastern Shore that body. Te Times-Crescent reported “these matters and Southern Maryland, and was a director in many have now been cleared up and defnite plans have other enterprises, among them the Title Guarantee been outlined for the extension of lines. Te article and Trust Co. of Baltimore and the Continental Life concluded that the service in the towns now reached Insurance Co. of Maryland.45 by its lines—Waldorf, Bryantown, Hughesville, Mechanicsville, La Plata and Indian Head—had During the fnal hours of 1929, a petition for the been accorded general satisfaction and, noted the merger of 14 electric utility companies in various article, “we feel assured that the people of Southern parts of Maryland was fled with the PSC. Te merged Maryland will be glad to note the further develop- companies would be known as the Maryland Light and 42 ment and progress of the company.” Tere were dark Power Co., a subsidiary of the Empire Public Service clouds on the horizon, however, and events were about Corp., which operated in 14 states. Te Suburban to overtake both Suburban and Southern Maryland. Electric Power Co. was one of the 14 companies that Between the years 1921 and 1929 the Dow Jones would be included in the merger. A hearing on the industrial average had risen from 60 to 400. Te stock matter was set for January 1930 and, it was reported, market was considered a “sure thing” and there were “Consolidated Gas & Electric Company of Baltimore many overnight millionaires who had invested on was watching the merger of the smaller companies margin and were subject to “margin calls” should their with considerable interest, due to its programs of stock fall below a certain value. Te Federal Reserve expansion into rural territories in recent years.”46

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 23 CHAPTER 3 Holding Companies, Folding Com-

Louis M. Hyde, printer for the Port Tobacco Times and the Times-Crescent, in his print shop in the back of the old A&P

Chapter three: 1930–1937 panies and Cooperatives: 1930–1937 Few experiencing the dawn of New Year’s Day 1930 could envision a decade of Depression. In March, President Hoover reassured the public, stating the worst efects of the Depression would be over in 90 days, that “prosperity is just around the corner.”1 Unfortunately, he overstated his case.

In April the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) authorized the consolidation of 14 utility companies in Maryland, giving permission to the Maryland Light and Power Co. to acquire the capital stock of the independent companies and to sell those stocks to Empire Public Service Corp. of Philadelphia for which the Maryland Light and Power Co. was a holding company.2 Less than a year later, in April 1931, all the properties and holdings of the Empire Public Service Corp. in Maryland, Delaware and certain properties in Virginia—serving some 9,300 customers and having a value of $4 million—were sold to the National Public Service Corp., a subsidiary of the National Electric Power Co. (a holding company controlling the eastern properties of the Insull interests and one of the principal subsidiaries of the Middle West Utilities Co.). Te reports of the sale noted that the Eastern Shore Public Service Co. (ESPSC), an Insull operating company adjacent to the acquisitions, would coordinate the operations.3 Te interests of Samuel Insull and his family were exercised through the Middle West Utilities Co. that at one time had operating subsidiaries in 30 states and supplied electricity to 5,300 communities. Te Middle West Utilities Co. grew by acquiring small operating utilities, consolidating them into larger ones and combining these into sub-holding companies between Middle West and the operating utilities. Using accounting practices that would not be allowed today, the operating utility’s book value was infated, causing customers’ rates to increase. Tis house of cards was built to reap the benefts of pyramiding, which was allowed by the holding company form of business, since holding companies needed only to acquire a relatively small percentage of the shares of the operating company to efectively control them. Tis form of organization allowed for considerable fnancial leverage.4 In 1930, 90 percent of all operating utility companies were controlled by 19 holding companies. For the time being, it was business as usual.

In July 1930 the Leonardtown Ice Co. hired Alonzo Reed from Chincoteague Island to assume the duties of chief engineer. Te extension of the company’s electric service and increased demand for ice necessitated the enlargement of the plant. It was noted that one of the company’s store in Waldorf, circa 1940. Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 25 two 250-HP motors for energy supply was installed and the second would be running in the near future.5 Later that year, William F. Stevens of Cook County, Ill., sold the ice and generating plant at Leonardtown Wharf to the Maryland Light and Power Co.6 From In December 1930, the feds weren’t 1930 to 1943, local papers referred to the power the only ones consumed with Christmas company—Maryland Light and Power Co. or the spirits. On Jan. 1, 1931, The Washington ESPSC—as one and the same, though Maryland Star reported in a special dispatch from Light and Power Co. was in fact a subsidiary of the Leonardtown: ESPSC. In October 1943 the two companies merged under the ESPSC name.7 “When the seven prohibition officers In December 1930 federal “dry agents” attempted to stationed in this area to assist in drying “dry up Southern Maryland in order to keep moon up Southern Maryland started to work shine, to wit, superb rye whiskey, out of Washington this morning they found their large and Baltimore for Christmas.” Te Washington car had flat tires and that a spare on and Baltimore papers were full of dispatches another had been cut. Someone during from Leonardtown reporting on the federal efort the night had let out all the air in the throughout Southern Maryland.8 Twenty-two stills tires on one car. These cars are parked had been dynamited by Dec. 23; on Christmas Eve, in front of the hotel in Leonardtown, agents reported destroying 5,000 gallons of mash, three 50-gallon steel drums, 900 pounds of sugar, 500 when the officers are stopping.” pounds of rye meal and 75 feet of two-inch copper coil 9 Later that spring the Star reported in the Hughesville area. that the plans of the prohibition authorities In March 1931 the Saint Mary’s Beacon reported to establish a headquarters in Leonardtown the ESPSC, a.k.a. Maryland Light and Power, had had met a snag when agents from taken charge of the plant at Leonardtown Wharf and Baltimore and Washington were unable no change had been made in personnel. In April, to find anyone who would rent them an electric service was run to St. Mary’s City. “Historic office. They had wanted to establish one St. Mary’s City Goes Modern With Completion of Line Supplying Current From Leonardtown Plant— with a small clerical force and 10 men, but Electric Lights Now Gleam at Site of State’s First it seemed the town did not like the idea of Capitol” ran the headline in Te Baltimore Sun. having a “base of enforcement operation” St. Mary’s Female Seminary (now St. Mary’s College in its midst.10 It is an interesting footnote to of Maryland) was the frst building to be connected.11 this period that in 1958, some 25 years after By December, 17 miles of line had been run from the repeal of the Prohibition amendment, Leonardtown to Piney Point. One of the structures to St. Mary’s County ranked third in the state be electrifed was the Piney Point Lighthouse. Capt. in the number of stills seized by government William Yeatman, the former lighthouse keeper, was agents—with top honors on that front going transferred to the Point Lookout Lighthouse. Capt. William Goeshy of Baltimore was transferred from to Charles County. the Drum Point Lighthouse in the Patuxent to Piney Point. It was to be his frst land station.12

“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” the 1932 hit song by Rudy Vallee, was a song for the times, as was “Happy Days Are Here Again,” the campaign song of Franklin

Chapter three: 1930–1937 D. Roosevelt, who was elected president in November. Te year saw the airing of Buck Rogers on CBS Radio. In May, Amelia Earhart became the frst woman to fy solo across the Atlantic, and in August she became the frst woman to make a non-stop transcontinental fight.13 It was also the year that a house of cards began to tumble and a dime would not solve the problems of Samuel Insull and friends. In July Te New York Times reported the National Electric Power Co., one of the largest of the Samuel Insull public utility holding companies in the East with assets of more than $600 million, was placed in receivership in June. Nine creditors had $19 million in claims, with the Irving Trust Co. ($13,004,500) and the Chase Bank ($5,509,601) being the two largest.14 Te ESPSC and Maryland Light and Power were on the bottom of the deck of this house of cards. Tey were the last links in the Insull food chain. Several months earlier, in April, Insull crown jewel Middle West Utilities Co.—despite manipulation of its debt and the stock market—had been placed into receivership. Te company’s books had shown a surplus of $2.9 million that later was converted into a $177.7 million defcit.15

Te Irving Trust Co., acting as receiver, fled a report stating that the National Electric Power Co., through its 160 subsidiary holding and operating companies, was providing gas, water, electric and Aiming for the future, a young couple passed the time other utility services to more than 2,700 communities on a summer day in the 1920s. in the Eastern United States. Its subsidiaries included Te structure did not collapse all at once; it would take the National Public Service Corp., the Electric some time, but the clock had started and the regulation Management Engineering Corp., the New England of holding companies would become a top priority for Public Service Co., the Pennsylvania Central Light Franklin Roosevelt and his “New Deal.” Business went and Power Co., the Michigan Electric Power Co. on as usual in Southern Maryland. In November, the and the Northeastern Utilities Co. Trough these, Leonardtown commissioners, via an ordinance, of- the report stated, the bankrupt company controlled cially recognized the Maryland Light and Power Co. subsidiaries in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, as the successor to William F. Cecil, to whom they had Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New granted a franchise on Sept. 13, 1925.19 Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.16 An article in the Saint Mary’s Beacon promoting local business in the area included the W.R. Burch General Te receiver recommended that for the time being, Store at the Oaks (Mechanicsville area); the Hughesville and pending determination of the policy to be Garage, in business since 1920, run by S.I. and J.O. adopted by the various parties involved, it would be Quade, father and son; the Mechanicsville Bank of in the best interests of all concerned for the present the Eastern Shore Trust Co.; a new store being built management to continue, but with reduced person- in Abell by W.H. Mattingly; and the Maryland Light nel and overhead expenses. 17 and Power Co. Te article indicated the company was

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 27 being run from the bottom up rather than from the eral. Because of the nature of the collateral, consisting top down: principally of notes of underlying holding companies due to the National Electric Power Co., fnal “One of the most important enterprises in this ownership of the operating properties would not be progressive community is that of the Maryland decided until the collateral securing the underlying Light and Power Company, operating under notes had been sold. Te properties involved included the able management of Emerson Phillips. Tis the Virginia Public Service Co., serving some 80,000 concern is local in principal and supplies the customers in 375 communities in Virginia, West community with electricity for light and power at Virginia and Maryland; the ESPSC, serving 33,000 rates that will be found by comparison to be fair customers in 223 communities on the Delmarva and reasonable. Te service covers all of the four Peninsula and Southern Maryland; the Buckeye Light southern counties of the State. Tey also manufac- and Power Co. and its subsidiaries, serving numer- ture ice, which is of high quality and ofered to the ous communities in Ohio; and on it went, including trade at low prices. a promissory note for $485,000 payable on demand Trough its great buying power, this concern to which numerous companies down the food chain is able to ofer to its patrons General Electric were pledged, including Maryland Light and Power, refrigerators, Westinghouse electric irons, Mazda in the amount of $96,000 in frst mortgage bonds.21 lamps, electric washing machines, etc., at attrac- Te bids on the properties were unsuccessful, so the tively low prices.” 20 Chase Bank bid for the collateral and assumed respon- At the end of January 1933, after seven months in sibility. It was noted that while Consolidated Gas receivership and some 30 plans or revisions of plans Electric Light and Power Co. of Baltimore had been introduced by the various interests involved, Chase acquiring small operating companies in the state, it was Bank announced it was going to sell the Insull collat- not interested in the Insull utilities, as they were not

Horace Quade, Wallace Johnson, William Ferrall, Howard Trotter, Oscar Gough, J.A. Abell, and Frank Stine served as line crew for Eastern Shore Public Service Co. (Maryland Light and Power).

Chapter three: 1930–1937 The growth of the utility holding company could occur because of the lack of effective regulation. States were unable or unwilling to regulate the large interstate holding companies that came to dominate the utility business after the turn of the century. The holding company approach led to pyramiding, and the result of pyramiding was the extensive use of bonds and preference shares that paid fixed returns as a means of financing the acquisition of operating companies and other holding companies. This growth in debt and fixed-interest payments required to service the debt made the holding companies more vulnerable to the business cycle. Pyramiding and leveraging cut both ways, and while small increases in operating utility profits could lead to much greater increases in holding company profits, small decreases could cause a whole structure to collapse.18

contiguous to its territory.22 Recall that Consolidated On May 24, 1935, the frst night baseball game in the was serving the Calvert County beaches as a result of major leagues was played in Cincinnati between the its power play with the PSC. Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Athletics. Some two weeks before, on May 11, President Roosevelt To add to the woes of a crumbling fnancial system, signed Executive Order 7037 establishing the Rural disaster struck Aug. 23, 1933, when a hurricane Electrifcation Administration and thus provided combined with a violent nor’easter caused millions of the means for lighting up the night for Southern dollars in damages and loss of life from North Carolina Maryland and all rural areas throughout the United to New York. Te entire Eastern Shore of Maryland States. (In 1936 Congress would enact the Rural was cut of from telephone and telegraph communica- Electrifcation Act.) tions. Te Pennsylvania Railroad line between Easton and Salisbury was washed out, and in Ocean City the In August 1935, the Roosevelt administration and Atlantic Ocean surged across the narrow sand strip Congress responded to the abuses of the holding to merge with the Sinepuxent Bay. When the waters company form of governance with the passage of the Public Utility Holding Company Act. Tis legislation receded, a channel was revealed joining the ocean would have a signifcant impact on the future electri- and bay that is much utilized to this day. Te tempest fcation of Southern Maryland. Te most important isolated Annapolis and all rural communities through- feature of the act as it would pertain to Southern out Southern Maryland.23 Damage to crops and prop- Maryland was that the U.S. Securities and Exchange erties along the waterfront was particularly severe Commission (SEC) was empowered to eliminate the in Southern Maryland and those losses extended to large interstate holding companies until they became the Baltimore waterfront. Some 195,000 pounds of a single integrated system serving a limited geographic tobacco was damaged in the state tobacco warehouse area. Te companies were to prepare their own plans 24 as a result of the storm. Te “Storm of ’33” was the of reorganization and the SEC could institute manda- fnal blow for the steamship companies and signaled tory proceedings if the voluntary plan of the hold- the end of an era. A year before, the Baltimore and ing company was found to be inadequate. Plans were Virginia Steamboat Co. had declared bankruptcy, required to be fled by Jan. 1, 1938. Te frst response citing “the large increases in passengers and freight to the act was resistance on the part of the holding using trucks and buses along the improved highways companies. Fifty-eight cases were brought challeng- which run to all places touched by our line.”25 After ing the law’s constitutionality, which was confrmed in the storm, many of the steamboat wharves and land- several cases. By 1947 virtually all holding companies ings were not rebuilt, and just like the Popes Creek rail had undergone some form of simplifcation or integra- line, the steamboat lines would in short order be but tion, and, by 1950, the utility reorganizations were all a memory. but complete.31

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 29 In November 1933 the Maryland Tercentenary Commission announced that the contract for building the reproduction of the original Maryland Statehouse at St. Mary’s City had been let to G. Walter Trovell Inc. of Baltimore. The bid was the lowest of eight and the contract price was $25,000. The original Statehouse cost 300,000 pounds of tobacco and was paid out to John Quigley, who built the original in 1674–76.26 At 2 o’clock on the afternoon of March 25, 1934, the state steamer Governor Steamboat travel was a large component in both consumer travel and R.M. McLane arrived at Saint commerce in Southern Maryland.

Clement’s Island carrying Gov. Gov. Ritchie introduced the paid into the treasury, the Albert Ritchie to dedicate a knights. Prizes were awarded to consumption of liquor in 40-foot cross that had been Warren McConkey of Oxon Hill; Maryland over the 10 months erected to commemorate the Thomas I. Weems Jr. of Stoakley; since repeal was calculated at 300th anniversary of Maryland’s Douglas Parran and David approximately two quarts per founding. Some 2,000 people 29 Harkness of Calvert County, person. On a slightly brighter attended the ceremony.27 and George J. Weems of Anne note, T.J. Camfield, manager During the remainder of the Arundel County.28 of the Southern Maryland year various events were held to district re-employment office, celebrate and commemorate In spite of the festivities the announced the files of his office the occasion. In June, festivities Depression rolled on. The 1934 contained the names of some were held at St. Mary’s City taxable basis for the state 5,000 unemployed residents of and in October, 38 knights took had dropped more than $25 Prince George’s, Charles and part in a jousting tournament million from the 1933 total, and St. Mary’s counties. At the same in Calvert County with a crowd liquor receipts from the date time the previous year, the rolls estimated at 1,500 representing of the repeal of Prohibition of the unemployed for Prince every section of Southern were disappointing. On the George’s County alone had Maryland. Prior to the joust, basis of the amount of tax contained 8,000 names.30

Chapter three: 1930–1937 Also in August, a committee representing a prepon- Te year 1936 saw eforts on many fronts in Southern derant section of the utility industry formulated a Maryland to establish rural electrifcation projects. program calling for the expenditure of $238,249,000 Early in the year a cooperative was formed in Calvert in rural electrifcation. It was proposed by the commit- County. Te REA designated the project “Maryland- tee that the Rural Electrifcation Administration 2-Calvert” and approved a loan of $80,000. Maryland (REA) would advance the necessary funds to the oper- Light and Power, charging 15 cents per kWh, compared ating companies. REA Administrator Morris L. Cook with the REA-proposed 5½ cents per kWh, convinced endorsed the proposal.32 While serving as the governor the PSC to approve the extension of its lines into the of New York, Franklin Roosevelt had appointed Cook most densely populated section, which the cooperative proposed to serve, and thus cut the heart out of the to the New York Power Authority. In March he had project.35 A subsequent article noted that Maryland tapped Cook to head up the REA that would come Light and Power had promised the REA it would not into existence in May. It was Cook who determined build a line in Calvert County until consulting with the agency should act as a lending, rather than a relief, them and then worked night and day, three shifts, to agency. On Aug. 7, President Roosevelt, in an execu- build fve miles of line for which it had no customers— tive order setting up rules and regulations for the new simply to stop the REA.36 agency, authorized the REA to make loans to private utilities as well as to states and municipalities. Te At about the same time, two Southern Maryland REA announced that funds would be made available committees—one in St. Mary’s County and another in to public and private agencies. Te loans would be Charles and Prince George’s counties—were trying to self-liquidating, normally for 20 years and normally at get REA loans. In late June, REA Engineer T.F. Stevens 3 percent interest, with the same terms contemplated addressed a representative gathering from Avenue, for all classes of borrowers.33 Palmers, Abell, White Neck, Oakley, Milestown, Maddox, Chaptico and Morganza at Holy Angels Hall Overall the investor-owned utilities did not take in Avenue. He was gratifed at the enthusiasm shown. advantage of the low-interest government money Te Executive Committee appointed an Activating and, while they talked the talk regarding the need Committee, nominating a gentleman from each of the for rural electrifcation, they failed to deliver in terms towns who immediately took more than 250 appli- of implementation. As evidenced from the news cations that they “are enthusiastically placing before articles of the day, the Maryland Light and Power Co. our residents in the 7th, 4th, and adjacent parts of the 37 was openly hostile to the cooperative movement in 3rd Districts.” Te Rev. S. John Rudtke, S.J., pastor Southern Maryland. Given the adversity faced on so of Holy Angels Church, was the chairman of the St. many fronts, the formation of Maryland’s frst electric Mary’s County executive committee for rural electrifcation in the 7th District. cooperative is testimony to the indomitable spirit and grit of the individuals associated with it. It was not an During the summer of 1936 he and other residents easy task. of the 7th election district organized the St. Mary’s County Cooperative Light and Power Co.38 In July, In October, some fve months after the signing of Father Rudtke made application for loan funds in the Executive Order No. 7037, a group of residents from amount of $35,000 to build 30 miles of line to serve the 1st District of St. Mary’s County met with repre- approximately 150 customers. Te REA Legal Division sentatives of the REA in Washington. Prior to the recommended the allotment to “enable the sponsors meeting, a notice to the citizens of the 1st District to appear before the PSC and to avoid some of the advised that if sufcient interest could be generated, difculties encountered in the Maryland-2-Calvert “it will greatly hasten the extension of this useful and project.”39 In a July 27 memo, the REA Engineering proftable service to the lower frst district.” A meeting Department recommended a conditional allotment was held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Ridge on “so that the sponsor may be able to contact the power Oct. 19.34 company and obtain from them a commitment which

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 31 “Our survey of the extension indicates that there will be 106 possible customers to be attached to the line, but a complete canvas of those customers develop the fact that only 49 of them were interested in taking service and that the latter number would guarantee us aggregate revenue in the amount of $102.50 per month. We have estimated the cost of construction of the desired line at $22,000, and as late as November 11th last, we wrote Mr. Dent that we would be willing to build the line provided we received guarantees of revenue from persons, whose credit is satisfactory, aggregating two percent per month on the investment or $440 per month.” 44

Troughout the summer of 1936 committeemen worked “unremittingly” to get subscribers for the REA project. On July 31 a mass meeting was held at St. Friendship Farm in Nanjemoy. John’s School Hall in Hollywood and it was noted I feel certain they will not be able to do until the allot- that “Pearson, Hollywood and Tree Notch Road are ment has been made.”40 Te memo further noted, enthusiastically working up their project recognizing “the operating costs on this project are based upon the that good electric light and power makes homes better, preserves health and helps to save money.”45 After the understanding that there will be an addition to this formation of the cooperative, Maryland Light and project of some 35 miles and 100 customers, which is Power lowered its rates. In February 1936, following a not in the development stage.”41 mass meeting at Duke’s in Leonardtown, a committee On Aug. 8 Father Rudtke announced the allotment consisting of Roland Duke, Sen. Allan Coad, Dr. of $35,000 from the REA, for the project designated Charles Hayden, Aleck Loker, Dr. F.F. Greenwell, as Maryland-4-St. Mary’s. Te work, he stated, was William G. Fenwick and George P. Loker, all citizens expected to begin soon.42 Maryland Light and Power of Leonardtown and customers of Maryland Light responded to the formation of the St. Mary’s County and Power, memorialized, or petitioned, the PSC, apprising it that the rate charged for Leonardtown and Cooperative Light and Power Co. by announcing vicinity was far in excess of prevailing rates in similar on Aug. 30 it would begin constructing a line from communities and much higher than anywhere in the St. Mary’s City to Pearson and from there to Ridge United States, with the exception of two communities commencing on Sept. 1.43 Te line was not forth- in New York and one in the state of Washington. Te coming and was another efort on the part of the committee requested a comprehensive inquiry with company to forestall the eforts of the growing coop- the view of obtaining a lower rate.46 erative movement in the Pearson, Cedar Point and Ridge areas. Just three years before, in 1933, real estate It appears the prospect of competition did more for broker Gilbert Dent had conducted a survey on behalf rate reduction than “memorializing.” Te Saint Mary’s of Maryland Light and Power after an inquiry of the Beacon queried: Lighthouse Service regarding the electrifcation of the “If the cooperative plan proves a failure will the Point Lookout Lighthouse, a project that would have old rates be restored? Te P.S.C. has favored the required approximately 12 miles of line construction utility company. Will it continue to do so at the from St. Mary’s City to Point Lookout. Te company expense of the community? Is it thus of the commu- reported to the PSC: nity? Is it thus serving the Public?” 47

Chapter three: 1930–1937 Meanwhile, back in Charles County the news was not for a cooperative power plant. Te R.E.A. has the so good. After studying the territory and the report power to do this.” 49 of one of its representatives, the REA reported it did Te records are not clear as to when the St. Mary’s not feel justifed in encouraging the formation of a County Cooperative began to join forces with its coun- project because the territory was “so thin” and agency terparts in Charles and Prince George’s counties, but authorities were doubtful it could be made to “pay it occurred sometime during the summer of 1936. In out.” Rather than taking responsibility for killing the November, Louis Stephens of the REA Development project, the agency decided to wait until an actual Division corresponded with Wendell M. Reed of survey of the territory was taken showing the number Welcome, Md.: of signed customers guaranteeing a usage sufcient to warrant the project feasible. In the meantime, the “In line with my conversation with you on project would be held in abeyance.48 Te Saint Mary’s Wednesday, I plan to come down next Tuesday, project also was stalled thanks to what the Saint Mary’s November 10, with a member of our Legal Beacon referred to as a “raw deal from the local power Division, to attend a joint meeting of the organi- company, from the PSC and indirectly from the Rural zation committees of the Charles and Saint Mary’s Electrifcation Administration.” After citing the failed Counties projects, at the La Plata Court House, at Calvert County Cooperative and the part played by 8 P.M. We shall probably arrange to make a few the PSC and the Maryland Light and Power Co., calls in the vicinity of Accokeek. Te Administrator Editor King laid out the facts: has not yet had an opportunity to make a decision regarding the allocation of sufcient funds “In Saint Mary’s County a cooperative has been to fnance the construction of the combined proj- formed and incorporated to provide power to a ects, but I expect that he will be able to do so very section which the local power company has long shortly. You will be informed as soon as the deci- refused to serve, the same private utility company sion is made.” 50 as in Calvert County. Te R.E.A. approved a loan of $35,000 for the purpose. After months of On Nov. 10, Father Rudtke received notice from the delay, the private utility company fnally gave an REA administrator that the application of St. Mary’s answer to the urgent County for an increased loan and repeated request amounting to $130,000 for the rates at which had been approved.51 A this company would copy of the administrator’s sell power to the coop- letter was sent to Wendell erative. Te rates are M. Reed, the “Chairman fantastic. To eliminate of the Charles and Prince confusing details, this George’s County Rural can be said: that the Electrifcation Committee.” utility company would sell power at whole- Te year 1936 did not end sale to the cooperative on a positive note for rural at the same rate at electrifcation in Southern The Great Derby was a roller coaster in Chesapeake Maryland. On Dec. 10 which it would supply Beach that ran from 1916 until 1925. It replaced the Scenic power to its own retail Railway, which was in operation from 1900 to 1915. Reed received a letter from customers in its slid- Louis Stephens of the REA ing scale. Of course this would make the project of Development Division acknowledging receipt from the cooperative impossible. Unless the R.E.A. will P.D. Brown, the Charles County extension agent, of infuence the P.S.C. to force the private utility to maps and survey forms of the proposed tie-line and sell at wholesale rates—or will grant a larger loan extension of the project into Charles County. He then

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 33 Wendell Reed was a man who knew his way around Washington. Born in New Mexico in 1865, he began his career with the federal government in 1903 in the capacity of consulting engineer for the U.S. Geological Survey. Two years later he had transferred to the Bureau of Reclamation, where he remained until 1912. While with the Reclamation Bureau he was connected with the erection of the Elephant Butte Dam on the Rio Grande in New Mexico that made possible the irrigation of 155,000 acres of arid land in Texas and New Mexico. In 1912 he came to Washington and assumed charge of the Irrigation Service of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In that capacity and under his supervision, the great multiple domes of the Coolidge Dam were constructed. He retired to his tobacco farm, Waverly, near Welcome in June 1932.52 He obviously didn’t stay retired for long. At age 71, Reed was in the forefront of the electric cooperative movement in Southern Maryland.

noted that an REA report raised some serious ques- monthly bills to the amount that was necessary to tions regarding the feasibility of the project from an place the project on a paying basis, which amount economic viewpoint and suggested that a wise course had been estimated at something more than $5 per would be to defer actual incorporation of the coopera- month per customer. Te four types of prospective tive until the matter was cleared up. It was an unfor- customers designated by the REA were summer and tunate combination of circumstances, he stated, “that weekend residents; small property owners employed the agricultural productivity of the project area should in Washington; a number of employees of the Indian be somewhat lower than average, and the wholesale Head Naval Works; and the poorer farm residents. power rate so much higher.”53 A fnal decision had not yet been reached, the REA stated; the agency said it would be happy to consider Te proposed project for the three counties was any information that would throw a more encouraging suspended while REA considered the feasibility “from light on the situation.55 the viewpoint of the economic background in the project area.”54 Te referenced REA report was bleak Within a month after receiving that news from the indeed. In January 1937, Stevens of the Development REA, P.D. Brown, the Charles County extension agent Division again corresponded with Reed in response to and a leader in the rural electrifcation movement, had his request for details on the data obtained. One of visited with REA ofcials to point out some factors the more prominent factors given by the REA was the they may have overlooked. He encouraged others average income level; the Department of Agriculture to write or visit with REA ofcials. One who did so reported that in 1929, the average cash farm income was U.S. Sen. Millard Tydings of Maryland, who was was approximately $1,000 in Charles County and assured by the REA administrator that “the most care- about the same in St. Mary’s County. In 1935, the ful and sympathetic consideration will be given any average cash income per farm in Maryland was less reliable information furnished by the project sponsors than 70 percent of the 1929 fgure. Farm values in which may tend to ofset the factors which have caused both counties were well below the state average, either our hesitancy in going ahead with the project.”56 on a per farm or per acre basis. When judged on the In spite of the setbacks the project moved ahead. In basis of farm wealth and productivity, Charles and St. February 1937 a meeting was held in the McConchie Mary’s counties ranked near the bottom for Maryland. Grange Hall in Charles County. Wendell M. Reed, One of the prominent obstacles to the development of Edna L. Millar, John B. Hupp and V.J. Donat of Charles a feasible project, advised the REA, was the presence County; Henry A. Xander of Prince George’s County; in considerable numbers of four types of prospective and George R. Quirk and William H. Mattingly of customers, a number of whom could not reasonably St. Mary’s County were present. Mr. Hupp made a be expected to consume enough energy to bring their motion that the committee fle incorporation papers

Chapter three: 1930–1937 J.C. Lore oyster house with Gus Lore’s sandwich shop in the background in Solomons, Maryland, in 1936. The men in front of the oyster house are Melvin Jones, J.C. Lore Jr., G.I. Rupert (Dick) Lore, J.C. Lore Sr., and Frank Tongue.

immediately. Te motion carried and the date of signing ofces and was given fnal confrmation that the proj- was set for Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. in P.D. Brown’s ofce in La ect had met the requirements of the REA and had been Plata. Te committee met at the appointed hour and approved. Some 468 subscribers in the project area of elected directors in order to transact the business of the Prince George’s, Charles and St. Mary’s counties had meeting. Wendell M. Reed was appointed temporary signed applications, paid membership fees and were to chairman, V.J. Donat, temporary secretary, and John be serviced with power. After that, the committee met B. Hupp, temporary treasurer. Te directors signed in La Plata on April 22 and elected Wendell M. Reed, the certifcate of incorporation and there in La Plata, John B. Hupp, Edna L. Millar, William H. Mattingly, on a cold February afternoon under lighting supplied George R. Quirk, Viad J. Donat and Henry A. Xander by the Maryland Light and Power Co., the Southern as the Board of Directors. Te directors then met and Maryland Tri-County Cooperative Association came elected Wendell M. Reed of Welcome as president; into existence. George R. Quirk of Cedar Point as vice president; Te following Monday, Feb. 8, the directors met with Edna L. Millar of Ironsides as secretary; and John. B. REA ofcials in Washington, D.C., and were given Hupp of Bryans Road as treasurer.58 Te struggle and instructions in the matter of procedure in organizing growth that were to follow would not be easy, but it the cooperative.57 On April 19, a committee of the would be exciting and ultimately change the face of Cooperative Association met in the REA’s Washington the Southern Maryland countryside.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 35 CHAPTER 4 The Popes Creek Connection:

SMECO generated electricity at the Popes Creek station from 1938 until 1953.

Chapter four: 1937–1941 1937–1941 Among the listed towns in Charles County of Trappe, Hill Top, Port Tobacco, Chapman Town, Bryantown, Benedict, Allen’s Fresh and Newport, an 1852 map of the county also listed Popes Creek.1 Francis Pope, whose land grant on the Potomac River included Popes Creek, is said to have imported the frst slaves into the county in the 17th century. During the War Between the States, Popes Creek was the favorite spot for crossing the river to Virginia, as it was easily accessible from the North and the people in the neighborhood were known to be in sympathy with the South. Tomas A. Jones lived on a high bluf directly south of Popes Creek and was arrested in September 1861 for—as he would admit after the war— taking people across the river every night and sometimes making several trips in one night. After spending six months in Old Capital Prison in Washington, he returned to Popes Creek to become the chief signal agent north of the Potomac for the Confederacy.2 Following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, he helped John Wilkes Booth cross the Potomac by supplying him with a boat. Jones was suspected of aiding Booth, but was never accused. He held various jobs after the Civil War and died in 1895 in La Plata.3 In the 1870s, the Baltimore and Potomac train had come to Popes Creek; the Pennsylvania Railroad would later purchase the company. It provided Charles County with a highway to the cities of Baltimore and Washington. In 1879 the Port Tobacco Times, commenting on some harbor improvements taking place at Leonardtown Wharf, where a channel 60 feet deep and 30 feet wide was dug from Abell’s Wharf to Leonardtown Wharf to better accommodate the increased steamboat trafc, noted: “In a civilized community the citizens are not dependent on the wind and the waves and the fat-boats for their shipment of their produce. We have a neat little way when we have anything to ship (which happens sometimes) of trotting it through Baltimore behind an iron horse in the short space of six hours, by a species of prestidigitation, so to speak.” 4

In the 1930s, when Popes Creek was fading into the backwater as a commercial center, local author Robert E.T. Pogue recalled a visit as a mate aboard the Maryland police boat Kent: “Docking at the wharf at Pope’s Creek we went to Captain John Drinks’ store for something to eat. Captain Drinks was a very congenial fellow who ran an old general merchandise store on the waterfront. He had built onto his store to provide a place where he served steamed crabs in the

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 37 summertime. Little did he dream how this busi- its incorporation on Feb. 5, board members met with ness was to grow. It was just a small business then, Rural Electrifcation Administration (REA) ofcials but it became famous for the fne steamed crabs, on Feb. 8 and were given a deadline of April 15 to and people came from as far away as Washington guarantee three members per mile of line, each paying to enjoy them. Eventually Captain Drink built a a membership fee of $5 and a minimum bill of $3.50 much larger place.” 5 per month. Te board members and numerous other kindred spirits beat the bushes to meet the deadline. Tere were to be two events in the late 1930s that Among the association’s fles for the year 1937 are would postpone Popes Creek’s ofcial designation as a “backwater”: the construction of the Potomac River the names of 44 individuals listed as the “Canvassing 8 Bridge (now known as the Harry W. Nice Memorial Committee for Membership.” On March 2, President Bridge) at Morgantown, within sight of Popes Creek Wendell Reed had written to board member William (which served as one of the marshaling points of H. Mattingly of Abell inquiring as to what progress construction materials for the bridge), and the the canvassing committee was making in St. Mary’s: construction of the Popes Creek generating plant by the “Not having heard from anyone in your County, Southern Maryland Tri-County I was wondering how the Cooperative Association. Tese canvassing is coming along two watershed events, in and what difculties, if any, addition to the construction of are being met with as the the Patuxent River Naval Air work progresses? Te North Station at Pearson commencing and West part of this county in February 1942, would lead (Charles) seem to be making editor Aloysius King of the very fair progress, however it Saint Mary’s Beacon to write of is going to be a real struggle the wonderment of it all: to put this thing over and get “A résumé of the County electricity into the section. It activities for the past 12 will be worth the struggle, not months shows that St. Mary’s only for the convenience and Site of the generating station at Popes Creek. has undergone a period from pleasure, but the increased the staid courtly ways of value of all real estate will be yesteryear to the hustle, bustle and excitement of something that the whole section will enjoy. Please the present. In a word, we have slipped into the let me hear from you right away.” 9 modern groove and are heading pell-mell for some un-guessable but highly modern goal.” 6 In April additional individuals were recruited to secure subscribers to the Cooperative Association. Popes Creek today boasts three crab houses and a view Te Saint Mary’s Beacon reported that at a meeting of the Nice Bridge, over which 6.8 million vehicles held at Community Hall in Pearson and presided over 7 crossed in fscal year 2011. Tomas Jones, the rail- by Captain N.T. McLean, a committee consisting of road, Captain Drinks and Captain Billy of later years H. Millison, chairman, Rev. Paul J. Sampson, Frank are all gone. Te shell of the generating plant, aban- Hayden, T.G. Strickland, Webster Bell and E.T. Jarboe doned in 1953, still stands as of this writing, as silent was appointed to secure subscribers. Board members testimony that beginning here, at this now ofcial Reed and Hupp and Charles County Extension Agent “backwater,” did all of Southern Maryland “slip into P.D. Brown noted in their talks that a lot of people in the modern groove.” the area wanted electric current and that Maryland Te year 1937 was a trying one for the board members Light and Power had made promises that had not of the new Tri-County Cooperative Association. After been kept.

Chapter four: 1937–1941 SMECO employee Albert Lee Beck with his wife Jessie and children Joe, Peggy, and Albert E. The family’s home in Hollywood served as a co-op office. Mr. Beck’s father, Harry L., and his brother Harry E., were also SMECO employees, as was his son Joe. Peggy married SMECO employee John Merrill Russell. Unfortunately, Albert E. was killed in the Battle of the Bulge.

“It is understood that if the cooperative of the many people who would be benefted by a demonstrates before April 15th that it has enough Cooperative Association. I hope you will run this subscribers to make the thing worthwhile it will matter down as far as possible. We may want to receive the backing of the Rural Electrifcation use just what you would fnd out when the hearing Administration. It is this fact that makes the is had before the Commission. ... When the date work of the present committee signifcant of the hearing is set do you think it advisable and important.” 10 to ask that one of our lawyers go down to your section and make a personal study of conditions so As would become even more apparent, Maryland Light and Power didn’t want competition in their as to be better able to handle the matter? Also do tobacco patch. On May 7, Reed wrote his vice presi- you think that I could be of any service should I dent, George R. Quirk of Pearson: make a personal study of this matter right on the ground. I would like to have your reaction to both “Since our conversation last eve, I have made several of these suggestions.” 11 inquiries about anyone who might be moving about the District and representing that they were It was Maryland Light and Power’s worst nightmare— connected with the Public Service Commission. I the Cooperative Association had met its deadline have not, so far, found any traces of such a person. and, based on the anticipated revenue of $10.50 per I very much doubt that the Commission would mile of line, the REA had agreed to make the associa- employ such tactics until at least a hearing had tion its frst loan. On May 28, 1937, the cooperative been set and all parties summoned to appear. It executed a loan for $165,000. Te money ultimately may be that someone, interested in the utilities, is would be used to construct 175 miles of line to serve trying to muddy up the water and hoping that such approximately 600 consumers in Charles, Prince action will lend aid to the Utilities at the expense George’s and St. Mary’s counties.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 39 Elsewhere during that month, intense heat and lack Bids on the line construction had been opened in of rain caused dust storms in the Midwest and West, Washington and ofcials predicted service would be sending the struggling farm economy deeper into the ready by early fall.13 Te bid was awarded to Morris basement. In fact, the slow economic recovery stopped & Wells Construction Co. of Salisbury, Md. and Col. and during this stage of the Depression the economy P.M. Anderson was appointed as project engineer and entered a recession. In Lakehurst, N.J., the German Wendell Reed was appointed project superintendent. dirigible Hindenburg, following the conclusion of a trans-Atlantic fight, exploded while docking, kill- Te record doesn’t refect how many negotiation ing 34 people. Out in Louisville, Charley Kurtsinger sessions it took before the cooperative realized a rode War Admiral to victory in the Kentucky Derby. satisfactory rate for power would not be forthcoming Charley and his horse would go on to win the Preakness from the Eastern Shore Public Service Co. (ESPSC), and the Belmont, joining the ranks of the three previ- parent company of Maryland Light and Power, but ous Triple Crown winners, Sir Barton in 1919, Gallant it wasn’t many. It quickly became apparent the only Fox in 1930 and Omaha in 1935. alternative was to build a generating plant. In August, a .249-acre parcel of land at Popes Creek, purchased Te struggles continued at home to get the cooperative from the Pennsylvania Railroad for $100, was of and running on a par with the likes of War Admiral. approved as a plant site. An application for loan funds Te Washington Post called it a “truce”; it was in fact a to construct the plant was submitted to the REA and June 2 hearing before the Public Service Commission was winding its way through the agency at year’s end. (PSC) referenced in the May 7 letter from Reed to Quirk whereby the cooperative requested permission to construct 175 miles of transmission and distribution lines and asked for the authority to issue a promissory note to secure the REA loan. Maryland Light and Power, through its attorney, appeared in opposition. Te lawyer questioned the cooperative’s frst two witnesses, Wendell Reed and Col. Peter M. Anderson of Washington, D.C., the cooperative’s consulting electrical and mechanical engineer. During a lull in the proceedings the opposing attorneys came to an agreement—or “truce.” Maryland Light and Power would withdraw its opposition to the cooperative’s application and ofered no contest for the Pearson area. In return, the cooperative was not to give service to people living in the Loveville and Morganza areas. After announcing the agreement, the commission took the matter under advisement. Te cooperative noted that no customers had been signed up in the vicinities of Loveville and Morganza.12 On June 8 the commission approved the cooperative’s application, but not before supplementing the “truce” between the parties. Not only were the cooperative’s lines not to interfere with the service given, as agreed, they were not to interfere with any lines “contemplated” by Maryland Light and Power. Tere was no time frame designated by the PSC regarding contemplation or whose contemplation was to be considered. SMECO’s Popes Creek generating station.

Chapter four: 1937–1941 Also during that last month of 1937, Japanese planes and the REA. In addition, Col. Anderson and board sunk the U.S. gunboat Punay on the Yangtze River in members Henry Xander and William H. Mattingly China, the country’s unemployment rate rose to 20 were to investigate and report sites for a powerhouse.14 percent and at Christmas, Walt Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in color and with sound. It appears the concern about accepting the deed may have been the necessity to construct an additional two In January 1938 the cooperative’s ofces were moved miles of transmission line from the plant. A very frus- from Welcome to more centrally located La Plata. On trated Col. Anderson responded by letter on Feb. 16. Jan. 13 the REA approved a second loan of $50,000 Acknowledging receipt of his “valentine,” which he for the construction of the Popes Creek Power Plant, termed “your favor of the 14th,” he advised he would and the contract for plant construction was awarded wait until ofcially called upon for service on the on Feb. 1 to the Lewis Electrical Co. Te coopera- committee. He then went on to advise he was recom- tive’s February board meeting was held in La Plata on mending that the plant be constructed on the site orig- Valentine’s Day and, for reasons not altogether clear, inally selected at Popes Creek for a number of reasons. the board, on a motion by Charles County board He pointed out that the site ofered three sources of oil member Vlad J. Donat, voted to defer action on the delivery, namely, rail, water and truck; that the plant acceptance of the deed from the Pennsylvania Railroad would be located where there could be no possible for the power plant site, and the secretary was directed objections from the standpoint of exhaust noises; the to inform Col. Anderson, Mr. Burroughs (the attorney) property had been ofered at a very reasonable price; and an adequate supply of water would be available at the site at all times. Te cost of pumping water from the river would be much less than the cost of pumping from deep wells and the source of the supply would be more dependable.

Col. Anderson went on to note the site was adjacent to a railroad siding and also near a wharf on navigable waters that would provide adequate and economical means of handling heavy machinery and equipment. He acknowledged the location of the plant would involve the construction of about two miles of transmission line, which would require continued maintenance; however, he noted this had been taken into consideration at the time of the site selection and it was thought the points in favor of the Popes Creek site outweighed the advantages of other sites ofered. Last, but certainly by no means least, he reminded the board the PSC had approved the site selection and a new site would thus require new approval and new bids for the plant.15 Five months later, at 10 a.m. on July 23, 1938, the Popes Creek generating plant was placed on line. Col. Anderson had made his point.

In April, Boyd Fisher, director of the REA Operations Division, acknowledged by letter to Wendell Reed he had received a copy of the April board minutes and after reviewing them found the meeting not to have been very productive. He noted another board

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 41 William Cecil built a generating station at his ice plant in Leonardtown in 1925-26. This photo is from 1941. meeting was scheduled that month and there were team is still used and the candle and the oil lamp are three items of utmost importance and on which in vogue.” there should be no further delay: Te expansion of the membership of the cooperative, the selection of a It may sound a little sensational to the present genera- project superintendent (Wendell Reed having resigned tion—and although the era of the ox cart was in as project superintendent in February due to age and decline, there still were many around—but it was not health) and the selection of a power plant operator. Te an inaccurate description of most of the rural areas board, Boyd noted, should take action on the selection of 1938 Southern Maryland. Te remainder of the of a plant operator as soon as possible so “when the article was an accurate account of the cooperative’s plant does go under construction, the future operator beginnings and its trials and tribulations to that date. will be on the ground.”16 In late April, Harold J. Skone Te article also noted that REA employees would be was hired as the chief operator for the new plant. In coming from Washington in the coming week to view July, James D. Cooke was hired to fll the position of the plant “and thereby get a practical lesson in what project superintendent. their work is all about. Afterwards they will have a picnic at nearby Chapel Point.”17 “REA Power Flows to Maryland Farms, State’s First Cooperative Electric Plant Begins Pouring New Life President Franklin Roosevelt caused quite a stir in Into Areas Using Oil Lamps and Ox Teams,” read Te Southern Maryland and brought widespread attention Washington Post headline of July 23, 1938, regarding to the pending construction of the Potomac River the Popes Creek station, as Southern Maryland began Bridge when he visited the proposed bridge site to “slip into the modern groove.” “Electricity began to during the senatorial campaign of 1938. He was in fow to parts of Maryland’s tobacco country that never Maryland campaigning against Democratic Sen. had it before,” the Post reported, “to areas where the ox Millard E. Tydings, who staunchly opposed his New Deal programs.

Chapter four: 1937–1941 Roosevelt wasn’t the only one to cause a stir in Southern didn’t go all that well and prompted a rather blunt letter Maryland that year. On Sunday evening, Oct. 30, from Ward B. Freeman, coordinator of engineering families throughout the United States were gathered for REA, to cooperative President Wendell Reed. around their radios, many laughing along with Charlie Te letter gives some insight into the difculties the McCarthy and Edgar Bergen. By 8:25 p.m. the peace- cooperative had with the frst line construction and ful evening had been shattered by riots, panicked citi- power plant project. zens and the threat of Martians invading the country. Orson Welles and the cast of “Te Mercury Teatre on “It appears from information given me that the Air” were presenting H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, your board’s deliberations did not result in the which would later be referred to as a Halloween hoax immediate employment of an engineer. on the country. Although announced as a dramatic “Tis is extremely regrettable, as it will cause presentation, millions of listeners had tuned in late inconvenient delay in the taking of fnal inven- and, relying on their knowledge of radio styles, heard tory and in the preparation and prosecution of the news announcements (part of the program) and plans for completion of your distribution system. took them at face value. At least 1.2 million people Te delay in inventory taking will result in corre- rushed from their homes in a panic; some estimates sponding delays in fnal payments to the contrac- place the fgure closer to 3 million. Te panic consumed tor and others. Allotments for completion of your many into the afternoon of Oct. 31. In two weeks, system must necessarily be held up until we are Welles and his cast went from monsters that needed to satisfed that you have on hand a competent engi- be severely reprimanded, if not jailed, to heroes. Tey neer who knows REA requirements and proce- had provided insight for numerous surveys and stud- dure, and who can carry the work through with- ies, shown the weaknesses in the nation’s preparedness out the confusion, delays, mistakes and additional 18 and proven the power of radio. What a country! expenses to which your frst development was Work on the Potomac River Bridge—the “great link unfortunately subjected. between North and South,” as it was called—began in “It seems to me that your board’s responsibility to December. Timber, weeds and brush had to be slashed the present and future membership of your cooper- from the sides of the two-mile lane leading from the ative requires that the completion of your project be state highway at Newburg to the construction site before the heavy equipment could be brought in. Ten a 200-foot road was built up over the swamps and into the river to facilitate construction of the coferdams for the frst several piers on the Maryland side. A sewer system was installed for the workers and a 235-foot well sunk to obtain drinking water. Fifteen miles of wire were strung in for telephone service and an electric plant was installed on the site.19 On Dec. 31, a few stone’s throws up the river, the Popes Creek power plant was providing electric service to 484 members over 215 miles of line.20 On Jan. 12, 1939, Forrest Coakley was appointed project manager, replacing James Cooke. Coakley had been hired Aug. 14, 1938, as the project engineer to replace Col. Anderson, the cooperative’s consulting engineer. He later would be appointed general manager President Franklin Roosevelt in Charles County in September 1938 at the groundbreaking of the Potomac and would hold that position until his retirement in River Bridge. The bridge opened in 1940 and in 1968 was 1974. His initial interview with the board apparently renamed the Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 43 accomplished as rapidly and efciently as possible. yourselves at once by telephone, without the need Quibbling over a few dollars’ diference in salary of another meeting. In view of the particular dif- to an engineer who should be of the payroll inside culty on your project as a result of the accident to of six months may prove poor economy if it should Mr. Cooke, your project superintendent, I believe result in creating another wave of tension and irri- that every day of needless delay in hiring a compe- tation among many of your neighbors who have tent engineer is inexcusable. I invite your earnest grown impatient of waiting for electric service. ... cooperation in this matter.” 21 Mr. Coakley will have no difculty in obtaining work at a salary of $250 per month or more. Te letter dated Aug. 10, 1938, was received on the 11th and there is a handwritten notation: “Ok Coakley “I have talked with Mr. Coakley today, and he employed to take efect Aug. 14.” And thus began a tells me that his chief reason for applying for the very productive and rewarding career. During his 35 position on your project is his desire to be able to live with his family for a few months. I have years, Southern Maryland would be electrifed. At the prevailed upon him to agree to a salary of $225 time of his retirement in 1974, some 47,600 house- per month if your board, upon immediate recon- holds and businesses were receiving electricity. sideration, is willing to meet him halfway. You Forrest Coakley’s appointment as project manager on have seen him and interviewed him. Perhaps your Jan. 12, followed the cooperative’s annual meeting held directors can come to a favorable decision among in La Plata on Jan. 9, 1939, where REA Administrator George Quirk, charter director, elected to the board in John M. Carmody was the guest speaker. Carmody 1937, served as chairman of the board from 1939–1960. addressed a gathering of some 500 people, stating electricity could and should be brought to every farm in Southern Maryland provided sufcient interest was shown on the part of the farmers to undertake the necessary preliminary work. He noted that under the REA program, more than 70,000 miles of rural lines were in operation and that during the coming year, if present plans were successful, an additional 60,000 miles of rural lines would be placed in operation.

Upon learning funds were available through REA, the county agents of Southern Maryland stated they would assist farmers in assembling the necessary preliminary data. Following his address, the election of directors was held. Elected from Charles County were J. Tom Bowling of Wicomico, R.V. Cooksey of Mount Victoria and W.P. Jameson of Pomonkey; elected from St. Mary’s were George R. Quirk of Great Mills, William H. Mattingly of Abell and Mervell Dean of Hollywood; elected from Prince George’s County was Henry Xander of Accokeek. Former directors Wendell M. Reed of Welcome and John B. Hupp of Bryans Road were praised and given a “rising vote of thanks” for the excellent work they had contributed in the development and management of the electric cooperative.22

Chapter four: 1937–1941 Te rest of the world was caught up in the release of Margaret Mitchell’s acclaimed novel as a movie, “Gone With Te Wind,” and with the news that on Jan. 17 physicists Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch sent papers to a London journal confrming the process of splitting the atom, an event they termed “nuclear fssion.” Culture and entertainment again claimed the nation’s attention in April with the opening of the 1939 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., with television prominently displayed at the RCA exhibit.

In the business of rural electrifcation, the REA in March promised additional funds earmarked for the construction of new lines in the vicinity of St. Clement Shores in St. Mary’s County and Cobb Island in Charles County, in addition to connecting new members along existing lines. As of March 10, 1939, a total of 222 miles of line were serving 541 members, 17 of which had been connected within the previous month. At the ofce in La Plata, the cooperative had on display a number of nationally advertised appliances and equipment that all were invited to inspect; the welcome further extended to the Popes Creek power plant, where employees would be happy to answer questions as to its operation.23

In June Board President George R. Quirk announced a loan of $160,000 from the REA for the construction of 100 miles of new line and an increase of capacity SMECO employee Merrill Gough checking on a transformer. of the Popes Creek Power Plant as a result of the great demand for service. Quirk stated that 640 members way for the construction of approximately 110 miles were being served and project ofcials estimated that of new distribution lines for the Southern Maryland fgure would increase to 680 within two months. He Tri-County Cooperative Association. Superintendent said the growth and proposed expansion of the coop- W.A. Bowen said he expected to complete the lines erative had far exceeded expectations. before the end of the year and when construction was fully under way, some 160 men—mostly all local— “Starting from such a humble beginning against obsta- would be on the job.25 cles of every class and description,” he said, “the association is indeed a tribute to the progressive and coop- On Dec. 29, 1939, Te Washington Post reported that erative attitude of the people of Southern Maryland.”24 60 of the 110 miles of line under construction had been completed and representatives of the contrac- World events began to trickle onto the American tor had set Feb. 10 as the day of completion. On the stage when Germany invaded Poland on Sept. 1, shorter extension lines, work had been completed 1939, which began fve years and seven months of except for cleanup on several branches in St. Mary’s world war in Europe. In late October, moviegoers County near Hollywood. Te remaining work was on watched Jimmy Stewart star as “Mr. Smith,” who went a 48-mile extension beginning at Wicomico in Charles to Washington to clean things up, while Southern County and running into lower Prince George’s Marylanders watched workmen begin clearing right of through Aquasco, Baden, Cedarville and Westwood.26

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 45 Interior view of the Popes Creek generating plant.

At Popes Creek two new 250-kilowatt (kW) diesel Despite the precipitous world events, work kept going generating units had been received and were being on the electrifcation of Southern Maryland. In the installed, the necessary building alterations and addi- middle of March the cooperative’s board of directors tions were approximately 50 percent completed and inspected the generating facilities at Popes Creek, the installation of switchboards, wiring and auxilia- marking the completion of the recent expansion ries would start within several days. Upgrades to the program. In the two weeks prior to that inspection, plant were expected to be completed by mid-February 110 new service installations had been completed. One 1940.27 By year’s end the cooperative had 241 miles of the happy recipients was Lloyd Holsinger, owner of lines in operation serving 715 members and had of the Southern Maryland Hatchery in Aquasco, who received fve loans from the REA totaling $475,000.28 reported that 24,000 eggs had been placed in his Te second annual meeting of the cooperative was modern electric hatchery and were progressing satis- scheduled to be held at La Plata High School on Jan. 8, factorily toward being the frst electrically hatched 1940, but was canceled due to inclement weather and chicks produced in Southern Maryland.29 rescheduled for April 8. Later that January President Roosevelt requested $1.8 billion from Congress for On April 1 Project Manager Coakley reported to the defense. In other noteworthy economic news that board of directors that the expansion program had month, Ida May Fuller, a retired legal secretary from materially strengthened the cooperative. As of that date Ludlow, Vt., received the frst Social Security check in there were 340 miles of line in operation serving 893 the amount of $22.54. Over the next 35 years as a members. It was expected that 1,200 members soon benefciary she would receive a total of $22,000. would be served without much additional expense.

Chapter four: 1937–1941 With an adequate source of power he recommended oil lamps and lanterns.” Mary Graham, the Charles an aggressive membership program. He noted that County demonstration agent, was in charge of the the REA Farm Equipment Show to be held at Chapel contest. Point on May 6–8, at which the many uses of equipment and appliances would be demonstrated, should “As You Light It,” a play on the theme of the importance prove of inestimable value in encouraging residents to of electricity, featured Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Compton, sign up for electric service.30 Frances Brown and John White and was directed by Mrs. C.L. Young. Sen. George W. Norris of Nebraska, Te postponed annual meeting was held at La Plata who had sponsored the Tennessee Valley Authority Act High School on April 8 but rain and fooded roads held of 1933 and was a prime mover behind the passage of down the attendance. U.S. Sen. George L.P. Radclife the Rural Electrifcation Act, Secretary of Agriculture of Maryland was the guest speaker. He was in the Henry A. Wallace and REA Administrator Harry A. midst of a re-election campaign and let his audience Slattery also were guest speakers at the event.32 know he had been born on a farm and was foursquare for motherhood, apple pie, the REA and electricity.31 Moving ahead, in September the REA allocated to the cooperative an additional $84,000 for the construction Te REA Farm Equipment Show followed on the of an additional 55 miles of line to serve 165 families. heels of the annual meeting, and it was quite a show, Tat same month the Saint Mary’s Beacon reported complete with an electrifed cow making its frst road- that Louis Nathanson of Leonardtown and the signers show appearance since a two-year stint at the Chicago of Jarboesville vicinity had completed negotiations World’s Fair. Te cow was equipped with glass tubing with the Southern Maryland Tri-County Cooperative and was milked several times a day by an electric milk- Association to construct four miles of line to run ing machine. Te event was designed to demonstrate from Harry P. Wise’s residence to Jarboesville, then to what electricity could do to increase farm productivity Hermanville at Peter Wheeler’s store. Te work was to and provide labor-saving devices for the farm family. be completed by Jan. 1, 1941.33 A thousand people attended the event the frst day. Everything from grain separators, electric milking On Nov. 5, 1940, President Roosevelt was re-elected machines, electric motors, a homemade pig brooder for an unprecedented third term, handily defeating consisting of an overturned tub and a 100-watt electric Wendell Willkie. On the 15th the Public Service bulb and an electric pump for irrigation to a waterless Commission granted the cooperative the necessary cooker that would cook a steak with a light bulb were authorization to extend its lines and borrow the on display. $84,000 from the REA to fnance the work, but not without its usual warning: the cooperative was not to Along with the equipment show, the REA was “in any way interfere with the service of Maryland sponsoring a contest with prizes for the most novel Light and Power Co., at points where its lines cross, conversions of ancient lighting equipment to modern parallel, or come in close proximity of the said electrical use, and the contest itself was receiving much Maryland Light and Power Co., or such lines that will attention. In March Te Washington Post had reported: be hereafter erected by that Company.” In addition, “Southern Maryland ‘Dust Pall’ Laid to R.E.A. the order enjoined the cooperative from serving any Contest.” Te article went on to note that the fying customer being supplied by the Maryland Light and dust in Charles, St. Mary’s and Prince George’s counties Power Co. and further ordered that line extension was the result of a sudden demand for ancient lighting “must” be completed in six months,34 though winter equipment. “Paradoxical as it may seem, the demand was coming on. is caused by a contest sponsored by the Tri-County Cooperative Association and the Rural Electrifcation Elsewhere, the Battle of Britain—which took place Administration. ... Tat’s why the dust is fying in between July 10 and Oct. 31—had ended with a many attics and cellars. Te women are dragging out loss of some 800 British Spitfres and Hurricanes. nickel Rayo lamps, candlesticks, candelabra, hanging Te German Luftwafe had lost 2,375 planes but in

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 47 so doing had caused severe damage to many English our facilities will be exceeded by early summer and cities. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, broadcast- the additional capacity should be ready for opera- ing to the British people, said of the Royal Air Force’s tion at that time.”36 By year’s end 80 miles of addi- efort: “Never in the course of human events have so tional lines had been constructed, fve acres of land many owed so much to so few.” At year’s end, President purchased to construct an ofce, 312 new members Roosevelt addressed the nation in one of his 30 freside had been added and the Popes Creek Power Plant was chats, telling the American people it was not a talk on being expanded for the second time with the instal- war, but rather one on national security: “We must be lation of two 250 Fairbanks Morse diesel generators. the great arsenal of democracy.” Upon completion, the addition would bring the plant’s capacity to 1,330 kW.37 Te cooperative’s 1941 annual meeting was held at La Plata High School on Jan. 13. Ernest Keller of Gallant During the 1941 Maryland General Assembly session, Green, representing Charles County, replaced R.V. the Maryland Electric Cooperative Act was passed Cooksey as a board member.35 In his younger days, and signed into law by Gov. Herbert R. O’Conor. At Keller had been associated with another electric coop- the January 1942 annual meeting, the membership erative. Born in Switzerland, his father had belonged would vote to change the name of the association to a cooperative, and according to an interview in the to Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. April 1952 issue of the Co-op Review, “Before he left (SMECO) and to convert the corporation into a the old country in 1923 the farmers built and owned cooperative non-proft membership corporation electric co-ops that brought electric power to every pursuant to the Electric Cooperative Act, Chapter mountain top.” After arriving in the United States, 907, Maryland Laws of 1941.38 Keller joined his brother in Charles County. In addition to farming, he contracted with the county to World events, however, were beginning to overshadow provide school bus service. the prospect of rural electrifcation and a fully electrifed Southern Maryland. In September 1940 Ahead of the annual meeting, Project Manager Forrest the frst peacetime draft had been enacted. Within Coakley had reported to the board of directors on the a month more than 16 million men had registered operations of the cooperative for calendar year 1940. for possible military training. On May 27, 1941, Reporting on the progress made to date, he advised President Roosevelt declared an unlimited state of that as a result of the recent allocation of $84,000, national emergency in response to the “quasi war” engineers were staking the lines and construction with German U-boats in the Atlantic. On Sept. 4, a would begin as soon as possible. He noted also that German U-boat attacked the destroyer USS Greer o f providing additional capacity at the generation plant the coast of Iceland; seven days later, Roosevelt gave was of primary importance, as “the frm capacity of U.S. Navy patrols authority to “shoot on sight” when encountering submarines. Te destroyer USS Kearny was torpedoed in the north Atlantic of the coast of Iceland on Oct. 17; two weeks later the destroyer USS Reuben James was sunk of the Icelandic coast with the loss of 100 American lives. And on Dec. 7, an infamous day, Japanese carrier aircraft launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, with Longtime SMECO board member, Ernest Keller Sr., is pictured here in 1927 with what is one of the first school buses in Charles County. The Keller family business has grown Japanese forces conducting to five school bus companies and a motor coach company. simultaneous attacks on U.S.

Chapter four: 1937–1941 military installations in the Philippines, Guam, Wake “All the fellows here are o.k., so far. Most of them Island and Midway Island. At Pearl Harbor, 2,403 lives are from around Baltimore. were lost, 1,177 on the U.S. battleship Arizona alone. _____ Davis landed in another barracks so we In addition 1,178 individuals were listed as wounded don’t see much of him, although he did start to and 876 missing. Five battleships, three cruisers and thumb home Saturday night with us and got 188 aircraft had been lost.39 America went to war. disgusted in Richmond and caught a bus. Eight days later, his number having come up, former “How is everybody in the Co-op? All right I hope. cooperative employee Pvt. Howard “Pinky” Trotter Write to me if anyone gets a chance, because you wrote his fellow employees from Camp Lee, Va.: all know how soldiers like to get mail. My tempo- “December 15, 1941 rary address is below, but if I am moved my mail will be forwarded. “Hello Everybody, I am still here waiting to be shipped to a regular post. Gee, all the preliminar- “I had better leave now, so say hello to everyone for 40 ies one has to go through before he can call himself me. So long. Pinky” ‘in the army.’ I still have about six more inocula- In December 1945 Pinky returned to the cooperative, tions to take yet besides the three they have already and after a long and productive career he retired in given me. My poor arm was stif for three days 1985 as the Charles–Prince George’s district manager. after the frst ones so I suppose the next ones will In the meantime, the cooperative would have to wait put me out. Oh well I don’t care, just so I don’t for war’s end, the return of its employees and the miss any meals because they feed pretty good so far. availability of construction materials, which had been I caught K.P. Saturday and almost ate myself to channeled toward the war efort, before the electrifca- death; well I didn’t feel very good anyway. tion of Southern Maryland would be completed.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 49 CHAPTER 5 The Home Front: 1942–1946

Troops practicing amphibious maneuvers on the beach in Cove Point, Maryland, in 1943. The lighthouse is barely visible

Chapter five: 1942–1946 Five weeks after the attack at Pearl Harbor the Southern Maryland Tri-County Cooperative Association held its fourth annual meeting at La Plata High School. Te Times-Crescent reported 700 people were in attendance, not a bad turnout considering the times and that approximately 1,429 households and businesses were being served. Te news was bleak at home and abroad. On Jan. 2, 1942, Japanese forces had captured Manila and, on the 12th, the day of the annual meeting, had invaded Burma. As previously mentioned, the membership voted to change the name of the association to the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative Inc. (SMECO). Te sitting board members were re-elected and the guest speaker, Richard J. Beamish, a power consultant for the Rural Electrifcation Administration (REA), discussed the role of REA cooperatives in the national defense program. In February the construction of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station commenced, which would cause a loss to the cooperative of 44 consumers and 11 miles of line.1 In December, Forrest Coakley had reported to the board of directors he had received a letter from Lt. R.L. Mann, USN, stating that the cooperative’s property taken over in the Cedar Point area had been appraised at $10,266.71 against the cooperative’s claim of $11,873.61. After discussion it was unanimously agreed to “press” for the full amount of the cooperative’s claim.2 It was to be a hard press, but was to little avail. After a meeting at the Navy Department in Washington in February 1943, manager Coakley reported to the board of directors in January 1944 that a truce had been declared and SMECO had accepted the Navy compromise of $10,304.39, a net gain of $37.68 for the cooperative. Flush from victories at Coral Sea and Midway, the Navy was not about to lose the battle of Cedar Point.3 During the last board meeting of 1942, the manager reported that a draft deferment for lineman William Simms had been requested and granted for six months. Willie’s number would come up again, and after his military stint he returned to the cooperative in January 1946; he retired as the superintendent of transmission and substations in December 1985. Te board also was advised that a request had been made for an additional mile of new line at the Newtown Neck Proving Ground near Compton. Te line would be fnanced by two-thirds of the cost being paid by the Ofce of Scientifc Research and Development (OSRD) and one-third by the cooperative. Te board approved the construction.4 Te OSRD had been created by President Roosevelt via Executive Order in June 1941 and had been given almost unlimited access to funding and in the background. Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 51 resources. Research included projects devoted to more Even though the Rural Electrifcation Administration accurate bombs, reliable detonators, work on the sent a four-page letter to all REA co-op boards and proximity fuse, radar and early warning systems, more managers titled “Suggestions On Annual Meetings in efcient medical treatments, lighter and more accu- War Time,” there would be no 1943 annual meeting rate hand weapons and the most secret of all, the “S1 for the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. Te Section,” which later became the Manhattan Project times were not right and if the handwriting was not and developed the frst nuclear weapons.5 on the wall, it was in the mail. Te annual meeting had been scheduled for April; in February the board A severe ice and sleet storm in January 1943 caused damage to the electric system in all parts of the cooper- of directors decided to poll the members by mail in an ative’s service area. Estimated losses were put between efort to establish whether a quorum would be present. $3,000 and $4,000, a large sum in those days. Te Te results were reported as “overwhelmingly unfa- situation was made worse by the lack of manpower vorable” and it was decided to postpone the meeting and materials with which to make repairs. Personnel until a “more favorable time.” Rationing was in efect from the Prince William Cooperative of Manassas, and included items from tires, gasoline, automobiles, Va., assisted the cooperative’s four linemen, along fuel oil, coal and typewriters to cofee, cheese, butter, with a number of SMECO members who volunteered jams and jellies. Price controls had been placed on to help restore service. During this period the coop- most products and were monitored by the Ofce of erative’s workforce consisted of 11 employees: Forrest Price Administration (OPA). Wages were controlled Coakley, Charlotte M. Turner, Harry E. Beck, Vera and military priorities shaped industrial production. E. Turner, Mildred Cooksey, Albert L. Beck, William In June a cooperative request for permission to raise Simms, Harold J. Skone, James T. Pilkerton, Harry L. wages had been “taken under consideration.”6 With Beck and Wilson Bowling. the implementation of the draft there were labor SMECO’s Prince Frederick office in the 1940s. Note the phone number painted on the window: Pr. Frederick 104.

Chapter five: 1942–1946 The scheduled guest speaker for the 1942 annual meeting, Fulton Lewis Jr., was one of the nation’s top-rated radio commentators. He owned and operated a large farm near Clarke’s Landing in St. Mary’s County and was a member of the cooperative. He would cause quite a stir in St. Mary’s County some years later when, from Thanksgiving evening through Christmas Eve, his nightly broadcast from his farm, Placid Harbor in St. Mary’s County, exposed all kinds of mischief. The broadcast was titled “What Goes On In My Back Yard” and outlined prostitu- tion, illegal gambling and underage drinking—all occurring with the blessings of some well- known politicians and officials, some of whom had the misfortune of being caught on tape. It appears to have been a temporary setback, however, for the locals prospered and Fulton Lewis Jr. sold his farm and headed for points north.

shortages, a serious problem for the cooperative. Even 1955 the company would become the Baltimore Gas women’s skirts were shortened due to wartime ration- and Electric Co.) did not anticipate much of a future ing and the U.S. Ofce of Censorship banned any for “rural” Southern Maryland and made no ofer to mention of weather in baseball broadcasts to prevent acquire the assets. enemy forces from gaining useful information. In September the cooperative ran 2.25 miles of line During the June 1943 board meeting, authority to serve the U.S. Signal Corps station at Ryceville in was given to enter into a contract with Rockingham Charles County, with the Army paying $5,400 of the Construction Co. of Harrisonburg, Va., to relocate total cost of $6,100. Manager Coakley reported that a and rebuild approximately 13.6 miles of lines along new regulation governing the construction of service the new Cedar Point Highway in St. Mary’s County. extensions had been received, and that by the terms of At the same meeting a discussion ensued and, as it the regulations the cooperative was permitted to build turned out, said discussion would have a profound extensions up to approximately 750 feet in length, in impact on the future growth of the cooperative and St. Mary’s County only, without prior approval of the 8 Southern Maryland. Time was running out for the War Production Board. In October, preparing for its Eastern Shore Public Service Co. (ESPSC). future sale, the Maryland Light and Power Co. merged with its parent corporation, the ESPSC. Under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Te cooperative’s 1944 annual meeting was set for had been empowered to eliminate the large util- April 10 at Margaret Brent High School in Helen. ity interstate holding companies until they became a Te 1,500 members were encouraged to attend, with single integrated system serving a limited geographic President George Quirk stating in a prepared release: “Due to the necessity of postponing last year’s meet- area. Te holdings of the Maryland Light and Power ing the coming assembly would be most important Co. in Southern Maryland were up for sale. Forrest to the Cooperative and its 1,500 members.” He also Coakley reported to the board he had attended a announced post-war plans had been made to greatly meeting in Denton on May 12 to discuss the sale of expand the cooperative’s system.9 the assets. After a lengthy discussion, Coakley was instructed to contact J. Edward Burroughs, the coop- In spite of the REA missive on conducting annual erative’s attorney, as soon as possible with instructions meetings during wartime, only 37 members were to “press the sale to the Cooperative.”7 As it turned out, present when Miss Lettie Marshall Dent, then super- “the powers that be” at the Potomac Electric Power intendent of St. Mary’s County Public Schools and Co. (Pepco) of Washington, D.C., and Consolidated chairperson of the meeting, took the poll of those Gas Electric Light and Power Co. of Baltimore (in present to establish the presence of a quorum. Lacking

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 53 a quorum, the business of the meeting could not be conducted, though the president and treasurer gave their reports and the minutes of the meeting refect that Fulton Lewis Jr. gave an interesting talk regarding the functions of several departments of the government and related some of the highlights of his recent trip through the West and South.10

Te president’s report for the annual meeting is insightful regarding the conditions of the time. Te following are excerpts from the report:

“I am sure all of you are aware of the many conditions and restrictions under which you have been placed because of the present world confagration. In the same way, your Cooperative has been and is continuing to be afected.

“Since our last members’ meeting (1942) we have made no large expansion of our system because of regulations restricting the use of materials and also because labor has not been available. We have, however, constructed short line extensions and General quarters drill on 20 mm gun on a mock-up ship installed service where possible. Our total line to endanger our ability to meet our obligations. mileage is 431 miles, from which 1504 consum- Tentative plans for line expansion have been made. ers are receiving service. Tis is an increase of 75 consumers since our last report to the members “Another planned major addition to our property despite a loss of eleven miles of line and 44 consum- is our proposed new ofce quarters. Our pres- ers caused by the taking over of the Cedar Point ent ofce and storage facilities are entirely inad- area by the Navy. equate and unsatisfactory. A suitable plot of land at Bel Alton, Charles County, was bought for this “Te matter of project personnel is of great concern purpose in 1941, but because of war restrictions at this time and is expected to become more acute. the construction of the building had to be post- Up to the present time we have been able to retain poned. Funds are available and it is planned to old key employees or replace them with competent build the new quarters at the earliest possible time. help. It is more than probable that this condition will not continue. Five employees are now serving “In summing up our activities since our last with the armed forces. members’ meeting, your Board of Directors has primarily concerned itself with the day-to-day “As related previously, the Cooperative has made operation of our system and the conducting of our no major extension of its system during the past business. At the same time considerable thought two years. We have, however, accepted and have has been given to future development and expan- on fle several hundred applications for lines and sion when it becomes possible to do so.” 11 service in all sections of our territory. Te members of your Board of Directors feel that our system Te treasurer’s report was no less insightful. Reporting should be expanded and electric service brought to how each 1943 dollar received in payment for service everyone who desires it as soon as possible. On the was spent, he broke the expenditures down thusly: other hand we feel that nothing should be done • 30 cents for power;

Chapter five: 1942–1946 board was informed of the latest regulations of the War Production Board regarding the construction of extensions, pointing out that no primary lines could be built and no transformer could be used except in the case of farms qualifed under the animal unit program.13

On June 6, forever after known as “D-Day,” the United States awoke to the news that the long-awaited Allied invasion of Europe had begun. Allied forces were assaulting the coast of Normandy, France, with British and Canadian forces at Gold, Juno and Sword beaches and American forces at Utah and Omaha beaches. Te First Infantry and 29th Infantry Divisions sufered more than 2,000 casualties at Omaha Beach alone. Te 29th included many troops from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and Delaware. In the United States it was a solemn day of prayer and waiting. It was graduation day for the senior class of Saint Mary’s Academy in Leonardtown, and the class was asked, or rather told, to give up the planned party and spend time in church, several members of the class recalled at the training base in Solomons, Maryland, in 1944. 65 years later.14 • 27 cents for all operation and maintenance; As war rolled on overseas, life continued at home. On • 3 cents for taxes; Oct. 1 after late Mass, our friend and pioneer of the • 22 cents for depreciation charges; electric cooperative movement in St. Mary’s County, • 16 cents for interest payments; and the Rev. Father S. John Rudtke, SJ, turned up the • 2 cents net proft carried to surplus. frst shovel of dirt in the groundbreaking ceremony Since its inception, the cooperative had signed nine for the erection of the new Sacred Heart Church in separate notes in the total amount of $678,500, of Bushwood.15 Te movies were a popular diversion in which $637,277 had actually been borrowed, leav- Southern Maryland and featured that October were ing a balance of $41,223 available as needed. Interest Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers in “Hands and amortization payments to the government totaled Across the Border” at the Ridge Teater, along with $139,664, of which $61,273 was advanced payments. “Rosie the Riveter” starring Jane Frazee. Te Waldorf Total assets were $608,055 and liabilities amounted Teater featured Bing Crosby in “Going My Way” to $577,222, most of which was debt owed to the and at the Hollywood Teater it was “Te Fighting government.12 Te cooperative was in good hands and Sullivans,” starring Anne Baxter and Tomas Mitchell. in good shape considering the shape of things. In Leonardtown, “Two Girls and a Sailor” with June Allyson and Jimmy Durante was showing at the Saint At the May 1944 board meeting President George Mary’s Teater.16 Quirk made the board aware of correspondence between the ESPSC and the REA regarding the possi- On Nov. 17 the cooperative’s board of directors met in ble acquisition of the assets of Maryland Light and La Plata and resolved to acquire the properties of the Power Co. by the cooperative. Manager Coakley was ESPSC located in Charles, St. Mary’s, Prince George’s instructed to inform the REA the cooperative was and Calvert counties. George R. Quirk, Mervell M. “very interested” and it wished to be kept advised of Dean and J.T. Bowling were appointed as a commit- further developments. During the same meeting the tee with authority to act for and on behalf of the

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 55 cooperative in carrying on negotiations and execut- Truman became commander in chief. On May 8, ing any agreement necessary to the acquisition.17 A Truman announced the unconditional surrender special board meeting was held Dec. 19 to formally of Germany. Te long-awaited day, V-E day, had request funds from the REA for the acquisition of arrived and wild celebrations broke out throughout property and the construction of additional lines the Allied countries. After two atomic weapons had to combine the systems. A memorandum of under- been unleashed on Japan, the president announced the standing setting forth the terms of the sale had been surrender of that country on Aug. 15, V-J Day, and the received on Nov. 29 and the president, secretary and celebrations began anew. Yank Magazine, reporting on treasurer had been authorized and directed to execute the reaction in New York City, said: contracts to conclude the purchase at the Dec. 12 “On and on it went into the night and the board meeting. Formal application was made to the next night as the biggest city in the world went REA for a loan of $1,735,000 for the purchase, reha- on its way toward picking up the biggest hang- bilitation and integration of the Eastern Shore prop- over in its history. It was a hangover few would erties and the construction of new lines. Te funds ever regret.” 19 were to be allocated as follows: acquisition, $850,000; construction, 800 miles of line, $800,000; integra- Meanwhile, times were tame in comparison at the tion, $25,000; rehabilitation, $25,000; engineering cooperative, but there was a lot going on. On March and legal, $15,000; and, along with some additional 22 Steuart Purcell, Arthur H. Brice and Charles B. 18 funds, miscellaneous, $20,000. Bosley, the members of the Public Service Commission (PSC), issued Order No. 41016 in Case No. 4691, Once again, world events captured attention. Tree approving the cooperative’s application to purchase days prior to the Dec. 19 special board meeting, the facilities of the ESPSC in Southern Maryland. Germany had launched a major ofensive against Te sale resulted in the acquisition of an additional invading Allied forces. Known as the Battle of the 256 miles of distribution line, 41 miles of transmis- Bulge or the Ardennes Ofensive, it raged from Dec. sion line, some 2,300 new consumers (accounts vary 16, 1944, to Jan. 25, 1945. On Christmas Day, Gen. in numbers) and a combined generating and 60-ton Anthony McAulife and the 101st Airborne Division ice plant located at Leonardtown Wharf.20 In addition, were holding out, but just barely, at Bastogne, which Calvert County now would be included in the coop- had been surrounded and cut of by the Germans on erative’s service territory. Dec. 21. On Dec. 26 the 4th Armored Division broke through German lines, opening a corridor to Bastogne On March 29, Forrest Coakley met with the afected and relieving McAulife and his men. employees of the ESPSC and reported to the board of directors at a special board meeting that the employees In more lighthearted news back on the home front, wanted a signed statement from the cooperative assur- the Dec. 29 issue of the Saint Mary’s Beacon reported ing: “Te benefts of seniority or length of service with that in order to encourage a campaign against rats, either the Company or Cooperative would hold; that Mr. Kenneth Duke, owner of the Saint Mary’s Teater the terms of the labor agreement in efect at the time in Leonardtown, ofered to give a free pass to the of the transfer would hold; no objection would be movies to anyone bringing a dead rat to the theater made by the Cooperative to the formation of a union on Monday, Jan. 1, 1945, or any other day through and no action would be taken or adverse criticism Friday of that week. Te health ofcer suggested that directed to anyone because of his participation in the a few drops of kerosene be put on each rat after it was formation of a union; and fnally that the zone limit killed, as the feas would leave its body and they were beyond which meal expenses would be allowed be sometimes carriers of disease. clearly defned.” After discussion, the board instructed Happily the year 1945 would be the last year of the the manager to draw up a document agreeing to the most devastating war in history. In April President terms and setting the zone limit at fve miles from the Franklin Roosevelt died and Vice President Harry S. employee’s headquarters.21

Chapter five: 1942–1946 Warren Denton and Co. oyster house, Broomes Island, Maryland. Photo was taken from the water with the buyboats LILLIAN T. and LANCASTER in the foreground, circa 1954. Te 1945 annual meeting was held April 9 at La Plata map of the territory to be served to convince him High School, with Rev. S. John Rudtke, SJ, giving that Hughesville is the proper site. the invocation. Te prizes awarded consisted of two “Second: Tat the location selected by your $25 War Bonds and 10 awards of War Stamps in $5 committee in our village is next door to our bank; lots. Breaking from tradition, there were no formal an established institution with years of service speeches. Te Saint Mary’s Beacon commented: “this to the patrons of that section of Southern will be the last annual meeting of the membership as Maryland who gladly ofer you its courteous and now constituted,” referring to the cooperative’s recent efcient service. acquisition of the properties of the ESPSC.22 “Tird: Tat the Post Ofce is also located Following the acquisition of the assets of the ESPSC, just across the street from the site selected and the cooperative closed its ofce in La Plata and moved we can ofer you in addition the services of a to Waldorf, into the former ofces of the ESPSC. Te modern Hotel, Lunch Room, Restaurant, two idea of building an ofce in Bel Alton was abandoned large General Merchandise Stores and Garages, and a parcel of land was purchased in Hughesville a Grade and High School, Street Lights, Movie with the notion of constructing a new ofce as soon as Teater in process of erection, two Physicians and conditions permitted. Edward Edelen, Joseph Higdon Drug Store contemplated to be erected in the very and William Lyon, representing the businessmen near future.” 23 of Hughesville, congratulated the board for its good judgment and in a letter presented at the June 8 board War’s end and the lifting of restrictions on construc- meeting took the opportunity to point out the advan- tion materials by the War Production Board in July, the tages and attributes of downtown Hughesville: expansion of the system resulting from the purchase of the assets of the ESPSC and the pent-up demand for “First: Tat since this is to be your permanent service (a number of prospective consumers, due to ofce it should be centrally located, in order to best war restrictions, had been waiting almost four years for serve your patrons and one has only to look at a service) brought on a power supply crisis.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 57 Wyatt Connick’s Sinclair gas station on Route 5 at the T.B. junction,circa 1938. In June the cooperative submitted a proposal to the and Docks, was, after investigation, forwarded Navy for the furnishing of electric power to the Naval for approval via the Bureaus of Ordnance and Air Station at Patuxent River. Te proposal would Aeronautics and is now under consideration. Due necessitate the construction of a transmission line from to the drastic curtailment of projects since August Piscataway Creek, where the cooperative would tap the and the elimination of deferment of all possible Potomac Electric Power Co. (Pepco) transmission line work to meet the express desires of the various serving the naval powder factory at Indian Head, to Congressional committees to reduce expenditures the Patuxent River Naval Air Station at Cedar Point. In to the greatest extent possible, it may be some time designing and constructing the transmission line, the before action can be taken on this matter.” 24 cooperative planned to provide for the demands of the entire system as well as the naval air station load. An Following receipt of the letter the decision was made answer was imperative with some 500 individuals on to build the transmission line from Piscataway to a waiting list and an anticipated 3,000 new consum- Hughesville, the future headquarters of the cooperative. ers; given these circumstances, getting a construction At its November meeting the board was informed that program under way was critical. After four months of Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Company negotiating and delay, during which time all the “subor- of Baltimore, in reply to the cooperative’s request for dinate” ofcials of the Navy approved the proposal, approximately 650 kW of energy for redistribution in an appeal for closure was made through Sen. Millard Calvert County, could not supply the power. At the Tydings to James Forrestal, the secretary of the Navy. same meeting the board authorized the manager to Te secretary advised the senator: sign a lease for an ofce in Prince Frederick.25 “I am informed that the project for this transmission Te cooperative’s board of directors and manager were line, which was submitted to the Bureau of Yards about to enter into one of the most frustrating peri-

Chapter five: 1942–1946 ods of the cooperative’s history. Demand for service, is held up by shortages of poles, conductor, trans- lack of available construction materials, REA bureau- formers and meters. cracy and nationwide labor unrest combined to create the perfect storm. Under intense political pressure, “Labor shortages, both in the woods and treating President Truman lifted the wage and price controls plants, continue to be an aggravating factor, Mr. that had been in place since the beginning of the war. Quirk pointed out, but reports generally indicate Suppressed wages and prices went through the roof. In that the labor supply is gradually increasing. 1946 and 1947, consumer prices rose 8.5 percent and “Mr. Quirk emphasized the fact that this infor- 14.4 percent, respectively. mation is being given to prospective consumers On Jan. 19, 1946, more than 800,000 steelworkers at in order that they may be fully advised of current more than 1,000 mills walked of the job in the biggest conditions. ... We ask those who are depend- strike in history. Te whole country was in the grip of ing upon us for service to be tolerant of delaying strikes. Some 200,000 meatpackers had gone on strike. factors over which we have no control. We pledge Tere was a glass workers strike, a telephone strike, a them that there will be no slackening of our eforts cofn maker’s strike and a strike at General Electric. In to provide them with that service at the earliest Pittsburgh a strike of 3,500 electric company employ- possible moment.” 28 ees caused plant closings that afected 100,000 other workers.26 On April 1, John L. Lewis of the United Te annual meeting of the cooperative was held on Mine Workers called a nationwide coal strike, afect- April 8, 1946, at Charlotte Hall Military Academy. ing every major industry. Te steel plants—their strike Te board was increased from seven to 15 members having recently been settled—again were banking their to give representation to Calvert County and to have furnaces, Ford and Chrysler were forced to close and board representation in proportion to each county’s General Motors was already on strike. Freight load- population. Newly elected as directors were Roland B. ings were of 75 percent and in Chicago, the use of Duke and John R. Drury of Leonardtown; Perry G. electricity was cut in half. When the railroad workers Bowen and Wilmer Johnson from Prince Frederick and set a strike date, a frustrated President Truman threat- G.I. Rupert Lore from Solomons, representing Calvert ened to draft the strikers into the armed forces. Tat County; W.R.C. Connick of Brandywine from Prince threat efectively resulted in a compromised settlement George’s; and Hayden Bowling of Hughesville and between the parties.27 F. DeSales Mudd of La Plata, representing Charles.

In March the cooperative issued a press release that A special meeting of the board was held on April 17 at appeared on the front page of the Saint Mary’s Beacon which Fr. Rudtke was present. He stated his purpose under the headline “Material Shortages Delay Power in coming to the meeting was to discuss the election Line Construction”: of directors at the annual meeting and according to “Unfavorable delays in the construction of new the record gave a lengthy statement regarding his feel- power distribution lines by Southern Maryland ings in the matter. Te record does not record his Electric Cooperative are due to serious shortages feelings but he was obviously displeased. He stated of key materials which are retarding building there had been a considerable amount of criticism and operations in all parts of the country, according there was some question in his mind as to the legal- to George R. Quirk, president of the Cooperative. ity of the procedure. Following his presentation the REA has allotted our Cooperative loans totaling newly elected members of the board retired, and, after $585,000 to build 450 miles of new lines that discussing the matter, the incumbent board members will provide service for 2,000 additional consum- held that the election should stand. At the same meet- ers in Charles, St. Mary’s, Prince George’s and ing a contract to construct a 66,000-volt transmission Calvert counties, Mr. Quirk said. Preliminary line from Piscataway to Hughesville was awarded to work is well advanced, but actual construction the Hale Electric Co. of Pittsburgh. Te board was

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 59 advised that due to material shortages, the construc- During the remainder of the year much of the board’s tion of the line was 12 to 18 months down the road.29 time was devoted to responding to requests for special preference for service and fnding additional sources In May, responding to a complaint fled with the of power. A resolution was adopted that it was to be PSC, the cooperative’s attorney, J. Edward Burroughs, the “settled and confrmed” policy of the cooperative advised the commission that a shortage of materials that connections would be made depending on when and labor had delayed extension to some residents of the certifcate of electrical inspection was received. A Southern Maryland for a year. month later, the board decided to give preference to veterans who requested connection of electric service. “Te requirements on the generating plant and It was soon determined that some modifcations to the transmission lines are such that they are almost these policies were necessary. Some of those who had loaded to capacity. Te Cooperative manager been waiting the longest required a mile or so of line informs me that bids on the proposed new trans- to be built, while others needed only a service loop. mission line from Piscataway to Hughesville were Some were able and willing to supply the needed mate- opened on Wednesday, April 10th, and it appears rial. A very practical solution was adopted. At each that construction of the line is at least a year away. monthly meeting the manager would report to the It hardly seems possible that until the new trans- board the amount of material on hand for connecting houses and that material would be appropriated to mission line is constructed the new customers could each county in the ratio that the number on the wait- be served. Te Board of Directors were anxious to ing list of the county bore with regard to the entire make connections as fast as possible. However, numbers of those waiting.31 until there is a substantial change in existing conditions, we will have to request that prospec- On May 10 a meeting of all the utility companies in tive customers be patient with the Cooperative.” 30 Maryland was held at the PSC in Baltimore to discuss the shortage of coal for generating electric power. It was Sign post at the intersection of Rt. 202 and Rt. 725 in Upper Marlboro in 1948. recommended by the commission that the companies mail a notice to each of their customers requesting that they voluntarily reduce their consumption of electricity as much as possible.32 In late May the acting secretary of the Navy acknowledged receipt of the cooperative’s letter requesting to purchase surplus power from the Navy at Patuxent River and advised it had been referred to the proper ofcials for consideration. Te board also was informed that the cooperative’s request to the Civilian Production Administration for a certifcate of authorization to construct an ofce building in Hughesville had been denied.33 A committee was appointed by the president of the board to attempt to have the matter reconsidered.

In July the board decided for purposes of efciency to divide the service territory into three districts headed by a district supervisor who would be responsible for construction, maintenance and the operations of that particular district. Albert Beck, who had been operating a co-op ofce out of his home since 1941, was selected superintendent for the St. Mary’s District. Emerson C. Philips, a former employee of the ESPSC,

Chapter five: 1942–1946 was appointed for the Calvert District, and J.A. “Slim” it seems that everyone has had his house wired and Abell, also a former employee of the ESPSC, would is demanding electricity. We have at present over become the superintendent for the Charles–Prince 500 on our waiting list and we can obtain enough George’s District.34 material to connect only 30 per month.”

In October the board decided to publish monthly Tere were several other headaches enumerated, but newsletters beginning in November 1946. Board the greatest headaches: member W.R.C. Connick was to edit the frst edition.35 Connick was born in Prince George’s County in 1868 “by far, have been caused by insistent demands and his home was part of a 250-acre farm built by his from selfsh individuals for preference in the matter grandfather in 1858. Until his retirement in 1934, of hook-ups. All manner or reasons, some silly, he served for 46 years as a school teacher in Prince some fantastic and all inordinately selfsh, have George’s County, 22 of those years as principal of the been given to bolster their claims for preferential high school in Baden. Tough the frst issue did not treatment. Te infuence of politicians has been come out until December, it was a classic—prob- invoked, complaints to the REA and Maryland ably not “politically correct” by today’s standards, but Utility Commission have been made and, when in those good old “tell it like it is” days it was abso- from necessity, we fail to grant their requests, an lutely refreshing. It was Forrest Coakley and W.R.C. avalanche of abuse, misstatements and threats has Connick speaking their minds and a year’s worth of descended on our heads.” frustration was documented for posterity. Under the heading “Trouble Shooting,” the member- “Tis news-letter has been prepared to acquaint ship was informed: you and our prospective members with some perti- nent facts regarding our Cooperative. Tere seems “Tose of you who are wont to grumble and to be such abysmal ignorance on the part of the complain, when your lights ficker, or your motor general public regarding the nature and opera- slows down, or your radio grows weaker, do not tion of an REA Cooperative that our Board of know how lucky you are in these parlous times Directors has decided to expend the necessary time, that they are kept working at all. Tose of you efort and expense to enlighten it.” who are ready at any time to hurl cusses at the Not bad for openers, but it gets better. Under the cate- Directors and Manager when the least little thing gory of “Headaches,” we are informed: goes wrong, have little idea of the difculty to keep the system working as well as it does. Let me cite “One of the many headaches with which your one instance. directors are aficted is caused by the difculty, almost impossibility, of obtaining electrical “In mid August, when our power supply was barely materials. During the war practically none was sufcient to meet our current needs, while we were produced for civilian use. Te stocks on hand were waiting with bated breath and with prayers in absorbed by our armed forces. Producers of wire, our hearts, that in some way, some how, we might transformers, poles, insulators and hardware have be able to meet the ever increasing demands for such a large backlog of orders that they will not current; the crank shaft on one of our large genera- guarantee delivery for months to come. Sensing tors at the Pope’s Creek plant broke in half! Frantic this difculty our Co-op placed orders during the telegrams to the manufacturers, (Fairbanks, Morse spring for $200,000 worth of materials in the of Chicago) disclosed the fact that their employees hope that we might obtain enough for our pressing were on strike, but that—miracle of miracles— need but so far little has trickled in. they had one in stock. Te Divine Providence that “When our Co-op was frst established we had looks after fools, drunks and Co-op Directors had extreme difculty in persuading folks to join, now answered our prayers.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 61 “Te crankshaft, a massive piece of special steel Te 1946 power supply situation was explained: weighing over 3 ½ tons, was immediately ordered and started on its way to us. We confdently “Te source of the current used by the co-op is expected its arrival in ten days at most, and in the 1000 KVA generating plant at Popes Creek, order to save precious time, we engaged a factory the 140 KVA plant at Leonardtown, and the expert to come and supervise the dismantling of Potomac Electric Power Company of Washington, the generator and the installation of the new shaft. D.C. Te energy purchased from this company is Te ten days expired but no shaft had arrived, transferred to our lines at a substation on Route 5, ten more, and still no shaft. It had been caught near Piscataway Creek. Te quantity obtainable in a rail embargo. Te embargo ended and ten from these sources, being inadequate to supply the more days went by, yet not a sign of the shaft. increased consumption needed on our existing lines Telegraph tracers were sent out and it was fnally and the contemplated expansion of our system, located reposing serenely in a Philadelphia freight plans were formulated in June of 1945 to supply station. Rush orders for immediate delivery were the Co-op with an adequate supply of power.” sent. We uncrossed our cramped fngers, took the Te plan called for construction of a transmission line frst deep breaths for weeks, and our men got ready from Piscataway to Cedar Point, with the intention of to slap the shaft in place the moment it arrived. supplying the Patuxent River Naval Air Station with A whole week passed and still it had not arrived. power. After four months of unsuccessful negotiations Tracers were again sent out. Tis time we found with the Navy, it was decided to build the line from it sidetracked at Bowie. After two long months of Piscataway to Hughesville. tedious waiting, it fnally arrived. Our men soon had it installed and our worries were over. Is it any “Te frm of Day & Zimmerman of Philadelphia wonder that nearly all the Board of Directors have was employed to survey the route and design and white hair?” build the line; which we fully expected would Tobacco was a popular cash crop in Southern Maryland be completed by the autumn of 1946. REA for hundreds of years. however objected to the arrangement and another long delay ensued. However they allocated us $365,000 for the project, bids were solicited and three contractors submitted proposals. Bids were opened in April 1946 and the job was awarded to Hale Electric Company of Pittsburgh, the lowest bidder, for the sum of $154,000. REA, again, objected on the grounds that the bid was too high but after considerable persuasion fnally agreed. In the mean time Hale Electric Company refused to go ahead with their contract, claiming that since they had submitted their bid the labor unions had advanced wages and the price of materials had increased so much, that they anticipated a loss of $30,000 on the job. As the Co-op at that time was desperately in need of additional current, the Board of Directors reluctantly agreed to the payment of the additional cost. REA absolutely refused to allow it and suggested that we purchase the material and take bids for the construction work only. Day & Zimmerman were asked to make up a list of materials and solicit proposals

Chapter five: 1942–1946 for construction, but they asked a fee of $20,000 for the work, which REA claimed should not cost more than $600. So after a year and a half, we are back where we started, with no assurance that the line will be completed for a year or more.

“As the supply of electricity was so limited, the Directors were forced to put in operation some form of rationing or discover some source of additional current. We found that the Naval Air Station at Cedar Point possessed nine generators and that only three were being used. As our lines reached the boundaries of the station, we took up the matter of purchasing current from them. After several months of negotiations, during which we had to contact the Secretary of the Navy, himself, we fnally obtained permission to secure some additional current and we thought our troubles were over, for a time at least. But we soon found that Oysters were plentiful in the Chesapeake Bay and being a the Navy’s plants generated current at a very much waterman was not only an occupation, but a way of life. lower voltage than that carried by our transmis- “Don’t come before the Board of Directors asking sion line. Suitable transformers were necessary to for an immediate hook up, unless you have an step up the voltage so it could be used. No manu- absolutely incontrovertible, indisputable emer- facturer would guarantee delivery of them sooner gency. You will be wasting your time and ours. than eighteen months. Our only recourse was to “Don’t imagine that a director’s life is the ‘life of try to locate some with the desired characteristics, Riley.’ It just simply isn’t.” somewhere in the United States. We enlisted the services of REA, Westinghouse and other national And of course, the postscript: frms and by the greatest good luck discovered three “Te editor wishes to apologize for the drabness in the Middle West, which we promptly purchased. of this issue and promises that future editions We are at present making connection with the will be more attractive. Indeed, he wanted to generators at the Naval Station, and enjoying embellish this issue with pictures of the Manager temporary relief from our anxieties.” and Directors, but they were too modest or too And in conclusion, that long-ago newsletter left its lazy to submit photographs in time. Maybe it is just as well they didn’t. Tey are not especially readers with some don’ts: ornamental.” 36 “Don’t over fuse your circuits or put pennies in On Dec. 31, 1946, Harry Truman by presidential your fuse box. You may need your home when the proclamation ofcially declared that hostilities associ- weather gets cold. ated with World War II were ended. Te “hot war” “Don’t get your Congressman or any infuential was concluded and the Cold War was heating up. friend to insist that we accord you preferential Te cooperative would continue to struggle with the treatment. It positively won’t help you. aftermath of war in the efort to electrify Southern Maryland, but there would be a light (literally) at the “Don’t monkey with your light fxtures while in end of the tunnel. It turned out, however, that the the bathtub. It is better to be dirty than dead. tunnel would be longer than anticipated.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 63 CHAPTER 6 Slipping into the Modern Groove:

A Southern Maryland Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative line crew. In 1942, the co-op changed its name to Southern

Chapter six: 1947–1959 1947–1959 Upon refection, a student of American history probably would tell you the year 1947 was a pivotal one in terms of American foreign policy and for the future of a war-shattered Europe. In February President Harry S. Truman announced the United States would give military and fnancial aid to Greece and Turkey to support “free people to work out their own desti- nies in their own way.” Te “Truman Doctrine,” as it became known, was the frst shot fred in the Cold War to stop the spread of Communism. In June at Harvard University, Secretary of State George C. Marshall outlined an economic recovery plan for Europe stating the need to protect political stability and peace. “Our policy,” he said, “is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos.” And thus was born the “Marshall Plan,” a plan to which Joseph Stalin was adamantly opposed, accusing Western powers of seeking to divide Europe into two hostile camps. Tat same student of history, if he were on the ball, might even recall that on April 15 that year Jackie Robinson began his major league career at frst base with the Brooklyn Dodgers and in September, with about 14,000 televisions in use around the United States, the World Series was televised for the frst time. It is doubtful however, very doubtful, that our student of history would recall the Great Black-eyed Pea Hoax of 1947. Tat was the year the Henderson County, Texas, Chamber of Commerce hired Elmore Torn Sr. At that time there wasn’t much to promote in Henderson County. Tere was a cannery that processed, among other things, black-eyed peas. Now in 1947, when someone opened a can of black-eyed peas, what he saw was something that looked like a lumpy, grayish-brown library paste with dark brown spots scattered in it. What he tasted in essence was salty tin. Te canning process picked up the taste of the metal the cans were lined with—in other words, it was awful and a wonder that anyone ate it at all. Torn was tasked with creating a market for this all-but-incredible mess. Black-eyed peas, Torn wrote in a tract he had the chamber publish, were a longstanding Southern culinary delight that graced the tables of high and low society all across the antebellum South, particularly on New Year’s Day, when no proper Southern table would be without them. Eating black- eyed peas on New Year’s Day was said to bring good luck. Yankees in the hated Reconstruction period suppressed this fne old tradition, and it was in danger of being lost. Even General Robert E. Lee and President Jeferson Davis ate black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck and because Maryland Electric Cooperative. Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 65 Toll booth and office at the Calvert side of the Patuxent River bridge from Hallowing Point to Benedict in 1954. of that the Yankees tried to stamp out all memory of REA Administrator Claude R. Wickard as the guest the time-honored tradition. It was time this tradition speaker. At the time, the cooperative was serving 5,800 was revived all across the South, and of course how customer-members. On May 16, the cooperative better to revive it than to serve conveniently packaged took over the operation of the Navy generating plant canned black-eyed peas from Henderson County, at Solomons Island and used it to serve the greater Texas. Torn had the chamber print up several hundred Calvert County area. Te month of May also saw fiers and had the cannery make up an equal number another bid opening on the much-delayed Piscataway- of 2-ounce cans of black-eyed peas and sent them to to-Hughesville transmission line. Notice had been the food editors of every major daily newspaper in the sent to 31 contractors; two took out plans and specif- 1 South, thus starting a New Year’s tradition of his own. cations and one bid was submitted. Te contract was Black-eyed peas and good luck were not on the coop- awarded to Smith Construction Co. of Nashville. erative’s 1947 menu. Demand for electric service, inad- Construction of the line would be delayed once more equate power supply and material shortages continued when in June the board deferred action on the contract to plague it. In late 1946 the Potomac Electric Power for 60 days and passed another resolution pressing Co. (Pepco) had expressed concern about the overload the REA for funding of a generating plant. A gener- conditions on the Piscataway substation, which was ating plant, it explained, would obviate the need for a power source for the Southern Maryland Electric the Piscataway to Hughesville transmission line. Te Cooperative (SMECO). board noted in the resolution that Pepco could cancel In January 1947 the board received notifcation from the power contract with 30 days’ notice, leaving the the Rural Electrifcation Administration (REA) of its cooperative without an adequate supply of power, refusal to fund a generating plant. In February the and that the cost of $325,000 for a transmission line board reinstated its request for the funding of a gener- was too great a price to pay to be put in that posi- ating plant. Action also was taken to acquire by lease tion. Te board was of the opinion a generating plant the diesel generating plant at the Naval Mine Warfare was more advisable for reasons of independence from Test Station at Solomons, since the station was sched- Pepco and the lower cost of power.2 REA once again uled for deactivation. In April the cooperative held turned a deaf ear to fnancing a generating plant and its annual meeting at Gwynn Park High School, with in December manager Coakley reported to the board

Chapter six: 1947–1959 of directors at the new ofce building in Hughesville Hughesville High School on April 12 but once again a (an ofcial move from Waldorf to Hughesville had not quorum could not be felded, in spite of the fact there yet occurred) that approximately 13 miles of poles had were no formal speeches, a departure from the usual been set for the Piscataway to Hughesville transmis- custom. In May the board approved the purchase of a sion line and that the foundation and steel work for lot and building in Hollywood, Md., for the St. Mary’s the required substation had been completed.3 district ofce. At the same meeting an amendment to the contract for the construction of the Piscataway By August 1947 the cooperative had on hand approx- to Hughesville transmission line was approved to imately 1,200 applications for service, of which include construction of an additional 27 miles of approximately 450 applicants had wired their properties and received inspections and had been waiting in line from Hughesville to Jarboesville in order to serve 7 some cases more than a year. Te REA and the Public the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Te Navy had Service Commission (PSC) had received numerous applied to the cooperative for electric service at the complaints about the long waits. On Sept. 3, when naval air station, and after several months of review representatives of the cooperative appeared before the and negotiations that included meetings with REA, PSC for approval of a recently granted REA loan for the Navy, and Pepco, the directors approved a proposal line construction, the commission stated it was not at the Oct. 11, 1948, board meeting, according to the disposed to approve the application until such time ofcial minutes of that gathering. as the cooperative could present defnite plans for Te minutes of the May meeting also reveal that a construction of additional lines, and it gave a dead- recent study had shown there were 2,000 prospective line of Nov. 3 to present a report of its plans to the members without electric service within 5,000 feet of commission. Six days later, at the September board existing lines and that a lot of new construction along meeting, the manager reported the situation and the lines was occurring. Tere were 950 applications explained that the cooperative’s engineer, Mr. B.O. for service on fle and the prospective consumers were Vannort of Charlotte, N.C., was proceeding with being connected at the rate of approximately 120 new the plans and specifcations for the construction of approximately 250 miles of distribution line, and that bids for this construction would be taken during the frst part of October.4

At the December board meeting the manager reported a letter had been mailed to each consumer requesting conservation of electricity and he was further instructed by the board to publicize the critical power situation in the local newspapers. It also was reported that the construction of the Hughesville community sewage system was under way and it appeared the cooperative’s ofce could be moved to Hughesville shortly after Jan. 1. Te annual Christmas party was set for Dec. 16 at Esperanza Farm, St. Mary’s County; each employee was given an $18.75 savings bond as a Christmas gift.5 If only they had been aware of that time-honored Southern tradition, they could have thrown in a can of black-eyed peas for good luck.

For the cooperative, the early part of 1948 brought an ofce move from Waldorf to a new facility in Longtime employees Millie Wheatley and Mary Pat Hughesville.6 Te annual meeting was held at Jameson worked in SMECO’s billing department.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 67 members a month. By the end of the year the coopera- Harry S. Truman pulled an upset, beating Republican tive would be serving 9,193 members, a 26.5 percent candidate Tomas E. Dewey. Tat month the board increase over the prior year’s membership. put into place plans for a new ofce building for the Calvert district.11 Te year ended for the cooperative Meanwhile, the world continued moving forward. In in the spirit of the season, with a settlement over a mid-February, the American public was told Chuck $216 dispute with the State Roads Commission in Yeager, piloting the rocket airplane X-1, had broken connection with the relocation of the Jarboesville – the sound barrier several months before. On June 26, Hermanville line during the war. An employee request 1948, the USSR blocked all land and water access for a Christmas Eve holiday generated a lengthy to Berlin, prompting the United States to organize discussion “with no ofcial action being taken” but the Berlin Airlift. “Operation Vittles” supplied food, the matter was to be handled individually in the three fuel and hope until the barricades were lifted after districts; a dinner and dance for the employees was the “Easter Parade” of 1949. Beginning at 12 noon agreed upon, to be held at Leonardtown Wharf.12 on Easter Sunday, April 15, to 12 noon on April 16, American and British aircrews worked to deliver more Te year 1949 saw a lot of electricity in the air and in tonnage to the beleaguered city than previously had the news. Te frst automatic street lights were intro- been delivered in a 24-hour period. When it was over, duced in New Milford, Conn.; the “Lucky Lady II,” a 12,940 tons of coal had been delivered as a result of U.S. Air Force B-50 Superfortress, completed the frst 1,398 fights without a single accident. It was the straw nonstop fight around the world, some 23,452 miles that broke the camel’s back; on May 12, 1949, the in 94 hours; Flag Day, June 14, was established by Soviets capitulated and lifted the blockade.8 Congress and approved by President Truman; and the Soviet Union detonated its frst atomic bomb. American society was beginning to see some changes. On April 20, 1948, Roy Campanella made his debut On Aug. 26, the 66-kV line from Hughesville to as catcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers and on July Jarboesville (now Lexington Park) was energized. At the 9, 42-year-old Satchel Paige made his frst major December board meeting, manager Coakley reported league appearance, pitching two scoreless innings for that all the work under the construction contract Cleveland. Te cooperative was busy that July also; on for the 66-kV transmission lines from Bryantown July 5, the new 66-kilovolt (kV) transmission line from to La Plata and Bryantown to Prince Frederick had Piscataway to Hughesville was energized and placed in been completed with the exception of the crossing service, and 11 days later the cooperative instituted of the Patuxent River. At that meeting the board also a 40-hour week for all hourly employees.9 In August approved contracts for the construction of substations the recently formed local union of the International at La Plata, Prince Frederick, Bryantown and Oakville. Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) ofered Plans for the annual Christmas party were approved to waive any charges of unfair labor practices if the and $50 was to be given to each of the employees cooperative adjusted the salaries of its employees. as a Christmas gift, but not before the manager was Te cooperative readily agreed;10 during the war its instructed to consult with the cooperative’s attorney request to raise salaries had been “taken under advise- for advice as to whether the cooperative could be ment” by the Ofce of Price Administration (OPA). charged with an unfair labor practice in making the Price controls had remained in efect after the war in gift to the employees.17 Now serving some 11,000 hopes of preventing price instability as the war econ- members, an increase of 19.8 percent over 1948, with omy converted back to peacetime. Te OPA had been huge construction projects being planned and under disbanded more than a year before the IBEW made way, and with labor problems to boot, the cooperative its request. was at mid-century, “slipping into the modern groove.”

By September the St. Mary’s district ofce at On Jan. 1, 1950, board members George R. Quirk, Hollywood was open for business and an uneventful William H. Mattingly, Mervel M. Dean, John R. Drury fall passed until Election Day, Nov. 2, when President and Roland B. Duke represented St. Mary’s County.

Chapter six: 1947–1959 The line crew ready to work. Inside the truck is Emerson Phillips, seated on the fender from left, Slim Abell, Kaiser Stine, and Sandy Ferrall. Standing to the rear of the truck are Doc Norris (left) and Max Reeves.

In the spring of 1949 in Hughesville, Md., sparks flew between local union representatives of the IBEW and the cooperative’s board of directors. After a meeting with union representatives, the board resolved at its Feb. 14 meeting its unilateral opposition to the institution of a “closed” or union shop. The union in addition had requested a 15 percent wage increase. The wage dispute would continue throughout 1949. In May the cooperative was advised that a strike would take place beginning 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 20. The board responded by placing announcements in the local papers stating the board’s purpose and reason for its actions.13 There was no strike, but the matter ended up before the state commissioner of labor and industry.

In August 1949, while six of the 16 surviving settling the dispute and the cooperative’s plan union veterans of the War Between the States was not one of them. The union responded with attended the last encampment of the Grand a charge of unfair labor practices and the matter Army of the Republic in Indianapolis, correspon- went from the state commission of labor to the dence flew back and forth between thePublic National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In July Service Commission and the cooperative regard- 1950 the manager notified the board he had ing the conflict between the union and SMECO’s received official notice from theNLRB that a board.14 In November, the board agreed to majority of ballots cast in the recent decertifica- arbitrate the wage issue, provided the arbitra- tion election were cast in favor of IBEW Local 70. tors were three judges of Maryland’s 7th Judicial The NLRB advised that because the union had Circuit. The board requested Judges John B. failed to comply with certain requirements of the Gray Jr. of Calvert County, Charles C. Marbury National Labor Relations Act, SMECO’s board of Prince George’s County and John Dudley was precluded from taking any action beyond Diggs of Charles County.15 The directors said certifying the results of the election. At the same the three judges knew local problems and rules meeting the board approved a 10 percent on civil and criminal matters affecting Southern increase in salaries in all categories.16 By the end Maryland people and property. The national of 1950, IBEW Local 70 had come into compli- representative of the union said in Washington ance with the National Labor Relations Act. the union had offered four or five methods of

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 69 Quirk, then president, and Mattingly, who would become president, had been on the board since the beginning. James T. Bowling, Ernest Keller, William Words have consequences, and a P. Jameson, J. Hayden Bowling and F. DeSales Mudd Truman administration statement that represented Charles County; Henry A. Xander, also an Korea was “outside the U.S. defense original member of the board, and W.R.C. Connick perimeter in the Pacific” was said by some represented Prince George’s County; and Calvert County was represented by Perry Bowen, J. Wilmer to have invited an attack. On June 25, Johnson and G.I. Rupert Lore. Te members’ annual 1950, North Korea—at the urging of the meeting was held at the New Teater in Leonardtown Soviet Union’s Stalin and China’s Mao on April 10 but again a quorum was not present. Tse-tung, it was later learned—crossed Mr. J. Edward Burroughs, the cooperative’s attorney, the 38th Parallel, invading South Korea. made several remarks relative to the difculty in conducting the cooperative’s business and the negative It would not be long before the Inchon impact on future growth in the absence of a quorum Peninsula, Yalu River, Chongqing Reservoir, of the membership. A motion from the foor, which Pork Chop Hill and MIG Alley became part was passed, called for a meeting of the membership of the American consciousness. to be held at the Lexington Park Teater on May 8 and that a special efort be made to get 446 members, the necessary number for a quorum, to attend. Te Lexington Park meeting was a success. Tere were more than enough members present to constitute a quorum. Cooperative business was conducted; among the actions taken was an amendment to the bylaws to allow for fewer members to constitute a quorum. Director F. DeSales Mudd of Charles County did not seek re-election, and Beverly Barnes, the La Plata postmaster, flled his seat. Te remaining incumbent directors were re-elected.18 Te year was also a local election year and in August board member J. Wilmer Johnson, an attorney from Prince Frederick, resigned his board seat to run for public ofce. Board member Roland B. Duke of Leonardtown, a candidate for the House of Delegates, followed suit in October.19 Tat same month the Calvert County board seat was flled by the appointment of Claude I. Owings, a banker and farmer from Owings, Md., whose hometown had been named for his grandfather. Te Saint Mary’s seat would remain vacant until the election of Sprigg Reeves, an insurance agent from Chaptico, at the members’ annual meeting in April 1951.

In October, REA representatives met with the board to discuss the implementation of a “capital credits system” that would ensure each co-op patron received A lineman doing his work the old-fashioned way. credit for amounts paid in excess of the cost of service.20

Chapter six: 1947–1959 Such a system was approved at the April 1951 annual tive employees who had recently entered the armed meeting, with the frst repayment of capital credits services21—Paul M. Hampton of Leonardtown, coming in October 1962. Tat month, checks total- Emmett J. Hayes and Jack Mister of Waldorf, Francis ing $732,000 were mailed to refund capital credits Garner of Faulkner, Herman Gehring of Bryantown accrued from 1938 through 1951. and Lester Harrison of Benedict.22

By the end of 1950, the new Prince Frederick ofce During the frst week of January 1951 the Prince building was just about completed, the new substa- Frederick co-op employees moved from their old tion at Patuxent River Naval Air Station had been quarters located behind the courthouse to the recently completed and was undergoing testing, and service to completed ofce building located opposite the new the air station was in the very near future; however, Calvert County high school on Maryland State Route the construction of the 66-kV line from Hughesville 2. Te ofce location was described in 1951 as being to Burch’s Hill had hit a snag due to the contractor’s “about one mile north of town.”23 difculty in securing materials (the military’s involve- In February Coakley reported the REA loan applica- ment in Korea was taking its toll). Te membership tion submitted the previous February for expansion of had grown to 12,362, with 1,826 miles of lines to the system had been approved, but due to shortage of maintain and 29.7 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) sold. materials brought on by the Korean War, the expan- Te cooperative began publishing a monthly newslet- sion project would be considerably slowed.24 In March, ter that for the frst three issues—December 1950 and following a meeting with employees Bob Mitchell January and February 1951—was titled “What’s My and Floyd Cooksey, who explained that a group Name?” Members were asked during that time to name of the employees had gotten together and formed a the newsletter. In other developments, the cooperative baseball team and were looking for some support applied to the REA for a $2.4 million loan based on to defray expenses, the board agreed to sponsor the a recently completed sign-up campaign and system team in the amount of $400. Te team was composed study that had been initiated with the encouragement of employees from the three districts and the home of the agency. Te study revealed there were approxi- feld was located in Waldorf.25 Tat same month the mately 3,800 prospective members without electric cooperative’s newsletter was named by 18-year-old Jo service within 5,000 feet of existing lines. Te loan was Ann Tompson of Hughesville, a senior at La Plata to be used to provide service to those 3,800 members High School, whose “Co-op Review” title was chosen on 492 miles of single-phase electric distribution lines over 400 entries. Jo Ann reported that she liked home and to increase the capacity of service drops and trans- economics, “cooking is easy but right now I’m strug- formers for 500 members. gling to make a shirt.” She was the seventh generation to occupy her home, built in 1804. Te family had At mid-century the electrifcation of Southern frst enjoyed electricity in August 1950.26 Maryland was still a work in progress. Te annual Christmas party was held at the Leonardtown Wharf Te April annual meeting was held at La Plata High Club on Dec. 19 and the board again agreed on a $50 School with more than 600 members in attendance. gift for each employee. Manager Coakley suggested, Te capital credits system was adopted by the member- and the board agreed, to include the six coopera- ship and the annual meeting date was changed to the

On Nov. 15, 1955, director W.R.C. Connick, a member of the board of directors from Prince George’s County, passed away at his home near Brandywine. Born in 1868, he had retired in 1934 after 24 years as a teacher in Prince George’s County and 22 years as principal of the high school at Baden. Connick was one of the pioneer co-op members in Prince George’s County; he was elected to the board in 1946 and served continuously until his death.27

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 71 second Monday in July. J. Wilmer Johnson of Prince ribbon; third in the ribbon-cutting line was former Frederick, who had been unsuccessful in his run for Gov. William Preston Lane Jr., during whose adminis- public ofce, was re-elected to the board, flling the tration the bridge was started; and last but certainly by seat of Perry Bowen, who had not sought re-election.28 no means least was Sen. Louis Goldstein holding his son Philip, to whom he delegated the task of cutting In April ground was broken to expand the Hughesville the fourth and fnal ribbon. Te extra pair of scissors ofce building to provide space for a billing depart- came into service when Mrs. Ross produced them at ment, mimeograph ofce and storage, thus freeing the dedication with the request that Gov. McKeldin use up space in the old section for a bookkeeping ofce, them so she might have a memento of the occasion.32 demonstration kitchen-laundry and assembly room. Te concept of a bridge spanning the Patuxent River Curious onlookers, or “sidewalk superintendents,” had been around since at least the 1920s. In 1929 Rep. were invited to watch the progress.29 Stephen W. Gambrill of Maryland, with the support of In November 1951 Director Beverly Barnes of Charles state Sen. Walter J. Mitchell of La Plata and his news- County died suddenly of a heart attack. He had served paper, Te Times-Crescent, had attempted to obtain 33 as postmaster of La Plata for 11 years and had been federal funds for such an undertaking. Te construc- a director since April 1950.30 Edward Digges was tion of the bridge proved to be a boon to the coop- appointed in January 1952 to fll the vacancy left by erative. No longer was it necessary to “go around the Barnes. Following his service as a bombardier with horn,” i.e., to Upper Marlboro and down the Calvert the Army Air Corps during World War II, Digges peninsula, to get work- completed law school at the University of Maryland ers and supplies to and and began practicing law in 1946.31 He served as a from Calvert County. director until 1957. By year’s end a cease- As the year came to a close there was a monumental fre and demarcation opening in Southern Maryland. It took two senators, zone accord had been a governor, a former governor, four ribbons and fve signed at Panmunjom, pairs of scissors to ofcially open the new $2 million Korea, Joe DiMaggio Patuxent River Bridge at Benedict on Dec. 1, 1951. had announced his Sen. James B. Monroe of Charles County cut the frst retirement from base- ribbon; behind him Gov. Teodore McKeldin and his ball and six more daughter, Mrs. Elvin Ross, wife of the superintendent of the cooperative’s who directed the bridge construction, cut the second employees—James A.

Jimmy Dean and the Texas Wildcats were well-known in Southern Maryland and were one of the area’s most popular country music bands. At the time of their performance at SMECO’s 1956 annual meeting, they were heard on approximately 1,800 radio stations and were well-known for their TV show “Town and Country Time,” then seen daily Monday through Saturday on more than 60 TV stations coast to coast. Dean had skyrocketed to fame with his recordings of “Bummin’ Around,” “Big Blue Diamonds,” “Glad Rags,” “Freight Train Blues” and “Hello Mr. Blues.”34 Dean hosted a television variety show on ABC from 1963-1966. The show featured Jim Henson’s Muppet, Rowlf the Dog, and popularized a number of country music entertainers. Dean later became known for his brand-name sausage. He died in 2010.

Chapter six: 1947–1959 Shenton of Coster (now Lusby), Charles Otto of At the close of 1951 the cooperative was serving Pomonkey, Bob Miller of St. Leonard, Kenneth 13,500 members and had plans for regular electri- Goldsmith and Alvin Jacobs of Waldorf and John W. cal programs for co-op members at the demonstra- Matthews of La Plata—were in the armed forces.35 Te tion kitchen-laundry at Hughesville, including cook- Dec. 21 issue of the Saint Mary’s Beacon reported the ing schools, lighting demonstrations and the use of enlargement of the Hughesville quarters was shown to modern electrical conveniences in the home. Te the public for the frst time that month, with many coming year, a presidential election year, brought “Te prominent state and local extension personnel, news- Greatest Show on Earth,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Te paper editors, ofcials of county fair associations and African Queen” and 12-year-old Jimmy Boyd’s song other community and civic leaders present for the “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” Tis was the occasion. Tose in attendance, according to the news- year the frst political advertisements appeared on U.S. paper, expressed amazement at the rapid growth of the television, as Democrats bought a 30-minute slot for electric system since its beginnings in 1937. Te Saint their candidate, Adlai Stevenson, who in turn was Mary’s Beacon also reported on the annual SMECO bombarded with hate mail for interfering with a broad- Christmas party, held Dec. 15 at the Spring Lake

Hotel with about 200 guests enjoying a wonderful cast of “I Love Lucy.” Dwight D. Eisenhower bought 36 evening complete with dinner, dancing and a bonus 20-second commercial spots and won the election. for the employees. Tat election, Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Charles Collingwood and Eric Sevareid of CBS News, with the assistance of UNIVAC, the “giant brain” (a $600,000 calculator built by the Remington Rand Co.), analyzed and interpreted election returns for a national TV audience.37

Big changes were afoot for the cooperative as well. In April the cooperative sold the Leonardtown Ice Plant and its 240-kW diesel generating plant—and everything else associated with it—to George Goodwin and Arthur L. Marshall for $30,000.38 George Goodwin would continue to run the ice plant until its closure in the 1990s.

Te 1952 annual meeting was held at the “new” Calvert County High School in Prince Frederick on July 14. Members traveling from St. Mary’s and Charles counties were advised to use the “new” Patuxent River bridge and were urged to bring their neighbors to save on the toll.39 William C. “Bill” Wise, deputy administrator of the REA, was the guest speaker. Bill was a pioneer in rural electrifcation, joining the REA staf in the frst few months of the program in 1935 as an attorney in the agency’s legal department.40 Following his retirement from the REA, Bill set up a law practice in Washington, D.C., and represented the cooperative before the Maryland PSC for a number of years. (It was the author’s distinct pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with him on behalf of the cooperative.)

The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 73 Te 1952 annual meeting was 72 members short of members of more than $90,000 per year. During the a quorum; nevertheless, Sen. Louis L. Goldstein of year the total membership increased by 10 percent Calvert County managed to ofer a motion commend- while the use of electricity grew by 20 percent. To ing the services of the directors, which was unani- keep up with the increasing growth, four new substa- mously adopted.41 Henceforth, Senator and later tions were planned: Mason Springs in Charles County, Comptroller Goldstein would attend every SMECO St. James in St. Mary’s County, Cedarville in Prince annual meeting until his death on July 3, 1998. George’s County and Sunderland in Calvert County.42

Te increasing population in Southern Maryland Te year 1953 saw the inauguration of Dwight D. and the popularity of television created some new Eisenhower as the 34th president of the United States; problems. Te Co-op Review issued continuous safety the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and the death of warnings regarding activities around electric lines, but Joseph Stalin; Dr. Jonas Salk beginning to develop accidents continued to occur. In a fall issue of the Co-op the frst polio vaccine; and New Zealander Edmund Review it was reported that two accidents occurred in Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa climber from the Lexington Park area as the result of people working Nepal, climbed to the summit of Mount Everest. Te on television antennas located too near power lines, year also marked the end of the Korean War. and that seven people had been injured. Meanwhile, back in Southern Maryland, plans for On Sept. 1, 1952, the cooperative initiated the frst expanding the cooperative’s electric system had called for rate reduction in its history, with a savings to the seven new substations and about 46 miles of new trans- Local women attend Laundry School at SMECO in mission line. In 1953, four new substations and about April 1955. 32 miles of new transmission line were completed. On May 22 new substations at Bertha in Calvert County and Valley Lee in St. Mary’s County were energized. On June 26 a new substation at Newburg, Charles County, was connected and Nov. 9 marked the completion of a new station at Indian Head.

With the new substations in use it became more economical to stop the high-cost production of power, so the generating plants at Popes Creek and Solomons were closed during 1953.43 Tis marked for the cooperative the beginning of a 46-year relationship with Pepco of Washington, D.C., through which SMECO received its power via all-requirements contracts until the Maryland General Assembly passed the Electric Deregulation Act of 1999, opening up the state’s power markets to competition.

Te year also saw the start of construction on an additional 2,700 square feet of ofce space for the Hughesville ofce. Neither the July regular annual meeting, marking the 15th anniversary of the cooperative’s operation, nor a subsequent meeting in September, attracted a quorum, and no ofcial business was transacted. Te meetings were held at Charlotte Hall Military Academy, and the July meeting featured the Fulton Lewis Jr. Choir providing the entertainment.

Chapter six: 1947–1959 Tis children’s choir of the Hollywood Methodist Church was formed in 1947 and Fulton Lewis Jr., a neighbor, accomplished musician and noted radio commentator, agreed to direct it. Te choir gained national prominence when he put it on his coast-to- coast radio network program on Christmas Day 1948.

Te year ended on a happy note, when, just 16 months after the frst rate reduction, the board of directors announced that a second rate reduction would go into efect on Jan. 1, 1954, with an estimated $90,000 in savings to members. Meanwhile, the membership had increased some 15 percent over the previous year, to 16,259, while the use of electricity had increased 15 percent.44 Five hundred new members were added to the cooperative’s rolls when in December SMECO purchased the electric system of the Potomac Heights Mutual Home Owners Association near Indian Head.45

1954 marked the 16th complete year of cooperative operations. It also marked the birth of rock’n’roll with Bill Haley and the Comets’ recording of “Rock Around the Clock.” Ted Williams’ return to baseball after fying 39 combat missions in Korea without an injury was marked when he sufered a fractured collarbone in the frst game of spring training. Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile mark during a track meet in Oxford, England, and Walt Disney, via the Wonderful World of Disney television program, reintroduced Davy Crockett to the American public. Workers constructing a power line.

Te February issue of the Co-op Review noted: James in St. Mary’s County and Sunderland in Calvert County. A retirement and annuity plan for cooperative “Today the Co-op is a large business. It has grown employees was adopted and became efective July 1. from a tiny power plant serving 400 farms to a Te Home Services personnel section was expanded large network of lines and substations serving over to provide information to members on the uses of 16,000 farms, homes and business places. It has 46 outgrown the small rented ofce in La Plata and electricity. Te July 12 annual meeting, again held built ofces in Hughesville, Hollywood and Prince at Charlotte Hall Military Academy, proved to be the Frederick. One hundred thirty men and women largest in the cooperative’s history. More than 1,300 are employed to operate the system. It owns a feet people were present. All incumbent directors were of 36 trucks, 3 base radio stations and 16 mobile re-elected with the exception of G.I. Rupert Lore of units. Te miles of electric lines now total over Calvert County, who was replaced by Perry G. Bowen 2400 and the number of substations is 15.” of Prince Frederick. Mr. Lore would again serve as a board member from 1958 to 1963. And the growth continued during 1954—of the seven substations that were planned, four were completed On Friday, Oct. 15, sheets of wind-driven rain in 1953, and three were completed and energized announced the arrival of Hurricane Hazel to in 1954: Cedarville in Prince George’s County, St. Southern Maryland. Beginning with Haiti, through

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 75 the Carolinas and up the East Coast as far as Canada, Hazel spread a path of death and destruction, proving to be one of the deadliest and most costly storms of the 20th century; as a result, the name was retired and never again will be used to name an Atlantic hurricane. Tankfully there were no deaths in Southern Maryland, but the area sufered hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. Tobacco barns flled with the recent harvest lay on the ground throughout the area. Waterfront property sufered extensive damage. Some 250 feet of the wooden bridge connecting St. George’s Island to the mainland in St. Mary’s County was washed out when hurricane gusts reached 144 miles per hour. A mile-long length of road leading to Tolson’s Beach at Piney Point was covered with a foot and a half of sand.47 Te bell steeple on Saint Aloysius Church, built in 1848 in Leonardtown, shook to the extent that it had to be removed.

Te brunt of the storm occurred on that Friday, but it would be Wednesday, Oct. 20, before the cooperative could report “conditions were nearly back to normal, with only a few trouble calls dribbling in.”48 All 130 employees of the cooperative pitched in to restore service. Te 22-kV line from Hughesville to Leonardtown, which supplied power to St. Mary’s Hospital, had a total of nine breaks in it. On Oct. Crews constructing line in 1951. 16, calls went out to electrical contractors for extra required to put the lines back in good order. It was crews. Holmes Fowler, Taylor Electric, B.J. Drury, decided that new line construction would be stopped M&H Engineering, Smiths Inc. and George Dorsey during this period.49 furnished help to replace services and broken meters. Dean and Beavers sent in six tree-cutting crews. By the close of the year the membership had increased Several attempts were made to secure line crews from 9 percent, to 17,796 members, and the use of elec- other electric cooperatives with no success. Every other tricity had increased by some 11 percent. Operation electric company in neighboring states was in the same expenses had increased by 14 percent, which included boat, with some in worse shape than SMECO. a $60,000 cost of line repairs for hurricane damages.50

Work was hampered by great losses of telephone On Dec. 29, 1954, the Dow Jones cleared the 400 service and the constant danger from broken live wires. barrier for the frst time; it had taken 25 years for it to Te public was continuously warned by telephone and return to pre-crash levels. radio to stay away from broken wires and not to cut trees from tangled lines. Te cooperative reported most Te cooperative continued to close in on the elec- people were patient about getting their service restored. trifcation of all of Southern Maryland. Some 1,400 Meadow Gold in La Plata, Sealtest in Lexington Park new consumers were connected during 1955, more and Smiths Inc. in Leonardtown made dry ice avail- than 130 miles of new distribution lines were built able to SMECO customers. As the line crews worked, and a new substation was completed and energized at supervisors and foremen studied plans for permanent Waldorf in Charles County. A new 66-kV transmission repairs. It was estimated that three weeks would be line from Hughesville to Leonardtown and Lexington

Chapter six: 1947–1959 sored by Telma Taylor. Both women were presented with orchids and cash awards.52

Landmark events abounded in 1956—Don Larsen’s perfect Game 5 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees; Rocky Marciano’s retirement after having won every fght in his professional career; Elvis Presley’s frst appearance on “Te Ed Sullivan Show” and his subsequent No. 1 hit “Heartbreak Hotel”; the bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala., which had begun Dec. 1, 1955, and continued into the new year; the sinking of the Italian liner Andrea Doria after its collision with the Swedish passenger ship Stockholm of the New England coast; and the opening of the frst nuclear station in the world designed to generate electricity on a commercial basis at Calder Hall, England.

Te year turned out to be a record-breaking one for the cooperative. Kilowatt-hour (kWh) sales had increased 15 percent over the previous year, to 113 million. Operating revenues were up 13 percent, totaling $2.8 million. Some 60 miles of new line had been constructed and 950 new consumers added, giving the cooperative more than 20,000 members; home use of electricity was up to an average of 200 kWh a month.53 Another record was broken when more than 2,000 Park was on the drawing board, with an expected 1957 people, disregarding rain showers, showed up for the completion date. A contract was awarded to change all July 9, 1956, annual meeting. No doubt the evening’s distribution line connections in Calvert County to the entertainment played a part. Performers Buck Ryan, standard co-op design. (Tese were the lines purchased national champion fddler; Marvin Carroll, king-size from the Eastern Shore Public Service Co. in 1945.) steel guitarist; Herbie Jones, vocalist and comic; Smitty Rebuilding and rehabilitation, where needed, was Irvin, champion fve-string banjo picker; and Jimmy included in the contract. Six acres of land adjacent to Dean and his Texas Wildcats were in the house, or at the Hughesville substation was purchased for future least on the stage. expansion of co-op facilities. A dispute with Pepco U.S. Rep. Brooks Hays of Arkansas was the guest over a proposed 9 percent increase in the cost of power speaker. All incumbent directors were re-elected and was settled for a 2½ percent increase, with consumer Kenneth Wilson of Brandywine, Prince George’s rates remaining the same.51 County, was elected to take the place of the late W.R.C. Connick.54 Another record crowd attended the annual meeting at La Plata High School—1,500 people attended, with During its 19th year of operation in 1957 the 800 members registered. Te incumbent directors were cooperative, along with Southern Maryland, re-elected, and Ethel Joy, St. Mary’s County exten- continued its unprecedented growth. In one year, sion agent, introduced the winner and her sponsor of the use of electricity had increased to 127 million the “Mrs. Co-op Homemaker 1955” contest. Hilda kWh, an increase of 11 percent over the year 1956. Mattingly of Compton won the contest; she was spon- Operating revenues increased some 13 percent; 90

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 77 new miles of distribution line were constructed and State Central Committee; and member of the Charles 1,000 new consumers were added. Te average home County Board of Education.56 At the directors’ board use of electricity had increased to 250 kWh per meeting that month, James P. Bowling of Wicomico, at month per consumer, an increase of 25 percent over the time a tobacco farmer, was chosen to serve as direc- the previous year.55 tor to replace James Tomas Bowling. Board Member William P. Jameson of Pomonkey, Charles County, was May 1957 saw the passing of James Tomas Bowling, elected to the ofce of secretary-treasurer. Jameson was one of the pioneer members in Charles County who elected to the board in 1939 and had been running a helped organize the cooperative. Elected to the board general store at Pomonkey since 1925.57 in 1938, he served continuously as secretary-treasurer until his death. Born in 1894 at Newport, Charles July’s annual meeting broke all previous attendance County, Bowling operated “Tulip Hill,” a 482-acre records, with more than 2,500 people turning out. tobacco farm overlooking the Wicomico River. He Te U.S. Navy Sea Chanters captured the huge audi- had been active in community afairs, having served ence with a variety of singing and dancing numbers. as a member of the board of directors of Southern Making two appearances on the program, frst in Maryland National Bank; trustee, steward and regular Navy uniform and then in the colorful Navy chairman of the building committee of the United dress of 1812, they gave a fne performance singing Methodist Church; chairman of the Democratic Party and dancing to the music of many popular and old

The U.S. Navy Sea Chanters performing at SMECO’s 1957 annual meeting.

Chapter six: 1947–1959 favorites. Everyone, it was success. An appeal was made reported, enjoyed the humor- to Patuxent River Naval Air ous, colorful and inspiring Station for use of a helicopter show.58 In the director’s elec- to patrol this line and drop tion, Walter W. Bowling Sr. a line crew down to make of Newport, Charles County, repairs—and the Navy agreed replaced Edward Digges of to try. With high winds and 59 La Plata. snow-covered felds on which In early October 1957 Te to land, it wasn’t easy. Only Washington Post headline one lineman at a time could screamed: “Satellite Flashes be fown from the crew stand- Past D.C. 5 Times; Trackers ing by at Glasva School on Fail to Find It on 6th Trip; Route 301. Te fights were Russians May Have Ultimate successful and the line repairs Weapon.” Te country was were completed by 12:30 a.m. on edge and this event would Customer-members peruse new appliances at the Monday, restoring service to 1957 annual meeting. be the opening round of the the families who had been race for space between the Soviet Union and United without current for more than 40 hours.60 States. If only the country could have foreseen Te Washington Post headline some 12 years later. On July Te 1958 winter season would end, as do all seasons, 21, 1969, the banner headline read: “Te Eagle Has but not before Mother Nature served up the coopera- Landed—Armstrong Walks on Moon.” tive one last kick in the pants. On March 20, a wet snow blanketed the region, knocking out both trans- Te moon walk would be in the future; 1958 was the mission feeders, thus cutting of current to the entire year of the Hula Hoop. It was also the year of the “Big system for more than six hours. Sixty poles and thou- Snow” for Southern Maryland. Te snow began on sands of feet of wire had to be replaced. Crews were Saturday, Feb. 15, and the frst outages were reported sent in from the Northern Neck Electric Cooperative around 4:40 p.m. that afternoon. As the storm increased and winds blew, the outages increased, with of Warsaw, Va., Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative Charles and Prince George’s counties totaling about of Chase City, Va., the Virginia Electric Cooperative 1,500 outages, St. Mary’s reporting 900 and Calvert from Bowling Green, Va., and the S.W. Central Rural 61 300. All available line crews and ofce help were put Electric Cooperative from Indiana, Pa. to work around the clock. Nearly all secondary roads In spite of the winter setbacks the cooperative contin- were closed on Sunday morning and by Monday the ued to grow and prosper. An $800,000 construc- major state routes 301, 210 and 5 were closed, opened tion contract for transmission lines and substations and blocked again by drifts of wind-driven snow. A was successfully completed. Te project included the number of cooperative trucks plowed through the construction of a new 66-kV transmission line from snow, got stuck, got themselves free and then got stuck again. Even with chains on their tires for improved Hughesville to Lexington Park via Leonardtown and traction, trucks became helpless in the deep snow new substations at Hughesville, Accokeek, Patuxent and some were abandoned until they could be dug Park and Leonardtown in addition to a new switch- out hours later. Te most critical area afected was on ing station at Lexington Park. Construction also Route 428 in Charles County between Dentsville and was completed on new storage and ofce facilities at Newport. A section of line in this area serving some Hughesville and Hollywood. More than 1,000 new 22 families was completely isolated by snow-blocked consumers were added during the year, with electri- roads in all directions. Many attempts were made to cal usage rising to 138 million kWh, an increase of 9 get men and equipment in to service the line without percent over 1957.62

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 79 For the ffth year in a row there was a record turn- “Barbie” doll to the American public and the opening out for the annual meeting—more than 3,000 people of the 2,350-mile Saint Lawrence Seaway by Queen attended. David A. Hamil, administrator of the REA, Elizabeth. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev few back to was the guest speaker. Te 2nd U.S Army Choral group Moscow after a 12-day visit in the United States. He provided the evening’s entertainment. Led by director toured a farm in Iowa, visited an IBM factory in San James Steeves, the group early on captured the afec- Francisco and had a tour of Hollywood, but for “secu- tion and admiration of the audience. Te election of rity reasons” was denied access to Disneyland. (Te directors was one of the most contested to date, with author would be remiss if he failed to mention that 1959 six candidates running for fve positions in Charles was the year he graduated from Ryken High School in County, six candidates running for three positions in Leonardtown; all in all, it was a very good year.) Calvert County and eight candidates running for fve It certainly was a good year for the cooperative. Sales positions in St. Mary’s County. Tere was no oppo- of electric power soared to 158 million kWh, an sition to the sitting directors Henry A. Xander and increase of 14 percent over 1958. A hundred miles of Kenneth C. Wilson in Prince George’s County. Te new lines were constructed, bringing the total system annual meeting ended before the election tellers could to nearly 3,000 miles. Some 1,300 new consumers complete their work and give a report on the results were connected, making a total of nearly 23,500 elec- of the vote. In Charles County, J. Hayden Bowling, a tric services for consumers. Electric revenues increased director since 1946, was replaced by L. Spencer Knott of Hughesville. In Calvert County, John J. Williams, Joe Harris, Richard Burroughs, Lloyd Goble, Willie Simms, Frank M. Kenneth Buckler and G.I. Rupert Lore replaced J. Wilmer Johnson, Claude I. Owings and Perry G. Bowen. Only Johnson had not sought re-election.63 Although there was some stif opposition, the sitting directors from St. Mary’s County—Quirk, Reeves, Mattingly, Drury and Dean—all were re-elected. Te cooperative’s union employees were beginning to show their muscle in the election process and actively backed candidates they deemed more sympathetic to their cause. On Jan. 2, 1959, Fidel Castro declared a new government in Cuba. Te next day Alaska became the 49th U.S. state, with Hawaii following suit as the 50th on March 21. Te year marked the introduction of the

Setting a pole, 1951.

Chapter six: 1947–1959 nearly 10 percent over 1958 levels while operating costs Buckler, who had defeated Bowen the year before. Te rose 7 percent. Studies of the rising costs of purchased remaining sitting directors were re-elected.66 power and investigation of a generation project resulted in making application for an $18 million loan In his highly infuential frontier thesis in 1893, to construct a steam plant on the Patuxent River in Frederick Jackson Turner concluded the frontier was St. Mary’s County. A site for the proposed plant was all but gone, thus substantiating the fndings of the purchased (the De La Brooke property) and construc- superintendent of the census, who, after the 11th tion was planned to start as soon as the application U.S. census was completed in 1890, announced was approved.64 One other bit of good news was that a there was no longer a clear line of advancing settle- rate reduction was announced efective Aug. 1; it was ment and hence no longer a frontier in the continental estimated the savings to members would be $123,000 United States. Unfortunately, there was no superin- per year based on 1958 revenues.65 tendent around to declare the ofcial “electrifcation of Southern Maryland,” or to announce ofcially, “we Te annual meeting, again held at Charlotte Hall had slipped into the modern groove,” as described in Military Academy, was a success with a quorum pres- the Saint Mary’s Beacon in 1942. ent; however, rainy weather kept the crowds of previous years away. After a year out of a director’s chair, Te population of Charles, Saint Mary’s and Calvert Perry Bowen of Calvert County replaced M. Kenneth counties totaled 64,626 in 1950. On the eve of the 1960 census, the population in those three jurisdic- Norris and Jim Norris prior to doing line work in Piney Point. tions had increased to 87,313, an increase of some 35 percent.67 Not included in the fgures are those of the southern portion of Prince George’s County served by the cooperative. In 1950 there were 1,029 services connected in Prince George’s County; by 1959, that number had grown to 2,131, an increase of 107 percent. Overall the number of connections for the cooperative increased to 23,493 in 1959 from 12,362 in 1950, a 90 percent increase.68 A 1950 survey by the cooperative showed there were 3,800 prospective members without electric service within 5,000 feet of an existing line. In 1959 this was no longer the case; the population of the area was growing by leaps and bounds, as was the cooperative, and it was keeping up with the ever-increasing demand for service.

Te electrifcation of Southern Maryland was complete when in December 1959 service was provided to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Dickey of St. Mary’s County. Te Dickeys constructed a new home on a four-acre island, called “Tippity Witchety” in the upper St. Mary’s River. It took two spans of wire to cross the river— one from the mainland to a pole on a sandbar and the other from there to the island. Te home was the frst on the co-op system to be heated and cooled by an electric heat pump.69 Te co-op had in fact waded into the “modern groove.”

The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 81 CHAPTER 7 The Sixties

Joy Dillon, Lillian Norris, Barbara Dean, Elsie Mae Hutchins, and Lorrie Smith at SMECO’s 1962 annual meeting.

Chapter seven: the Sixties “Troughout the years I have considered the Cooperative as nothing more nor less than a servant of its members; an organization dedicated to supplying electric service to the greatest number of people at the lowest possible cost consistent with good management—not a watering hole for an organized few, but an oasis for all.” —George R. Quirk Director, 1937–1960; President, 1939–1960 Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative

To those living the experience, it was the best of times and the worst of times, all depending on your vantage point. History has been described as one darned thing after another, and that pretty well sums up the decade known as the ’60s. For one brief shining moment there was “Camelot,” and in his inaugu- ral address newly elected president John F. Kennedy challenged his fellow Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” It was the decade of civil rights marches, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Bay of Pigs fasco and the Cuban missile crisis, the assassinations of John F. and Robert Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Te murder of King was followed by race riots in many areas of the country. In 1960, Yuri Gagarin of the USSR became the frst man in space, while in 1969 Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin of the United States were the frst men to walk on the moon. AT&T made the live worldwide broadcast from the moon possible with the launch of the Telstar communications satellite. Te decade saw actress Marilyn Monroe take her life; Andy Warhol reveal his unique brand of pop art with his paintings of Campbell’s Soup cans, Coca-Cola bottles and replicas of Brillo Soap Pad boxes; “007” make his screen debut; and Sidney Poitier win the Academy Award for Best Actor in “Lilies of the Field.” Rolling Stones and Beatlemania, the miniskirt, Black Power, the frst close-up photographs of the moon, the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) winning the heavyweight title, the death of Winston Churchill, and the biggest power outage in history (to date) leaving some 30 million in the dark—all were milestone events of the ’60s. China’s Cultural Revolution, the Great Society, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the frst heart transplant, Vietnam, the Tet Ofensive, anti-war demonstrations, the birth control pill, ampli-

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 83 Power Co. (Pepco). Te completed study showed that a cooperative-owned generating facility would produce power at an estimated savings of 12 percent; those savings were projected to keep electric rates at their current levels and could bring even lower rates in the future.

Te board wasted no time. A 300-acre tract of farmland known as the De La Brooke property, located on the Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County, was purchased for a generating site and an application for an $18 million loan to build the plant and necessary connecting transmission lines was prepared and forwarded to the Rural Electrifcation Administration (REA). After several months of study and review on the feasibility of the project, the loan was approved in 1960—and when the funds became available in 1961, the expectation was that the new plant would be online in early 1963.3

During 1960 the cooperative would gain more than 1,000 new consumers—bringing the total to more than 24,000. Some 80 miles of new distribution line were built, sales of electricity increased 14 percent over 1959 and two large projects were under way, a new switching station at Chalk Point in Prince George’s County and the construction of 69-kilovolt (kV) trans- The Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite played a crucial role in 4 the Vietnam War. mission feeders from Hughesville to Prince Frederick. Te 1961 annual meeting, again held at Charlotte fed music, the Woodstock festival and more Vietnam, Hall Military Academy, drew a crowd estimated at brought into our homes each evening via TV and more than 3,000. Board President George R. Quirk, nightly news broadcasts, all engendered huge social one of the original founders and board members, changes throughout the country and the world. It was was defeated in his bid for re-election; Benjamin H. a decade of student revolution and “fower power” and Burroughs Sr. of Mechanicsville was selected to replace rapid scientifc and technological progress. him. In an open letter published after his defeat, Mr. Quirk stated in part: In Southern Maryland the decade of the 1960s was one of growth. Te population of St. Mary’s, Charles “Troughout the years I have considered the and Calvert counties grew from 87,313 in 1960 to Cooperative as nothing more nor less than a 115,748 in 1970, an increase in population of 33 servant of its members; an organization dedicated to supplying electric service to the greatest number percent.1 In 1960 the cooperative provided service to 24,529 connections; in 1970, there were 39,616, an of people at the lowest possible cost consistent with good management—not a watering hole for increase of nearly 62 percent.2 an organized few, but an oasis for all. For those Te cooperative’s board had responded to that growth reasons and those alone, others and I have jeal- and the rising cost of purchased power when in 1959 it ously guarded the afairs of the Cooperative as if authorized an engineering study to determine whether it were our own with the result that frequently we the co-op could generate its own power at a lower cost have had to take (to some) the unpopular course. than the rates being charged by the Potomac Electric However, the progress report which I presented at

Chapter seven: the Sixties George R. Quirk passed away in April 1962 “after 81 years of perseverance, integrity and kindness, the victim of a kidney ailment.”7 He was born in 1881 on a farm at Cedar Point, now the location of Patuxent River Naval Air Station, and attended private school at Mattapany Manor, now the admiral’s home on the base. Upon his graduation from Winchester State Normal College in Pennsylvania he returned to St. Mary’s County and purchased a 300-acre farm in Park Hall that he farmed until his death. He served one term as a county commissioner (1923–1927). During the 1930s he served on the board of education and helped bring about the modernization of the county school system, including the construction of Margaret Brent High School. He had been a director of the First National Bank of St. Mary’s since 1925 and the chairman of the board since 1959. In his 37-year association with the bank he had never missed a board meeting. There was one scheduled the day he died.8

the last Meeting of Members seems to me to justify Changes were happening in the feld as well. A.R. amply the procedure which we followed.” 5 Glazeman, a native of Minnesota who had come to work for Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative Te International Brotherhood of Electric Workers (SMECO) as the Hughesville ofce manager in 1945, (IBEW) local union took credit for Quirk’s defeat. retired Oct. 1, 1961. He was highly regarded by all He had been too conservative for its agenda. After the those who came under his supervision. Upon his retire- annual meeting the board met on July 19 and elected ment his position also was retired, and a supervisor of William H. Mattingly of St. Mary’s County as presi- consumer services position was created and flled by dent; Mervell Dean of St. Mary’s County as vice presi- Frank Schindler. Schindler had been with the coopera- dent; W.P. Jameson of Charles County as secretary- tive since 1948 and at the time of his appointment was treasurer; and G.I. Rupert Lore of Calvert County as an electrical adviser in the Power Use section. assistant secretary-treasurer. A resolution was adopted and made part of the minutes of the August meet- Te position of line inspector also was created and flled ing acknowledging Quirk’s 23 years of service and his by Francis W. “Doc” Norris, a veteran serviceman and “crusade in the struggle to obtain central station elec- a SMECO legend. Doc had once worked a 24-hour tric service for the rural areas of Southern Maryland.”6 day restoring power during a snowstorm. He put in for 25 hours on the theory he had worked through his It became apparent the cooperative required a new, lunch hour. Norris began work for the Eastern Shore more modern accounting system to keep up with its Public Service Co. (ESPSC) in 1933 and continued growing customer base, and thus in 1961 an IBM working as a serviceman for SMECO when the coop- accounting system was installed. Te system was oper- erative bought out the Southern Maryland territory of ated by use of a unit record (punched card); the infor- ESPSC in 1945. He retired in October 1969 with 36 mation to be processed was transcribed on the card in years of combined service.9 a series of punched holes via a 24 Card Punch machine that operated much like a typewriter. Te new system Eight hundred new consumers were added and 62 miles required the assigning of new account numbers for of new lines were connected to the system during 1961. all members. After several days of training on the key Customers’ total use of electricity amounted to 188 punch machines by Tim Culbertson, former SMECO million kilowatt-hours (kWh), an 8 percent increase lineman John Matthews was placed in charge of the over the previous year. Home and farm owners used an IBM operation. During the transition period, billing average of 312 kWh of electricity per month with an fell behind by a month and it was not until April 1962 average bill of $8.57.10 In late December, hearings were that billing was back on schedule. held before the Public Service Commission (PSC) on

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 85 the cooperative’s June application for a Certifcate Dell, deputy administrator of the Rural Electrifcation of Public Convenience and Necessity to construct a Administration (REA), warn the members about the generating plant on the Patuxent River. eforts of Pepco to block the cooperative from building its proposed power plant. “From now on,” Dell said, “25 YEARS OF PROGRESS, DO YOU “hardly a day will pass when your right to continue REMEMBER THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS to provide your own service goes unchallenged. WENT ON?” Intervention by a neighboring power company in your Te year 1962 marked the 25th anniversary of the application to build your own generating plant makes founding of the cooperative and the line above was it clear that at least one other supplier considers your part of a promotion placed in local papers during business to be its business.”14 the year to commemorate the anniversary. Joy Dillon of Accokeek, Lillian Norris of Cobb Island, Barbara Pepco’s intervention to stop the cooperative gener- Dean of Hollywood and Elsie Mae Hutchins of Prince ating plant caused the St. Mary’s County Economic Frederick were chosen to represent their counties at Development Commission in September to petition the SMECO annual meeting held at the Charlotte the PSC to approve the proposed $18 million generat- Hall Military Academy. A giant birthday cake with ing plant. “It would seem unfair,” stated the Economic electric candles was rolled out and Lorrie Smith led the Development Commission, “and contrary to the membership in singing “Happy Birthday.”11 Judge John wishes of the people of this area if they were deprived B. Gray of the 7th Judicial Circuit, a native of Prince of the right through cooperative eforts to direct their Frederick who pioneered eforts to bring an electric afairs in advancing their own economic interests. If cooperative to Calvert County, stated in an interview the issue at stake is private power versus public power, with the Co-op Review: “Te frst electric power from we believe that no one company or small group of the Popes Creek generating plant and the founding men have the right for their private profts to block of the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative must our area’s advancement.”15 rank as one of the most important events in the history In December the Maryland PSC ruled the of Southern Maryland. Te growth and development cooperative’s proposal to construct a generating plant of Southern Maryland would not have been possible was “not consistent with the public convenience and without electric power.”12 necessity.” “Te victor in the controversy,” stated Te More than 3,000 people attended the 1962 Silver Jubilee Washington Post, “was Pepco, which stepped in after annual meeting and heard guest speaker Richard A. the Cooperative fled its application and fought the

On the night of March 5, 1962, the area was struck by heavy wet snow and high winds, resulting in some 350 poles and wires being snapped as though they were toys. Many of those who still remembered the “night the lights went on” sat in the dark for a week wondering when they would go on again. The lines along Route 5 from Waldorf to Leonardtown suffered damage so heavy that some could not be repaired, but had to be rebuilt. More than 130 line crews from other cooperatives and utilities responded to SMECO’s call for help. Current was restored to most within a week after the storm. To that date it was the worst storm the cooperative had suffered in terms of the amount of damage to the lines and cost, which was estimated to be a half-million dollars.

The Naval Propellant Plant at Indian Head provided an emergency generator to Physicians Memorial Hospital in La Plata and Patuxent River Naval Air Station did the same for St. Mary’s Hospital in Leonardtown. In addition, the naval air station provided a helicopter to patrol cooperative lines.13

Chapter seven: the Sixties proposed plant to be built in St. Mary’s County as a a rehearing was fled with the commission. A special ‘wasteful duplication’ of the services Pepco provided.” target of the appeal was the proposed “new rate” for Te cooperative’s argument that it could save its electric power that Pepco brought in at the hearings. customers more than $2 million in nine years was Te rate represented a reduction of some 8 percent countered by Pepco’s fgures that it would cost the after Pepco had frst demanded a rate increase of 12 consumers more than power provided by them. Te percent, the factor that frst induced the cooperative commission ruled along the lines of Pepco’s argument, to seek to generate its own power. placing the cost to consumers at $3,847,691. Francis Sherbow described the “new rate” in scathing terms, X. Gallagher, people’s counsel, had sided with the stating it was not made in good faith and was merely set cooperative and had written a strongly worded letter to forth to block the cooperative from building the gener- the commission urging approval of the application.17 ating plant. He set forth as an example that on July 15, After a unanimous vote of the board of directors, 1959, Pepco had demanded a 12 percent increase in the cooperative—through its attorney, former Judge its rates and only after eight months of negotiations Joseph Sherbow of the Baltimore law frm of Sherbow, was a 4 percent increase agreed upon, then a few short Shea and Doyle—attacked the PSC’s ruling as “arbi- months after the increased rates became efective, a trary, against the weight of evidence and erroneous as new proposal for a 12 percent increase was submit- a matter of law,” and on Jan. 12, 1963, a petition for ted.18 And thus began the year 1963, with the high-

In December 1962, Lawrence Meyer of Employers Mutual Insurance Company (left), presented an award for one million man-hours worked without a loss of time or disabling accident. Joseph “Slim” Abell, SMECO board president William Mattingly, Emerson Phillips and Albert Beck accepted the award on SMECO’s behalf. Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 87 Faye Oliver helping a customer-member at the annual meeting. stakes poker game still running amid an atmosphere of Lore had served as a director from 1946 to 1954 and change that included the implementation of the ZIP from 1958 to 1963. code system. “With the ZIP Code system in full swing At the meeting, President William H. Mattingly in the United States we will have the most modern reported that the cooperative had signed a new fve- system of mail distribution and delivery in existence,” year power contract with Pepco that called for a reduc- the Enterprise reported enthusiastically in June 1963.19 tion in power costs of approximately 8½ percent. It also was the year the State Highway Administration Te rate would become efective upon the approval promised a dual highway between Waldorf and of the Federal Power Commission and would mean a Lexington Park by 1965. Te Route 235 portion of savings of $170,000 during the frst year. Te board, the project was on the State Roads Commission criti- he reported, already had undertaken a study of the cal needs list and, as it turned out, would remain on retail rates so the savings could be passed on at the the critical list for more than 20 years,20 at which point earliest possible time. It was a contract that served the SMECO would play a very active and critical role. consumers well, for it would not see the light of day, at More than 4,000 people attended the annual meeting least from Pepco’s perspective, until 1975, and would at Charlotte Hall Military Academy on July 8, 1963. not be renegotiated until 1977. Te contract appears In the election for directors, Ray K. Hance of Prince to have fallen into a dark hole at Pepco headquarters Frederick replaced G.I. Rupert Lore of Solomons. and, thanks to the small print, automatically renewed

Chapter seven: the Sixties for two additional fve-year terms. When the oversight was brought to light, Pepco realized that for some years the contract had not provided it with an adequate rate of return on the investment to serve the cooperative. On Oct. 10, 1962, the cooperative issued When negotiations to revise the ’63 contract faltered, its first capital credit refund in the amount Pepco appealed to the Federal Power Commission to of $732,000 to members served from 1938 set aside the contract. Te commission ruled against Pepco, holding the contract valid until its termination through 1951. The September-October date in 1979. edition of the Co-op Review described the work involved with distributing the 22,665 On July 13 Te Washington Post reported that SMECO checks: five women typing eight hours Manager Forrest Coakley announced the cooperative temporarily had abandoned plans for its proposed each day for four weeks; a whole battalion plant only for the term of its new fve-year contract of women was necessary, including with Pepco. Te Post reported: “Pepco was primarily several temporary helpers, to determine responsible for killing the new generating plant. It how much money each member was fought the application through six months of hear- entitled to; the group worked ceaselessly 21 ings before the PSC.” More than 20 years later, in for 10 weeks. the early 1980s when the author was representing SMECO in Annapolis, he was regaled one evening After the PSC’s rejection of SMECO’s with stories by a Pepco acquaintance and lobbyist who application to build a power plant, Donald had participated in the “great fght” against the coop- L. Hymes of The Washington Post wrote, erative’s generating endeavors. He said his eforts had “The Cooperative recently distributed included visits to prominent businessmen throughout more than $750,000 in capital credit Southern Maryland to convince them of the cooperative’s folly. He need not have bothered; the PSC was refunds to its member-consumers in what well in hand. was generally agreed to be a public relations move.”16 As of May 2012, SMECO In September 1963, President William Mattingly had allocated $252 million to members’ announced a rate reduction of 4 percent efective with the October meter readings, a savings of $1.2 million capital credit accounts and disbursed $82 over the ensuing fve years as compared with the current million in capital credit checks. wholesale rate. More important, Mattingly said, was the savings of $2 million to the cooperative when compared with the proposal made by Pepco in 1959, “at which time the Cooperative found it to its interest to request a loan from REA for self-generation.”22

On Dec. 9 the cooperative saw the passing of another of its founding directors, Henry A. Xander, 70, of Accokeek. Xander had been one of the leaders of the cooperative movement in Prince George’s County and was active in obtaining rights of way in that county during the formative years of the co-op. Active in SMECO began awarding 10-year pins in December 1962. many civic organizations, he managed the Henry G. This group of employees was the first to receive them. Ferguson Hard Bargain Farm for 37 years.23

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 89 At the annual employee Christmas dinner dance held George’s County, go into service. Te site—some 700 at the American Legion Hall in La Plata, 25-year acres—had been purchased on behalf of Pepco in the service awards were given to Albert L. Beck, Forrest name of Teodore F. Menk, a Washington, D.C., real Coakley, director Mervell M. Dean, and Harold T. estate broker in 1957. Te original construction date Skone. Fifteen-year awards went to John R. Batzel, had been postponed when Pepco’s plans to build a William B. Clark, August H. Flerlage, H. Herman plant at Dickerson in Montgomery County crystal- Gehring, E. Burton Latimer, Elizabeth Roach, Francis lized. At about the same time, Menk also purchased 24 J. Schindler, and Albert Wilson. some 450 acres in Charles County near the Potomac At year’s end the cooperative had added more than River Bridge from the heirs of John Matthews, but 26 1,400 new consumers, bringing the total to more than declined to say for whom he made the deal. Pepco’s 28,000; 88 miles of new lines had been added to the Morgantown Power Plant, built on that 450-acre site, system and the total use of electricity had jumped would go online in 1970. Since Pepco had purchased to more than 222 million kWh, about a 9.7 percent the property for two generating stations in 1957, it was increase over 1962. Home and farm owners used an no wonder the company fought SMECO’s application average of 342 kWh of electricity per month and their to build a generating plant. average bill was $9.05.25 In January the electrical distribution system that had Te year 1964 saw Pepco’s Chalk Point Generating been serving Lexington Park and Carver Heights Station, located on the Patuxent River in Prince Housing projects was sold to the cooperative. Te

John Roy Batzel receives a watch in recognition of his actions from Lawrence C. Meyer, safety engineer of the Employers Mutual Insurance Company. From left to right: Forrest Coakley, Joseph L. Bowen, whose life was saved, John Roy Batzel, and Lawrence Meyer.

Chapter seven: the Sixties houses, built by the Navy during the war, had been been employed since the early days when the ofce declared surplus and auctioned of. With the sale the was located in Waldorf, and Emerson Phillips, super- new owners became members of the cooperative.27 intendent of the Calvert County ofce and former employee of the ESPSC, all died suddenly from heart Te rain-drenched 1964 annual meeting saw the attacks. William Simms, a 24-year employee (18 of re-election of the sitting directors, D. Leonard Dyer of those years having been spent as line foreman in St. Accokeek having been appointed earlier in the year to fll Mary’s County), was appointed to fll the vacancy left the vacant position left by the death of Henry Xander. by Phillips.29 Te Leonardtown Barber Shop Quartet, composed of George Sparling Sr., Joe Henderson, Bing Gardner In August 1964 the nationally recognized safety record and Eddie Lawrence, amused the audience singing compiled by the cooperative—1,807,000 work hours about the moonlight while the rain fell. Te guest without a lost-time accident—was broken when speaker, Dr. Gordon M. Cairns, dean of the College of Luther Hayden of the Hughesville ofce was badly Agriculture at the University of Maryland, spoke on the burned while working on a 66,000-volt line. He was future of Southern Maryland. He noted that in 1960 on a pole with two other the combined population crewmen when a wire of St. Mary’s, Charles and broke loose and whipped Calvert counties was about against him. He was rushed 87,000, and that by 1984 to the Physicians Memorial or possibly 2000 the area Hospital in La Plata and was expected to double its fortunately sufered no population. Tis, he noted, permanent injuries. would require 3,400 to 8,100 acres to serve the new On Sept. 1 a six percent people and the competition rate reduction went into for the use of land would efect and was expected present problems. to save the members $280,000 a year. It was If the dean were still around, the second rate reduction he could say, “I told you announced by the coop- so.” By 1980 the combined erative within a year.30 population was 167,284 James Bowling, director, Forrest Coakley, manager, and and by 1984 it had in fact John W. Williams Jr., director, looking out at Niagara Falls. At year’s end some 1,500 doubled; by 1990 the popu- new consumers had been lation had grown to 228,500, a little more than two added, bringing the total to more than 29,800. Te and a half times that of 1960. To meet the needs and total use of electricity had jumped to 247 million issues associated with an increased population, the kWh, or about 10.9 percent over 1963. Tere was an College of Agriculture had appointed a committee to average of nine consumers per mile of line (good by study the situation; the study was published and the cooperative standards) and average farm and home future showed up.28 use of electricity was 366 kWh, with an average bill of $8.95.31 During the summer, death and retirement took fve of the cooperative’s longtime employees. Harold Skone, Te year 1965 saw the continuing build-up of U.S. who had run the generating plant at Popes Creek when armed forces in Vietnam. St. Louis, Missouri, cele- the cooperative frst started, and Henry Swann, a night brated the completion of the Gateway Arch, built as dispatcher in Hughesville, retired. Abby Wilson, who a monument to the westward expansion of the United worked in the Prince Frederick ofce, Charles Shlagel, States. Te design of the arch, which has become the chief accountant at the Hughesville ofce who had city’s iconic image, was chosen in a national architec-

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 91 tural competition in 1947. Construction began in 1963, and it opened to the public in 1967. Measuring 630 feet wide at its base and standing 630 feet tall, the arch is the tallest monument in the United States.32

Locally the year saw the continuing growth of the cooperative and Southern Maryland, with 1,200 consumers and 66 miles of lines added to the system. Te use of electricity jumped to more than 270 million kWh, or about a 9.5 percent increase over 1964.33 A second capital credit refund was made for the years 1952 and 1953 in the amount of $725,000. In July, Irving Wayne Swann was welcomed to the staf as director of member services. Swann, a native of the Northern Neck of Virginia who held a degree from Virginia Tech, had been employed with the Virginia Electric Cooperative in Bowling Green, Va., where he held a similar position. In 1990, Swann would become the cooperative’s third general manager and second executive vice president.

At the annual meeting, Louis P. Jenkins Sr., an attorney from La Plata, replaced L. Spencer Knott of Hughesville as a member of the board of directors. Jenkins served on the board until 1978, at which time he resigned and was appointed general counsel to the board to fll the position left vacant by the death of Leonardtown’s Robert E. Wigginton, who had served in that capacity since 1963. Jenkins remained in that position until his death in 2006. After the The Wanderers entertain at SMECO’s 1966 annual meeting annual election, the board chose a new set of ofcers: Mervell Dean of Hollywood was elevated from vice president to president; James Bowling of Newport in was a good month for the Gemini astronauts, who Charles County was elected vice president; John W. would splash down in the Atlantic ending a success- Williams Jr. of Barstow in Calvert County was selected ful two-week mission, as well as Walter Hagan Smith, as secretary-treasurer; and T. Randolph Cooksey of the cooperative’s planning and operations engineer. Brandywine in Prince George’s County was elected Smith was appointed to the newly created position assistant secretary-treasurer. of assistant manager. A native of Salisbury, Md., he received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering In December 1965, while Air Force Lt. Col. Frank from the University of Maryland in 1950 and then Borman and Navy Cmdr. James Lovell circled the went to work for the ESPSC. In March 1953 he came globe in Gemini 7, SMECO’s board announced its third rate reduction in three years and the sixth since to work for the cooperative. During World War II, he 1952.34 Te 10 percent increase in the use of electricity served overseas for 15 months with the combat engi- 35 over the previous year allowed for an average 4 percent neers in England, France, Belgium and Germany. In rate reduction, amounting to about $200,000. Te six 1974, Smith became the cooperative’s second general rate reductions brought down the average cost of elec- manager, serving in that capacity until his retirement tricity from 3.6 cents to 1.8 cents per kWh. December in 1989.

Chapter seven: the Sixties of Colorado and came to SMECO via the Florida Power Corp.

McCoy was one of those truly unique individuals who could look into the future and see it. Building on the foundation laid by his predecessor, Walt Smith, the cooperative began “looping” the electrical system with a 230-kV transmission line. It was a farsighted, long-range and expensive project with many ups and downs. Due to his foresight, the cooperative was able to meet the demands for electricity that came with the unprecedented growth in Southern Maryland in the late 1970s and 1980s. McCoy remained with the cooperative until his retirement in February 1990.

1966 was also the year the U.S. Navy announced it no longer needed its railroad, which ran from Brandywine to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, and declared it surplus. It was a decision that would take three years to implement and ultimately would have far-reaching consequences for the future development of Southern Maryland.

In January 1967, Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the governor of California. In June, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Turgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court; he was the frst African-American member of the court. Te year also brought the frst human-to-human heart transplant, successfully performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard of South Africa; held at the Charlotte Hall Military Academy. an estimated 100,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in the frst national demonstration against With more than 31,000 consumers and the use of the Vietnam War; and the 25th amendment to the electricity increasing yearly, there would be many more U.S. Constitution, dealing with the succession to the 36 personnel additions and promotions. presidency, was ratifed.

In 1966 the position of assistant superintendent was Te cooperative’s 1967 annual meeting saw the elec- created and Howard “Pinky” Trotter and Robert tion of Richard S. LeVieux of Aquasco to the board Mitchell were appointed to assist J.A. “Slim” Abell, of directors, replacing T. Randolph Cooksey of superintendent of the Charles-Prince George’s district; Brandywine, who had served seven years. Richard Tompson became assistant to William Te January-February 1967 issue of the Co-op Review Simms, superintendent of the Calvert district; and announced “Use of electricity has tripled in the aver- Charles Wible became assistant to Albert Beck, super- age home in the last 20 years.” Along with information intendent of the St. Mary’s district. Richard J. McCoy about the cost of a leaky faucet, the newsletter regularly was hired as the planning and operations engineer promoted the use of electric appliances such as water to replace Walt Smith, who had been named assis- heaters, air conditioners, freezers, portable refrigera- tant manager in December 1965. McCoy received tors, and washers and dryers. Te September-October his electrical engineering degree from the University issue featured the “new side by side frost-free refrigera-

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 93 tor freezers.” Te article cautions: “It will cost more to club house and a PGA approved 18-hole golf course” operate because both sides are frost free. Most house- which recently opened in Lusby, Maryland. According wives will consider the extra operating cost (it may be to the article, the club house had 54 electric heating twice as much as your old refrigerator) well worth the units, electric air conditioning, 21 electric motors and extra money if it gets rid of the mess of defrosting.” 11 other large electrical appliances. And for Christmas, a list of gift ideas included “Hi-Fi’s, slide projectors, tape recorders, and radios and televi- In February 1968 the president of the board, Mervell sion sets, as well as 1967’s most exciting gift, the electric M. Dean, succumbed to cancer. He had been one of blender. … You can look good electrically by getting the pioneers of rural electrifcation, a member of the some new ‘personal care’ appliances. Hair dryers for board for 30 years, and had served as vice president women are great. Teenage girls will just love the hair for fve years and board president for three. James P. dryer with a radio speaker inside the helmet.” Te Bowling, the vice president and a member of the board November-December 1967 issue continued: “Another since 1957, became president, and Irving G. Hewitt very practical appliance is the electric water toothbrush of Callaway was selected to serve in the vacancy left by which shoots jets of water onto your teeth and report- the death of President Dean. edly cleans them more efciently and comfortably than any other method. If you have ‘star teeth,’ the kind that Longtime employee Albert Beck began working for come out only at night, the new electric denture clean- the cooperative as a lineman-serviceman in 1938 when ers would make a great gift.” “in those days the few employees of the Cooperative

SMECO held cooking classes at its Hughesville ofce The Sikorsky CH-53A Sea Stallion gave the United States Marines mobility in Vietnam thanks to its 16,000-lb cargo for girl scouts as well as high school home economics capacity. This helicopter could carry two Jeeps, a 105 students and adult homemakers. Recipes were a regu- mm howitzer, or 38 fully equipped combat troops. The lar feature of the Co-op Review newsletter for years, along with safety messages regarding fallen wires, the dangers of installing television antennas, and the need to inspect fuses and wiring for safety. Te Prince Frederick ofce was upgraded with a new addition, and older parts of the building were updated with modern lighting and electric heat “to give a bright cheerful look to the new quarters.” Te September- October edition of the Co-op Review highlighted the new Chesapeake Country Club, featuring “a luxurious A SMECO cooking class.

Chapter seven: the Sixties did many jobs.”37 On April 19, at the end of his work In the fall of 1968 a new district ofce serving the day, Beck died suddenly of a heart attack. He had been Charles-Prince George’s district was opened at White appointed superintendent of the St. Mary’s district Plains. Prior to the construction of this building, ofce in 1947, a position he held until his death. For service to the Charles-Prince George’s district was several years he had operated the ofce out of his home provided out of the Hughesville ofce, causing some in Hollywood. Beck was well known in St. Mary’s very crowded conditions. County as much for his great interest in bowling as he In December the cooperative lost another of its pioneer was for his job with the cooperative; he was a member directors. William P. Jameson, a director since 1938, of several championship bowling teams and in 1966 died at 77. A native of Charles County, he oper- was elected executive director of the Washington City ated a general store in Pomonkey for more than 30 Tenpin Association, an organization at the time of years.39 Also that December, Benjamin E. Richards of some 30,000 members.38 Charles Wible, a cooperative Westwood, Prince George’s County, was appointed to employee since 1947 and the assistant superintendent fll the vacancy left by Richard LeVieux, who resigned of the St. Mary’s district ofce, was selected to replace his position as director to accept a position in Dallas.40 Albert Beck. Joe Beck, son of Albert, and an employee Richards, a 23-year veteran of the Prince George’s since 1947, was selected to replace Charlie Wible as County Police Department, had served with the Marine assistant superintendent. Corps in the European theater during World War II.

CH-53A could also perform loops and barrell rolls. In April In 1968 the PSC ordered that all new subdivisions of 1968, a Marine Corps CH-53A made the first automatic fve or more lots be served underground. Te ruling terrain clearance flight in helicopter history. later was changed to include all residential and commercial services. Te frst underground services provided by SMECO were to three new homes constructed by James R. Willett in Ripley, located between La Plata and Indian Head in Charles County.41

In early 1969 William E. Highby of Pomonkey was appointed to fll the vacated position of the late William P. Jameson. An employee of the Retail Credit Co. and a former schoolteacher, Highby was a member of the Advisory Board of Charles County Community College and the Tri-County Council

Louis Goldstein, Maryland’s Comptroller from 1959 to 1998, displayed the waffle iron he won at the 1967 SMECO annual meeting. Pictured with him are SMECO employees Joyce Greenfield (Bowling) and Linda Montgomery. The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 95 Passengers disembarking at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Station, circa 1915–1920.

and chairman of the Charles County Planning and U.S. Rep. Rogers C.B. Morton was the guest speaker Zoning Commission. at the 1969 annual meeting held at Charlotte Hall Military Academy on July 14. Six days later, at 10:56 During the year the cooperative became a charter p.m. EDT from the Sea of Tranquillity, there was “one member of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind.” Finance Corp. (CFC). General Manager Forrest Neil Armstrong and his co-pilot, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Coakley was instrumental in the development of the were the frst men to walk on the surface of the moon. corporation, which was formed by cooperatives to Te Eagle had landed as 1 billion people watched and provide supplemental fnancing. It was a wise move, listened. It was an awesome moment in time and those for in 1973 the REA loan program was changed to who witnessed it doubtless will never forget it. limit borrowing of federal funds by cooperatives. Since 1973, SMECO has obtained supplemental fnancing Meanwhile, back in Hughesville, some 240,000 miles through the CFC. downhill from the Sea of Tranquillity, SMECO, St. Mary’s County and the U.S. government entered into a contract regarding the 66-foot wide, 28-mile long

Chapter seven: the Sixties Directors Ray Hance, Spencer Knott, and James Bowling, while in Dallas to attend an NRECA meeting, standing in front of the building from which the shot that killed President Kennedy was fired. (221 acres) government railroad right of way that had fnal run was made on June 30, 1954. In 1973, the been declared surplus three years before. Te coop- county sold the ties and rails comprising the railroad erative paid the sales price of $225,000 so St. Mary’s track for $240,000. Following this period, there were County could purchase the right of way. In return, the several tri-party agreements between SMECO, St. cooperative received an easement along the path. Te Mary’s County and the State Highway Administration railroad right of way has an interesting history. In the concerning the use of portions of the railroad right of fall of 1881, the Southern Maryland Railroad reached way for the long-sought dualization of Route 235.42 It Mechanicsville in northern St. Mary’s County, which was through the cooperative eforts of all three parties remained its southernmost terminus until purchased that the dualization of Maryland Route 235 fnally by the federal government in 1942. Te government became a reality in the 1980s. paid $127,000 for the railroad and extended the line south to the then-new Patuxent River Naval Air And thus did the decade known as the ’60s end, with Station. Te Saint Mary’s Beacon records that the frst NASA looking toward the stars and SMECO working train reached Patuxent River in January 1943; the on the railroad.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 97 CHAPTER 8 For Your Times They Are a-Changin’:

SMECO’s new Prince Frederick district office opened in 1979.

Chapter eight: 1970–1979 1970–1979 “Your old road is Rapidly agin’, Please get out of the new one

If you can’t lend a hand For your times they are a-changin’”

— Bob Dylan President Nixon’s visit to China and subsequent resignation, the OPEC oil embargo, the end of the Vietnam War and the fall of Saigon to the communist North Vietnamese; the bicentennial celebration of the United States and the storming of the U.S. Embassy by Iranian militants and their holding of 52 people hostage for 444 days were all part of the changing times comprising the 1970s. Te 1970s also marked a turning point in the cooperative’s history of declin- ing rates. In 1971 it operated at a loss for the frst time and in 1972 electric rates increased by 12 percent. Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) again was in the red in 1974, and called for a 9 percent rate increase in 1975. Due to the OPEC oil price increases, the cost of wholesale power jumped from $7.9 million in 1973 to more than $13.3 million in 1974. Consumers began practicing energy conservation and were frustrated to see bills increase as their usage went down. Te Arab oil embargo began in October 1973 after a surprise attack by Syria and Egypt on Israel that became known as the Yom Kippur War. When President Nixon agreed to resupply Israel with weapons, as Russia was doing for Syria, the oil embargo was the Arab response. OPEC announced price increases of 70 percent and a cut in oil production in 5 percent incre- ments. In May 1973 gasoline was selling for 38.5 cents a gallon in the United States; 13 months later, the cost had risen to 55.1 cents a gallon. Gas lines and even rationing (only being able to purchase gas on certain days) had become a way of life, and, by the last week of February 1974, 20 percent of American gas stations had no gas. Te cost of wholesale power continued to rise into the next decade. Contracts negotiated with the Potomac Electric Power Co. (Pepco) for 1977–79, 1980–82 and 1983–87 each carried yearly increases in wholesale power costs. In addition, the cooperative was forced to raise retail rates

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 99 yearly between 1979 and 1983 to combat the efects Construction of the 230-kV loop was to be done in of infation on fxed operating expenses. In spite of several stages as required by growth in the area. In these obstacles the cooperative continued to expand. 1973 the cooperative applied to the Public Service Te number of consumers grew from 41,387 in 1971 Commission (PSC) for permission to build the frst to 63,465 in 1981, an increase of 53 percent. In section of the 230-kV line from Ryceville to Lexington 1976, SMECO connected its 50,000th meter to its Park. In early 1974 the PSC issued a Certifcate of lines. Kilowatt-hours (kWh) sold during this period Public Convenience and Necessity and the coopera- increased by 84 percent and kilowatt (kW) demand tive began construction on this portion of the line. increased by 103 percent. During this period the total SMECO then fled with the commission to construct value of the utility plant to serve SMECO customers the remaining section from Chalk Point through increased from $34.8 million to $94.8 million. Calvert County to Lexington Park. Te commission, however, approved only the upper and lower portions In the early ’70s the cooperative embarked on one of of the line—from Chalk Point, across the upper its most ambitious construction projects to date, the Patuxent River, to Holland Clif and from Calvert building of its frst 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line. Clifs, across the lower Patuxent River, to Lexington Load growth and power requirement studies indicated Park. Permission to build, and thus complete the loop, the need for the new transmission line and the increase from Holland Clif to Calvert Clifs was denied, as the in line voltage. To best provide reliable service, the line commission ruled the need for this portion of line had was conceived as a loop with two major portions— not been demonstrated adequately. Picture a circular one from Ryceville in Charles County to Lexington railroad track with a portion incomplete, because its Park in St. Mary’s County and another from Pepco’s need is not apparent. Te missing link went missing for generating plant at Chalk Point via Calvert County to 35 years. On Nov. 28, 2008, SMECO fled with the Lexington Park. With these sections and a portion of commission for a Certifcate of Public Convenience and Necessity to complete the loop; the certifcate was Pepco’s 230-kV line, service could be supplied from granted on Aug. 14, 2009, in PSC Case No. 9165. two directions to any point on the loop.

Dick McCoy explaining the 230-kV project to customers In 1979, construction began on a portion of the line at the Solomons Volunteer Fire Department in 1979. from Loveville to Lexington Park. It had taken six years to obtain the necessary approvals, permits and rights of way for that one section of line. Construction of this section was fnished in 1980.1 It would be another 10 years before the Ryceville to Lexington Park portion of the 230-kV loop would be energized in October 1990. Te 230-kV line between Ryceville and Lexington Park provided the area with more reliable service at a time when Southern Maryland’s population was booming. Te population of St. Mary’s County alone grew by 50 percent from the time of the application for the Certifcate of Public Convenience and Necessity in 1973 to 75,974 by the time the line was energized in 1990.2

While the 1970s were a time of great change in many areas, that change included great growth for some, including the cooperative.

On Jan. 1, 1970, the board members were James P. Bowling, president, Walter W. Bowling Sr., Ernest

Chapter eight: 1970–1979 Keller, Louis P. Jenkins and William E. Highby from Charles County; Benjamin H. Burroughs Sr., vice president, William H. Mattingly (the last remaining charter board member), John R. Drury, Irving G. Hewitt and S. Sprigg Reeves from St. Mary’s County; Ray K. Hance, Perry G. Bowen Sr. and John W. Williams from Calvert County; and D. Leonard Dyer and Benjamin E. Richards from Prince George’s County.

Robert C. “Bud” Lybrook, the cooperative’s construction engineer since 1946, retired in March. In April, Robert E. “Bob” Mitchell was appointed superintendent for the Charles-Prince George’s District at the White Plains ofce, succeeding Joseph A. “Slim” Abell, who was assigned to the newly created position of superintendent of transmission.

Slim Abell was another former employee of the Eastern Shore Public Service Co. (ESPSC) who had come to work for the cooperative in 1945 after SMECO purchased the ESPSC Southern Maryland territory. In another development, William G. “Bill” Card, a World War II vet who had seen service with Merrill’s Marauders, was promoted to senior line foreman. He had been with the cooperative since 1949.3 At the annual meeting, Gilbert O. Bowling of Dentsville Longtime employee Diane Washington around 1980. was elected to the board of directors from Charles Although times have changed and mobile workforce technology has replaced the radio for communicating County, replacing Walter W. Bowling of Newport, with personnel in the field, SMECO’s goal to provide high who had served since 1958.4 In other cooperative quality customer service remains the same. news, the St. Mary’s district ofce at Hollywood was Arthur W. Dowell Jr. of Prince Frederick replaced Ray extensively renovated. K. Hance of Prince Frederick. Te year 1972 saw the average monthly kWh usage Te end of the year saw more personnel changes. for residents increase from 679 in 1971 to 706 in Robert E. Mitchell was selected to head up the newly 1972. During the year two new substations were built, created department of public and personnel relations. one at Ryceville and the other at Piney Point; these Mitchell had been with the cooperative for 24 years, were accompanied by the construction of 69,000-volt progressing through the jobs of groundman, line- transmission lines from New Market to Ryceville and man, serviceman, assistant district superintendent Valley Lee to Piney Point. Lines from Hughesville and superintendent. Before coming into manage- to Milestown and Newburg to La Plata were recon- ment, he had served 12 years as president of the local ductored for increased capacity and a new circuit was union. William G. Card was named superintendent added between Chalk Point and Hughesville.5 for the Charles-Prince George’s District and Reginald P. Gilroy was appointed assistant district superinten- On May 1, 1973, board member S. Sprigg Reeves of dent. Gilroy had been with the cooperative since 1947 Chaptico died suddenly. He had been a board member and had worked in all phases of co-op operations since 1951. Lewie Aldridge Sr. of Lexington Park from tree trimmer to serviceman. Samuel A. Mudd, replaced him. At the annual meeting, board member an employee since 1955, was named assistant superin-

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 101 The 1975 annual meeting lacked enough members to reach a quorum thanks to rain storms. tendent of the Calvert County District. Newly hired football, baseball, basketball and lacrosse. He earned Janice Penn joined the Member Services Department distinction as a member of the All-Southern Conference as home economist. football team. He twice earned All-American honors in lacrosse, and in 1972 he was elected to the National SMECO experienced its frst strike in January 1974. It Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Sothoron was commissioned was settled after fve and a half days. initially in the District of Columbia National Guard and went on active duty as a frst lieutenant in 1941. Prior to the 1974 annual meeting, board member While in the Army he served as battery commander, John R. Drury of Medley’s Neck resigned his position battalion commander and executive ofcer of an anti- due to health reasons. He died on March 15, 1975. aircraft group, earning promotions through the rank Drury had served on the board for 28 years and was of colonel.6 very active in community and civic afairs in St. Mary’s County. He was president of the John R. Drury & Son Te 1974 annual meeting once again was held at Inc. insurance agency. His vacancy was flled with the Charlotte Hall Military Academy with the Hon. John appointment of Col. Norwood Sothoron. Hanson Briscoe, speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, serving as chairman of the meeting. Forrest Sothoron, a native of Charlotte Hall, graduated from Coakley, who had announced he would retire Oct. 1, the University of Maryland in 1934 with a degree in was honored at the meeting for his 37 years of service. business administration. He was awarded letters in A 1927 graduate of the University of Maryland with

Chapter eight: 1970–1979 a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, he was Greenfeld was appointed administrative assistant employed for a time by consulting engineering frms reporting directly to the general manager.8 in Boston and New York. Prior to coming to work Sen. James C. Simpson of Charles County presided for the cooperative in 1938, he had served as the resi- over a washed-out July 1975 annual meeting. A dent engineer on the construction of the Delaware quorum failed to materialize and the meeting was Electric Cooperative distribution system. In other postponed until Oct. 14, with Sen. Simpson again meeting news, M. Kenneth Buckler, a former director presiding. William E. Highby of La Plata returned to (1958–59) from Prince Frederick, replaced Arthur W. the board after a year’s hiatus replacing Ernest Keller Dowell Jr., who had been elected the year before, while of Waldorf, who had served since 1941, some 34 years. Kenneth L. Dyson of Hughesville replaced William E. Highby of La Plata. Highby had served on the board Even though energy conservation was the talk, load since 1969. growth was the walk. During 1975 the winter peak on the system increased 12.93 percent over the winter of Walter H. Smith, the assistant manager since December ’74. A large portion of the increased load was attrib- 1965, was named to succeed Forrest Coakley. Smith uted to the 2,108 new consumers connected during was the cooperative’s second general manager, having the year. Most of the homes connected were all elec- moved up from positions as the cooperative’s planning tric due to the shortage of oil and gas. Te largest and operations engineer and assistant manager. He increase in load growth was in the Sunderland area served as general manager and executive vice president of Calvert County, where the cooperative experi- until his retirement in July 1989. Smith led the coop- enced load growth of 27.13 percent. Mason Springs, erative during trying times, but then in the electric St. Charles and Hollywood were running around 20 utility business the only things that don’t change are percent higher. Te cooperative was in the process of the “trying times.” 7 building substations at Marshalls Corner, Grayton, As the cooperative continued to grow and expand, Mechanicsville, Waldorf and Forest Park; in addi- new positions and personnel changes became part tion, the substation at St. Charles was being rebuilt to of the normal operating procedure. In 1975 William handle the increased load.9 G. “Bill” Card was made manager of district opera- January 1976 saw the resignation of William H. tions, a new position, with the responsibility of the Mattingly from the board of directors. He was the supervision of the three district ofces, with each of last of the charter board members and had played an the district superintendents reporting to him. Howard active role in organizing the cooperative for several “Pinky” Trotter was appointed to fll the position of years prior to its incorporation in 1937. Joseph Lee superintendent of the Charles-Prince George’s District Somerville was appointed to fll Mattingly’s unexpired left vacant with the promotion of Card. World War term. Somerville was the lieutenant of administration II Army vet Trotter served SMECO for 35 years; he for the St. Mary’s County Sherif’s Department and remained as district superintendent until his retire- had been with the Sherif’s Department since 1966. He ment in September 1985. T. William “Willie” Simms, served for one year before resigning his board position also a 35-year employee, was promoted to superinten- to successfully run for the ofce of sherif of St. Mary’s dent of transmission and substations, leaving his posi- County. On May 27, Bernie Fowler, then chairman of tion as superintendent for the Calvert County District the Calvert County commissioners—and soon to be a to be flled by Sam Mudd, who had been serving as state senator—set the cooperative’s 50,000th meter at the district’s assistant superintendent. Leroy Elliott, a the home of Mr. & Mrs. Berkley Hardesty in Calvert 25-year employee, was appointed to fll the position of County. Te Westinghouse Corp. donated the meter, assistant district superintendent left vacant by Mudd’s a special one for the occasion.10 promotion. Elaine Mattingly, a 16-year employee, was promoted to the position of administrative secretary, Te year ended not with the traditional Christmas answering directly to the general manager, and Joyce party but with a month-long strike by SMECO

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 103 employees belonging to the International Brotherhood Wible and Christina A. Wood received awards for 30 of Electrical Workers. Te strike was settled on Dec. years of service. 31. Walter Smith reported to the general membership: On June 1 the cooperative entered into a new whole- “You can be justifably proud of the fne people sale power contract with Pepco efective through employed by your Cooperative. Tose who struck December 1979. Consumers saw approximately an 8 were standing up for their beliefs, and they percent increase each year for 1977, 1978 and 1979. conducted themselves in an exemplary manner. Te previous wholesale power contract had been in Tose who carried the workload put in many long efect since 1963 and was to have expired in 1978. hours keeping the system operating as smoothly as Tis was the same contract Pepco had waved in front possible. Once a settlement was reached, both these of the PSC stating they could provide SMECO power groups once again dedicated themselves to making cheaper than the Southern Maryland company could your Cooperative and the services it provides the produce it, and thus successfully derailed the coopera- best possible. … We look forward to the privilege tive’s power plant construction eforts. In a classic case of serving you in 1977.” 11 of “be careful what you ask for,” the contract ran its fve-year term and automatically renewed for two addi- Te year 1977 saw Frank “Kaiser” Stine receiving tional fve-year terms. Pepco took notice shortly after recognition for his 40 years of service. Frank was the last renewal in 1974 and argued the case all the way employed by the ESPSC prior to his employment with to the Federal Power Commission, but to no avail. SMECO. He was a foreman in the Prince Frederick District, later transferring to the White Plains District. Te Federal Power Commission regulates wholesale He retired in February 1979. Benedict I. Abell, Joseph power sales and began hearings on Dec. 10, 1974, G. Harris, James T. Kersey, Grover C. Montgomery, into what the Aug. 7, 1974, issue of Te Washington Wallace J. Montgomery, J. Frank Norris, Charles A. Customer-members checking out “new” appliances at

Phil Burroughs and child at the 1974 annual meeting.

Chapter eight: 1970–1979 Post described as Pepco’s complaint that the “rates it infation and it was necessary that PEPCO raise is allowed to charge the Cooperative are unreasonably its rates to SMECO to cover these increases.” 12 low and confscatory because they result in the sale of electric energy below cost in a period of extraor- A record turnout—more than 1,800 members regis- dinary energy crisis.” Te article failed to note that tered—showed for the 1977 annual meeting, again no one at Pepco had taken notice of the matter until held at Charlotte Hall Military Academy; Samuel after the automatic renewal date—a “technicality” not M. “Bo” Bailey of Bushwood and George Purnell overlooked by the Federal Power Commission. While Frederick Sr. of Abell were elected to the board of a new wholesale power contract was a priority for directors. Bailey replaced Benjamin H. Burroughs of Pepco, it took the overworked staf at the cooperative Mechanicsville, who had served on the board since some three years to hammer out all the details for a 1960. Frederick replaced Joseph Lee Somerville of new contract. Loveville, who had resigned to successfully run for sherif of St. Mary’s County. Te ofcial SMECO explanation for the rate increase was rather understated: Te weather conditions in 1977 were extreme in both directions. Te very cold winter, followed by “Our present contract with PEPCO has been in an unusually hot summer, caused increased electrical efect since 1963 and was due to expire in August consumption and, consequently, higher electric bills. 1978. During the fourteen years between 1963 Te summer high-use period coincided with increased and 1977, there had been no changes in PEPCO’s fuel charges, further escalating the cost. Te coop- rates to SMECO other than the fuel adjustment erative experienced a new high in total kWh sales; a charges, which is a nonproft item. Te cost to new system peak demand of 225,129 kilowatts (kW) provide electricity to SMECO has increased due to was reached in July. At $1.55 per kW, the demand the 1974 annual meeting. added $350,000 to the cost of wholesale power for that month. Rising demand charges on the wholesale power contract brought home the need for a load management program, and in 1977 the cooperative submitted to the PSC proposals for experimental load management programs, involving time-of-day metering and substation control of electric water heaters and central air conditioners.13

Year’s end saw the refund of 1954 capital credits totaling approximately $285,000 to 18,000 members. Tis was the frst general refund the cooperative had been able to make since 1965 and was the initial step toward returning capital credits on a 20-year revolving basis.14

On Dec. 17 acting Gov. Blair Lee and approximately 450 other dignitaries and well-wishers ofcially opened the Gov. Tomas Johnson Bridge, which spans the lower Patuxent River near Solomons. It was a long time coming. Planning had begun in 1959 when the Calvert and St. Mary’s legislative delegations proposed a study commission to look at the possibility of building a bridge. Fourteen years and $36 million later it was completed, linking what the March 30, 1983,

The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 105 Centennial Issue of the Enterprise described as “two At the March board of directors meeting Irving G. counties that barely knew each other.” Hewitt of Callaway announced his resignation after 10 years of service. As chairman of the Building and Tere was continued growth and expansion of Property Committee, he had devoted considerable time Southern Maryland and its electric cooperative in to the plans for the new SMECO ofces to be built in 1978. More than 2,500 new consumers, an increase of Leonardtown, Prince Frederick and Hughesville. about 5 percent, were added during the year. An additional 160 miles of underground distribution line were Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates John laid, and a new Calvert Clifs substation was completed Hanson Briscoe of St. Mary’s County chaired the and energized, as was a new transmission line serv- annual meeting, again held at Charlotte Hall Military ing the substation. A new substation and switching Academy. It was the second time Briscoe had chaired station were under construction in the Golden Beach an annual meeting. Francis Hewitt of Callaway was area and a substation was under construction in the elected to the board, flling the position his father Bannister neighborhood of St. Charles. Te coopera- left vacant with his March resignation. At the time of tive’s workforce totaled 339 employees and new ofces his election he was manager of Hewitt Lumber and were under construction in Leonardtown and Prince Supply Co. Inc. in Lexington Park and secretary-trea- Frederick, with completion slated for 1979.15 surer of the company. He had served on the St. Mary’s County Nursing Home Board, St. Mary’s Planning A number of promotions were in order so as to keep Commission and had been elected to the St. Mary’s pace with the growth. In the Calvert district, Bob County Democratic Central Committee, serving as Miller was promoted to the position of foreman. A secretary-treasurer from 1970 to 1974.17 former resident of Cleveland, Tenn., the Navy veteran had been stationed in the Solomon Islands from 1943 On July 14 SMECO lost another longtime employee to 1946. His SMECO employment began in 1947 to retirement. William S. “Sandy” Ferrall retired after but was interrupted when he was called to active duty 46 years of service. Ferrall had been in the utility during the Korean War in 1951–52. Lloyd Bowen, business longer than SMECO had been in existence. also of the Calvert district and a former Navy man, He started out with the ESPSC and came to work for likewise was promoted to foreman. Bowen, a Calvert the cooperative after SMECO’s purchase of ESPSC’s County native, had come to work for SMECO as a Southern Maryland assets in 1945.18 groundman in 1947. On Christmas Day the cooperative’s general counsel Ray Becmer, an electrical engineer with SMECO since succumbed to injuries sufered from a stroke several 1969, was promoted to senior engineer with overall months before. Robert E. Wigginton was a practicing responsibility for the cooperative’s distribution system. attorney in Leonardtown and had served as general Originally from New Jersey, Becmer obtained his counsel to the cooperative for 15 years. He also electrical engineering degree from Newark College of had served as attorney to the St. Mary’s County Engineering. After his graduation he was employed by commissioners and was a charter member and frst Pepco for fve years before coming to SMECO. Faye president of the Leonardtown Lions Club, established Oliver, an employee since 1956, was promoted to the in 1939. newly created position of insurance administrator. In this capacity she handled health insurance claims, Wigginton had practiced law since 1935, and was workers’ compensation and all liability insurance called out of Naval Reserve duty to active service claims, and also administered the cooperative’s life before Pearl Harbor; he was with the frst American insurance and retirement plans.16 Anyone who worked contingent sent to Australia. Tere he met his wife, with Oliver knew her to be a competent and caring Mary McGill. In 1946 he returned home and to his individual who would, after you interrupted her, put law practice with the rank of lieutenant commander. aside her piles of work with a smile and go to work on Wigginton told the author that when he came home your individual problem. after a fve-year absence, he found that his mother had

Chapter eight: 1970–1979 Training for new linemen in 1978. Nick Potts from SMECO is the third person from the left. given his clothes and musical instruments away and had fallen and, for a time, trafc—and much of daily that a local boatyard owner had sold his cabin cruiser life—came to a halt. Te storm, which came to be that had been left in the boatyard owner’s care. When known as the Washington’s Birthday Blizzard of ’79, asked why his boat had been sold, the boatyard owner with its accompanying extremely cold weather, caused replied, “Why, Bob, we didn’t think you were going to a Sunday winter peak demand on the electrical system make it.” for the frst time in the cooperative’s history, resulting in some very large electric bills.20 Te peak occurred at Year’s end saw the retirement of another longtime employee, Joseph G. “Joe” Harris. Harris had come to 6:45 p.m. and resulted in the cooperative being billed 21 work with the cooperative in 1946 and at the time of an additional $931,620 in demand charges. 19 his retirement was the right-of-way supervisor. By the end of the week the weather had warmed and Te winter of 1979 was an exceptionally cold one for there was heavy rain on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Southern Maryland. On Wednesday, Feb. 7, the area Te rain even caused the total eclipse of the sun on received approximately eight inches of snow; on Friday, Feb. 26, the last of the 20th century, to go unobserved, Feb. 9, it snowed again. Te following day the temper- although it grew so dark between 11:30 a.m. and 12 22 ature stood at 4 degrees at 7:20 a.m. and on Sunday the noon that the street lights came on. Let history record temperature registered 5 degrees at 7:15 a.m. Lincoln’s it was just another one of those Februarys in Southern birthday, Feb. 12, saw the area receive another 8 inches Maryland. It also was a sad month for the SMECO of snow, and the following morning the thermometer family. Harold O. Suit, 45, the cooperative’s job safety was registering 4 degrees at 7 a.m. On Valentine’s Day and training director, died on Feb. 9 of a heart attack. it was registering 0 at 7 a.m. On Sunday, Feb. 18, the Suit had come to work with the cooperative at age 18 temperature had risen to 10 degrees by 3 p.m. and in 1951. L.K. Farrall, a friend of many years, said of the snow began. When it stopped 19½ hours later, him: “Harold will be remembered by all—perhaps as on Washington’s Birthday, 21 inches of the white stuf a co-worker, a fellow Lions Club member, a dedicated

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 107 freman, a big brother, a patient and understanding served four years in the Maryland House of Delegates father, a loving husband, or as my best friend.” 23 and eight years in the Maryland State Senate. Guest speaker State Comptroller Louis L. Goldstein In early spring the board of directors selected fellow addressed the plight of Maryland citizens caused by board member and attorney Louis P. Jenkins Sr. of La the gasoline allocation program and by spot purchase Plata to fll the position of general counsel left vacant of gasoline in the state. All incumbent directors were with the death of Robert E. Wigginton. Jenkins served re-elected.24 in the Navy during World War II and had been a board member since 1965. He was a graduate of Georgetown Tat same month a vacancy for the position of University and had begun practicing law in La Plata accountant was flled by a young man who was to in 1955. During his career he served as an assistant go on to become the president and CEO of the state’s attorney, attorney to the Charles County Board organization. Austin Joseph Slater Jr. came to SMECO of Elections and as chairman of the board of trustees via the Charles County Board of Education, where of Charles County Community College, which later he had been a staf accountant. He graduated cum became the College of Southern Maryland. Jenkins’ laude in 1976 from Shepherd College with a degree in position on the board was flled by the appointment of accounting and subsequently would earn an associate’s Mary R. Newman of Malcolm. degree in business from Charles County Community College in 1979 and an MBA in fnance from George On July 2, 1979, the move to the new St. Mary’s Washington University in 1983. In 1995 Slater left district ofce in Leonardtown was made, replacing the the cooperative as a senior vice president to take a district ofce that had been in Hollywood since 1948. Despite the new location, many longtime employees Billy Tettimer, Mark Thompson, and Billy Mister from the found themselves driving toward Hollywood on their way to work. One employee, quoted in the employee newsletter of September–October 1979, put it this way: “When your car is used to going to a certain place every day for so many years, it’s hard to teach it a new direction.” Te cooperative’s 41st annual members’ meeting held at Charlotte Hall Military Academy was chaired by John Tomas Parran Jr. of Indian Head. Parran, a local businessman who was active in community afairs, had

SMECO increases speed and efficiency with new computer terminals in 1979.

Chapter eight: 1970–1979 position with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Cody Parrott, was critically injured and died from his Association (NRECA), and two years later he became injuries on Oct. 20. A resident of St. Leonard, Tettimer CEO and general manager of Tideland Electric was the chief of the Second District Rescue Squad. He Membership Corp. in Pantego, N.C. He served had worked for the cooperative since 1964 and had again at NRECA as vice president in 2000 before been promoted to serviceman in 1974. Tettimer was returning to the cooperative in July 2002 to replace the frst SMECO employee to lose his life in a work- I. Wayne Swann. related accident. Parrott, a lineman second class and the cooperative’s second fatality, lived in Barstow and In September 1979 Tropical Storm David struck and had worked for the cooperative since April 1973. He more than 40,000 consumers were without power for left a wife and 7-year-old son. 25 some period following the high winds, heavy rains and accompanying tornados brought by the storm. On Oct. 10 an early wet snowfall caused power Damage to power lines was widespread throughout outages in Prince George’s and Charles counties. Snow SMECO’s territory and repairs were not complete in covered the ground as far south as Loveville, in St. some areas for 72 or more hours. Mary’s County. Watts News, the employees’ newsletter, called the event “an Unwelcome Surprise!” Tropical Te storm brought tragedy with it. On Sept. 7, William Storm David and the early October snowfall cost the A. “Billy” Tettimer Jr., 34, was electrocuted while cooperative the lives of two employees and more than working to repair a 7,200-volt power line on Mackall $700,000 in additional operating expenses. Road in Calvert County. His co-worker, 28-year-old During 1979 a new wholesale power contract Prince Frederick District Office in April 1978. was negotiated with Pepco to become efective Jan. 1, 1980, thru Jan. 1, 1983. Load management and home energy audit programs were in the works and 2,562 new consumers were connected to the system. At year’s end the cooperative had 5,307 miles of line serving 59,193 consumers. Kilowatt-hour sales increased by 23.5 million, a growth in sales of a mere 2.5 percent. Among the residential consumers, the growth rate was 1 percent, down considerably from the system’s growth rate prior to 1975, and a defnite indication that Southern Maryland was practicing energy conservation.26 Linemen Cody Parrott and Al Holland from the Prince Frederick District Office, April 1978.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 109 CHAPTER 9 The Next Generation: 1980–1989

Setting a big pole during construction of the 230-kV line.

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 In 1980 the cooperative had been in existence for 43 years. Te last of the 1937 charter directors, William H. Mattingly, had resigned in 1976. Harold J. Skone, chief operator at the Popes Creek power plant and the frst employee hired by the Tri-County Cooperative Association, had died, as had Albert L. Beck, the frst lineman hired by the association. William Ferrall, Merrill Gough, Joseph “Slim” Abell, Francis E. Abell, Frank Stine, Wallace Johnson, Francis Norris, Emerson Phillips and Horace Quade, all of whom had worked for the Eastern Shore Public Service Co. (ESPSC) beginning in the 1930s and had come to work for the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) in 1945, were gone—only one of their number remained. Howard “Pinky” Trotter remained on the job until September 1985 as manager of the Charles-Prince George’s District. He was surrounded by an increasing number of colleagues—continuing growth, increased regulations and new technology had created new and additional positions. In 1970 the cooperative had 272 employees; in 1980 that number had increased 22 percent to 338. Te board was changing as well—in April 1980, President James P. Bowling, a board member since 1957, resigned his position due to health reasons. Francis Nimmerrichter of Waldorf was appointed to fll his position. Te expanded workforce was serving an expanded population in St. Mary’s, Charles and Calvert counties, which had added 51,500 people between 1970 and 1980, most of whom never remembered a time without electricity. During the same 10-year period, the total killowatt-hour (kWh) sales had nearly doubled, rising from 517,769,039 in 1970 to 1,032,734,769 in 1980.1 Te face of the cooperative was changing, as was the face of Southern Maryland.

NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS BY DECADE Year Calvert Charles Pr. George’s St. Mary’s Total 1940 1,124 1950 2,446 4,009 1,029 4,878 12,362 1960 4,323 8,755 2,250 9,201 24,529 1970 6,755 14,562 3,550 14,749 39,616 1980 11,083 24,907 4,408 21,426 61,824 1990 18,358 38,787 5,023 30,467 92,635 2000 25,594 50,566 6,248 38,259 120,667 2010 30,936 62,354 8,905 47,957 150,152

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 111 Bill Tettimer’s parents, Bill and Doris, and his son, Kevin, joined Cody Parrott’s wife, Kim, to receive plaques in recognition of Tettimer’s and Parrott’s service to SMECO and its customer-members.

Te 1980s saw the collapse of the Iron Curtain and the “You must be asking, ‘Where will this all end? end of the Cold War. Ronald Reagan won by a land- Quite frankly, the end isn’t yet in sight. Hopefully, slide in November 1980 and when he took ofce on infation will slow down and the government will Jan. 20, 1981, the 444-day-old Iranian hostage crisis ease up on some of the excessive regulations that came to an end with the release of 52 Americans. It add to costs. But the price of electric power isn’t was heady times; the Reagan era saw the U.S. buildup likely to decline in this century. As long as the bulk of our power is generated by burning fossil fuels, of the 1,000-ship Navy. In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev prices can only go up.” 2 became the leader of the Soviet Union; within six years, that political entity had ceased to exist. In late 1979 and continuing into early 1980, fatbed trucks began arriving at the Leonardtown ofce with On Jan. 1, 1980, the frst year of a new three-year the steel poles for the section of 230-kV line to be built wholesale power contract with the Potomac Electric between Loveville and Lexington Park. In all, 101 Power Co. (Pepco) went into efect as the cost of single-shaft, tubular steel poles were delivered, ranging wholesale power continued to take an even bigger bite in size from 90 feet to 115 feet. Te largest pole—but out of every dollar consumers paid to the cooperative. not the tallest—was 105 feet in length, measured 22 Executive Vice President Walter H. Smith, comment- inches in diameter at the top and 84 inches in diameter ing on the increased costs, stated: at its base. Dressed out, with eight steel arms and 77

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 climbing devices, it would weigh 37,713 pounds. In sented Calvert County for 20 years and who was a true July the long-awaited construction began. Te project friend to the cooperative. Among the estimated 200 required a temporary construction road, anchor bolt in attendance were state Sen. Aris T. Allen of Anne cages and poured concrete foundations—the depth Arundel County, state Del. Tomas Rymer of Calvert and width of each one determined by soil conditions County, Assistant State Comptroller Robert L. Swann at that location—and the use of a 35-ton crane to and Calvert County Commissioners Mary Harrison, place the poles on their foundations.3 Garner “Pete” Grover, C. Bernard Fowler, David M. King and H. Gordon Truman. Mrs. Irma Hall, wife In April, 25-year-employee Samuel A. Mudd, the of the late senator, cut the ribbon with the help of Calvert County district manager, retired and was Dorman Hall, the senator’s brother.8 replaced by Leroy Elliott. In early summer, Serviceman Roland Keech (later to be Charles-Prince George’s At year’s end the cooperative had provided service district manager) set the cooperative’s 60,000th meter to 2,631 new consumers, a monthly average of in the Wakefeld neighborhood of St. Charles. It 219; energized a portion of the newly constructed had taken 38 years for the cooperative to reach the 230-kV line from Loveville to Leonardtown at 66 kV; 50,000th meter installation but only four years to add completed the installation of the concrete foundations another 10,000.” 4 for the steel poles in the section of transmission line At the annual meeting in July 1980, state Sen. James between Leonardtown and Lexington Park; energized Simpson, representing Charles and St. Mary’s counties, the new Bannister substation in St. Charles; rebuilt presented former board President James P. Bowling and energized the Leonardtown and Sunderland with a resolution from the board of directors and a substations; and was in the process of rebuilding the citation from Gov. Harry Hughes in recognition of transmission line, built in 1941, between Mason Bowling’s 23 years of service to the cooperative.5 At the Springs in Charles County to Farmington in Prince July 15 board meeting, Lewie Aldridge Sr. was elected George’s County to provide more capacity to that president of the board. He had been acting president area. It had been a busy year. since Bowling’s April resignation. A board member At the January 1981 board meeting Daniel W. since 1973, Aldridge was elected vice president in “Danny” Dyer was selected to fll the unexpired term 1978. He was the owner and president of Aldridge of his father, Leonard Dyer, who had died in December 6 Ford in Lexington Park. 1980. Leonard Dyer had served on the board since New data processing equipment put into place in 1964. He had been a store owner in Prince George’s late summer greatly aided the workfow in the Data County and prior to World War II had served as one Processing Division in Hughesville. An IBM 3741 of three Prince George’s County commissioners. He single data station and an IBM 3742 dual data station told the author that between the three commission- replaced the punch card system. Te information was ers, they knew just about everyone in the county at keyed onto a fexible diskette resembling a 45-rpm that time. (Te population of the county was 89,500 record. Each diskette held the data contained on in 1940 and 194,200 in 1950.) When he began serv- 1,898 IBM cards and, unlike the cards, could be used ing on the board, Danny Dyer had been involved with repeatedly.7 In August construction began on a new Prince George’s County government for 16 years; he headquarters building in Hughesville with expected eventually would serve as the cooperative’s chairman occupancy in late summer 1981. It was anticipated the of the board. building would meet the needs of the cooperative for On Jan. 12 SMECO hit a winter peak of 233.9 mega- at least 10 years. watts, surpassing the 1980 winter peak by 12.5 percent. On Sept. 12 SMECO dedicated the new district General Manager Walt Smith advised the member- ofce in Calvert County, named the Edward T. Hall ship of the necessity of getting some control over peak Building in honor of the late state senator who repre- demand and that the engineering department had

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 113 SMECO SUBSTATIONS OPERATIONING AS OF MAY 2012 selected a load control system. A load management Year Built or Substation County program was in the works, he stated. Upgraded Accokeek Pr. George’s 1959 In April six employees were recognized in Watts News, Bannister Charles 1980 the employee newsletter, for the most accumulated Bensville Charles 2007 Bertha Calvert 1953 years without a lost-time accident. District Supervisor Bolton Charles 1989 Bob Miller and Chief Lineman Jimmy Shenton shared Calvert Cliffs Calvert 1978 the record with 33 years each in the Prince Frederick Cedarville Pr. George’s 1954 Dukes Inn Calvert 2005 District; General Foreman Frank Norris and District Dunkirk Calvert 2006 Manager Charles Wible shared the St. Mary’s District Faulkner Charles 1964 record with 34 years each; Meter Reader Wilson Forest Park Charles 1975 Golden Beach St. Mary’s 1978 Bowling held the Charles-Prince George’s District Grayton Charles 1975 record with 38 years; and in Hughesville, Meter Hollywood St. Mary’s 1961 Foreman Ted Pilkerton held the overall record with 40 Hughesville Charles 1959 Huntingtown Calvert 2010 years. Te best record to that date was held by Sandy Independence Pr. George’s 2009 Ferrall, who had 44 years without a lost-time accident Indian Head Charles 1953–1954 at the time of his retirement. Sandy’s record would be La Plata Charles 1950 Leonardtown St. Mary’s 1959 surpassed by Ted Pilkerton, who retired in May 1995 Lexington Park St. Mary’s 1949 with 55 years of service without a lost-time accident. Marshall’s Corner Charles 1975 (Ted’s record later would be surpassed by Lloyd A. Mason Springs Charles 1953 Goble who, as of this writing, had logged 55 years and Mattawoman Charles 1969 McConchie Charles 1991 eight months without a lost-time accident.) Mechanicsville St. Mary’s 1975 Milestown St. Mary’s 1967 Te annual meeting held at the Charlotte Hall Military Mt. Harmony Calvert 1982 Academy on July 13, 1971 was chaired by State Sen. Mutual Calvert 1999 James Simpson of Charles County; all incumbent Nawcad St. Mary’s 1988 Newburg Charles 1953 directors were re-elected. In October a lineman’s train- Newtown Charles 1991 ing program was initiated. Te program had been Oakville St. Mary’s 1950 developed by a committee of management and union Patuxent Park St. Mary’s 1959 Patuxent River #1 St. Mary’s 2005 members over several years; 77 linemen signed up to Patuxent River #2 St. Mary’s Pre-1964 participate initially and, depending on their degree of Patuxent River #3 St. Mary’s 1986 work experience, could complete the program in one Patuxent River #4 St. Mary’s 1996 9 Piney Point St. Mary’s 1973 to four years. Piscataway Pr. George’s 1975 Pr. Frederick Calvert 1950 On Nov. 23 the cooperative’s new 37,000-square-foot Redgate St. Mary’s 2006 headquarters building opened for business. Built by Ridge St. Mary’s 1967 the Davis Corp. of La Plata, the $2.4 million build- Ryceville Charles 1973 Solomons Calvert 1993 ing replaced the ofce building at the junction of state St. Andrews St. Mary’s 1971 Route 5 and Burnt Store Road that had been in use St. Charles Charles 1971 since 1948.10 Dedication ceremonies were held on St. James St. Mary’s 1954 St. Leonard Calvert 1962 May 12, 1982, and the building was named for Forrest Sunderland Calvert 1954 Coakley, the cooperative’s frst general manager. At Tompkinsville Charles 1971 that dedication, Coakley noted, “Tis is a far cry from Valley Lee St. Mary’s 1953 Waldorf Charles 1955 the two-room storefront on the main street of La Plata West Brandywine Pr. George’s 1971 next to the Stumble Inn! Tat’s where we were in 1938 Westlake Charles 1988 when I frst came aboard.”11

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 Due to the economy, housing starts were down in 1981 and SMECO’s growth rate refected the general slowdown in construction. Te average number of new connections per month fell from 219 in 1980 to 137 in 1981. In spite of the downturn, many construction projects went ahead as planned. A new substation was constructed at Oakville, and substations were upgraded at Bertha and Mechanicsville. Te substation at Piscataway in Prince George’s County, destroyed by fre in October 1980, was rebuilt. Te relocation of the transmission line from Hillville to Laurel Grove, part of the cooperative’s efort in assisting with the dualization of state Route 235, was completed. A 66-kV transmission line to Mount Harmony in Calvert County was built. Te rebuilding of the 66-kV transmission line The new headquarters building in Hughesville under from Prince Frederick to St. Leonard was started and construction in 1981. rights of way for the proposed Chalk Point to Holland Clif line had been secured.12 with 42 years; Wilson Bowling, 40 years; Wallace Montgomery, 36 years; Jimmy Kersey, 36 years; Dusty At the end of the year the cooperative had 37 substa- Welch, 30 years; Faye Oliver, 26 years; Ralph Dixon, tions, 10 switching stations, 5,518 miles of line, 122 25 years; and Dorothy Johnson, 20 years.16 vehicles and 329 employees with an annual payroll of almost $7 million, most of which was going back into Te Mount Harmony substation, essential to provid- the economy of Southern Maryland.13 ing reliable service at the northern end of Calvert County, was completed in June. Moving into the Growth was slow in 1982 compared with many summer of 1982, the guest speaker at the annual previous years. Te cooperative generally had meeting was Tomas J. Hatem, former chairman of added 2,000 or more new members annually, but the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC). John membership increased by only 1,577 during 1982, Tomas Parran of Charles County once again served the lowest annual increase in the number of new as chairman. Te meeting was moved from Charlotte consumers since 1968. SMECO’s growth rate closely Hall and was held for the frst time on the grounds of paralleled what was occurring across the nation due to the new Hughesville headquarters building. the economic downturn.14 Te pilot load management program undertaken in In an efort to economize, there was a reduction in 1982 proved successful and plans were made to expand the workforce through attrition. Several budgeted the program in 1983. In early 1982 negotiations began positions were not flled; in addition, a one-time early with Pepco for a new wholesale power contract, and retirement program was ofered to any employee who by year’s end the eforts had resulted in the signing was 55 or older with 10 or more years of service. Eight of a fve-year contract efective Jan. 1, 1983. It was employees took advantage of the program and retired expected the cost of wholesale power would increase at the end of the year. by 13 percent the frst year but would level of in the four remaining years.17 In fact, the actual increase was Some of the vacated positions were flled from within 10 percent that frst year. the company, but no new employees were hired. As a result of the eforts to reduce staf, SMECO ended Te economy picked up in 1983 and it was refected in the year with 314 full-time employees, down from an additional 2,774 members being added to SMECO 338 at the beginning of 1980.15 Te eight employees lines. Total kilowatt-hour sales increased by 9 percent taking advantage of the early out were Harry Beck, over 1982 and on Sept. 6 a new system peak demand

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 115 occurred. In plant size, operating revenue, kWh sales In April, board member Kenneth Buckler of Prince and number of consumers, SMECO ranked among Frederick passed away and his position was flled by the top fve largest cooperatives in the nation. Arthur W. Dowell of Prince Frederick, who had been a board member from 1973–74. Buckler had served Several large transmission projects were completed on the board in 1958–59 and again from 1974 until during the year. Te transmission line from Prince his death. A lifelong resident of Calvert County, he Frederick to the St. Leonard tap was rebuilt; the 66-kV had served as the county’s sherif from 1942–46 and line from Hollywood to St. Andrews Church Road was as register of wills from 1946–50. When he retired in relocated as part of the Maryland Route 235 dualiza- 1979 he was supervisor of the Calvert County Branch tion project, and a new transmission line from Leitches of Assessment and Taxation. Wharf to Prince Frederick added an additional transmission line to serve Calvert County. Work continued In June the cooperative returned capital credits for the on the construction of the 230-kV line and the steel years 1961 through 1963 totaling $1.47 million. Te poles for the Chalk Point to Holland Clif section had load management program, begun as a pilot project in been ordered. Eforts continued on all fronts to keep 1982, became a full-scale project in 1984, and at year’s costs as low as possible without adversely afecting end there were 1,209 switches in place. It was expected service. SMECO began and ended the year with 314 Gary Dean, officer in charge of the Hughesville Post full-time employees.18 Office, oversees SMECO employeesGlenn Thomas, Jim

Te 1983 annual meeting again was held at the Hughesville headquarters and was chaired by Del. Tomas Rymer of Calvert County. Te guest speaker was U.S. Rep. Roy Dyson.19

Maryland marked the 350th anniversary of its founding in 1984. On Maryland Day, Sunday, March 25, Mother Nature dropped by in the form of a nor’easter. Tere was many a soggy celebrant who ventured to St. Clement’s Island, site of the frst landing, to participate in the ceremonies. Many of those were members of the Maryland legislature who had traveled from Annapolis and Baltimore in several buses for the occasion.

Tom Wisner from Calvert County performing at the 1984 annual meeting. Wisner was a local songwriter and artist.

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 the equipment that would permit the cooperative to as the British and Americans attempted to resupply operate the load management program systemwide the beleaguered Russian army. would be operational by the end of 1985.20 Te year 1985 proved to be a record-breaking one Work on the 230-kilovolt (kV) line was continuing for hooking up new members. Some 4,069 members and 170 miles of new underground distribution line were connected during the year, for an average of had been added to serve 2,607 new consumers, an 339 new connects each month, a major accomplish- increase of 4 percent over the previous year. Two long- ment considering the service area sufered major time employees retired in 1984—Buck Baden, with 33 storm damage with Hurricane Gloria in September and the remnants of Hurricane Juan in November. years of service, was a staking engineer in the Charles- During the year SMECO was able to move ahead Prince George’s District, and Curt Bushell, the ofce with its load management program and by the end of supervisor in the St. Mary’s District Ofce, with 31 the year had some 2,910 load management switches years of service.21 Bushell had served in the Merchant in place. While the load management program had Marine during World War II and had participated in saved consumers about $158,000 in 1984, the fgure one of the many dangerous runs to Murmansk, Russia, had risen to $337,500 in 1985.22 Key portions of the Auth and Amy Barnes as they load 31,000 capital credit 230-kV transmission project were completed. It was refund checks to be mailed to customer-members. the largest transmission project undertaken by the cooperative to that date and had begun in 1973, when permission had been granted by the PSC to construct the line. During the year a second circuit was added to the 230-kV line from Loveville to Lexington Park, and construction had been completed on the Ryceville to Loveville section and most of the Chalk Point to Holland Clif portion of the line.23

In June 1985, $687,000 in capital credits was refunded to members who bought electricity in 1964. Tis refund accomplished a cooperative goal to refund capital credits to its members on a 21-year cycle.24

John Tomas Parran Jr. once again chaired the annual meeting held July 8, 1985. Forrest Coakley, the former general manager of SMECO, helped commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Rural Electrifcation Administration (REA) by presenting Pioneer Awards honoring four members who played major roles in the early organization and development of the cooperative—Fannie Jo Dent, St. Mary’s County (accepted by her cousin, Gilbert Dent); William H. Mattingly, St. Mary’s County (accepted by his wife, Katherine); Paul D. Brown, Charles County (accepted by his daughter, Mary Berry Moore); and Henry A. Xander, Prince George’s County (accepted by his wife, Wilhelmina). President Lewie Aldridge then presented a Pioneer Award to Coakley for his many years of service to the cooperative and rural electrifcation.25

The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 117 Construction of the 230-kV line. Because of increased fuel costs and the growth in SMECO’s system demand, the actual cost of wholesale power rose more than expected. For nine months of 1985, system peak demand exceeded that of comparable months in 1984 by anywhere from 2 percent to 24 percent. Te resulting demand charges increased from $27 million in 1984 to $32 million in 1985, meaning that 78 percent of every dollar received was being spent on wholesale power. Te cooperative approached Pepco to ask for a change in the existing wholesale power contract to give the cooperative more favorable terms.

After negotiations, Pepco agreed to an amendment in return for a long-term contract, which would be benefcial to them for purposes of planning future generation. Te amended contract went into efect Jan. 1, 1986, and resulted in the cooperative’s cost of power being comparable to what was being paid to Pepco in 1984.26

Several longtime employees left the cooperative in 1985 to enjoy retirement. Personnel and Member Relations Director Bob Mitchell retired in February with 36 years of service. Shortly after his retirement, the department’s responsibilities were separated, with Joyce Greenfeld Bowling appointed director of human resources and I. Wayne Swann appointed director to head up the new Public and Member Relations Department. In June, Chief Lineman Charles “Reggie” Dyson retired with 38 years of service. Howard “Pinky” Trotter retired in September with 45 years of service—he was the last of the employees who had been with the ESPSC prior to the cooperative purchasing the Southern Maryland assets of that company in 1945. Eddie Dyson, a World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy and the cooperative’s purchasing agent, retired in November with 30 years of service. Finally, Superintendent of Transmission and Substations Willie Simms, another 45-year employee, retired in December.

Te nation and the world watched in horror on Jan. 28, 1986, as the U.S. space shuttle Challenger blew up 73 seconds after liftof, killing all seven people on board. One of those was schoolteacher Christa McAulife, who had been chosen in a special NASA program to allow “ordinary” people to go into space. All eyes turned back toward the heavens Feb. 9 when

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 Haley’s Comet appeared for the frst time since 1910. dential account, the amount was equivalent to 14 cents Bad news continued in the spring; on April 26 an of each dollar a member paid to SMECO in 1965.29 explosion at the Chernobyl power station near Kiev, Russia, grew to become one of the worst accidents to date in the history of nuclear power. Te accident CAPITAL CREDIT ALLOCATIONS happened when scientists were trying to install a safety AND DISBURSEMENTS system. A series of explosions created a ball of fre that Cumulative capital Cumulative blew the lid of the nuclear reactor, releasing dangerous Fiscal credit refunds allocation amount levels of radiation into the air. year distributed to (margins) customer-members In order to keep up with the rapid growth occurring 1962 $ 6,018,129.64 $ 783,439.00 in Southern Maryland, a major part of the cooperative’s 1986 construction program involved work on 1965 $ 8,143,412.05 $ 1,548,577.00 substations and switching stations. A new switching 1970 $ 10,923,202.03 $ 2,041,621.97 station located at Holland Clif was completed and the switching station at Lexington Park was rebuilt. Te 1975 $ 13,820,757.90 $ 2,333,057.97 capacity at the Lexington Park and Cedarville substa- 1980 $ 16,834,147.25 $ 3,107,702.97 tions was increased and a second transformer was added to the Bannister substation. Projects under way 1985 $ 37,622,693.61 $ 8,612,907.97 during that year included adding a second transformer 1990 $ 72,950,457.78 $ 16,615,177.97 at the Patuxent Park and Prince Frederick substations, adding a second 66-kV transmission circuit into the 1995 $ 109,479,077.71 $ 25,383,171.97 Prince Frederick substation, building the Westlake and 2000 $ 157,548,921.69 $ 44,740,572.97 Bolton substations and construction of the accompa- 2005 $ 208,090,276.24 $ 72,064,657.97 nying 66-kV lines. 2010 $ 237,563,274.59 $ 78,646,670.97 In addition, the cooperative was in the process of installing a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition 2011 $ 252,674,835.10 $ 82,554,754.97 (SCADA) system. Te system would improve service reliability by alerting operators of changes in condi- Approximately 1,500 members and guests attended tions that needed attention and providing the means the 48th annual meeting in Hughesville on July 14, to remotely operate the necessary devices to correct or 1986. Danny Mayer of La Plata chaired the meeting. A improve operations.27 1985 amendment to the cooperative’s bylaws changed the length of time for directors’ terms and called for Te positive efects of the load management program those terms to be staggered. Te amendment was to were gaining momentum. Some 2,608 additional be implemented beginning with this annual meet- switches were connected in 1986 and the annual ing, with the length of the one- to three-year terms savings was estimated to be $627,400 in wholesale to be decided by the number of votes each candidate power costs. A new system peak demand of 335,552 received. All incumbent directors were re-elected, with kilowatts had occurred on July 6 and, without the their length of term determined by their vote count.30 load management program, the peak would have been Going forward, rather than having 15 directors elected much higher. Total kWh sales grew by more than 10 each year, only fve seats would be up for election. percent during the year.28 It was a SMECO frst and it had taken more than a In April the board of directors adopted a resolution to year of planning, but early in the year the last six steel refund capital credits in the amount of $515,000 to poles on the Chalk Point to Holland Clif portion of 26,000 members who had accounts in 1965. For a resi- the 230-kV line had been set. Te problem had been

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 119 a marsh some 2,744 feet wide that would not support Feb. 5, 1937, and the frst meeting of cooperative the equipment large enough to carry the poles. Te members was held on April 22, 1937, at which time poles ranged in height from 79 feet to 120 feet and the permanent ofcers were elected. Te Popes Creek weighed 8,000 to 9,000 pounds. Te contractor, generating plant was energized on July 23, 1938, so Transpower Corp. of Marietta, Ga., contracted with the cooperative’s frst full year of operation was 1939. Carlson Helicopter Service of Philadelphia to provide At the end of that year, the cooperative had 241 miles a helicopter that could carry the equipment and poles of line in operation, compared with 6,365 miles at to the sites where the work was to be done.31 the end of 1987; in 1939, there were 1,042 members at the end of the year, compared with the 81,998 Te cooperative’s computer system was upgraded to members at year’s end in 1987. Te average number an IBM 38 during the year, allowing for more storage of consumers per mile had risen from 4 to 12.9 during space and the ability to take advantage of the changes the co-op’s existence and the sale of kWh had risen occurring in computer technology. Seventy-fve termi- from 489,200 in 1939 to nearly 1.6 billion in 1987; nals were to be installed throughout all ofce loca- fnally, revenue had increased from $35,800 to $109.7 tions and the C&P Telephone Co. and AT&T had million between 1939 and 1987.33 Te cooperative been contracted to install additional telephone lines to had become a big business. increase accessibility to the computer. Data Processing Director Frank Tribbet assisted departments in train- During 1987, 3,006 members joined the load manage- ing employees to use the terminals. Like anything new, ment program, bringing the number of participants to it was not an easy transition. Administrative Services 5,518 and the estimated savings in wholesale power to Manager Ralph Cross was quoted in the August issue $849,979. For the ffth consecutive year a new system of the employee newsletter: peak demand was registered, and for 11 months of the year the peak demand exceeded that of the same “It has taken longer than anticipated for the month in the previous year from 4.4 to 23.3 percent. System 38 to become fully operational. Tis has Te cooperative was progressing on the installation of been an extremely difcult and time-consuming the SCADA system. Management continued to inves- project. However, in the next several months we tigate additional power supply sources, including the expect that the fruits of labor of a good number installation of a combustion turbine generating facil- of employees will be reaped and the results will be ity at Pepco’s Chalk Point power plant site. Results of worth the eforts. It will take a couple of months a feasibility study had shown it would beneft both to get the ‘bugs’ out of the system; we appreciate the SMECO and Pepco. cooperation and assistance of everyone concerned.” Numerous meetings were held with Pepco, the REA, At year’s end the total number of full-time employees the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance had grown from 334 to 342. Eight employees were Corp. (SMECO’s lending agencies), the Maryland hired to become linemen and were enrolled in the Power Plant Research Program and the PSC. Based on cooperative’s lineman training program. Eight employ- the positive outcome of these meetings, in November ees retired during the year, including Liza Davis, secre- the cooperative fled for a Certifcate of Public tary for the engineering department, who retired after Convenience and Necessity with the PSC.34 18 years with SMECO, and Charles “Pete” Mattingly of the St. Mary’s district, an apparatus lineman, who In other infrastructure news that year, the newly reno- retired with 37 years of service. Sadly, Frank Norris, vated Charles-Prince George’s District ofce building a general foreman in the St. Mary’s District, died just in White Plains was dedicated on April 22. Te date three months before marking his 40th year of service.32 was chosen to coincide with the frst ofcial meeting of the cooperative’s members held in 1937.35 District Te year 1987 marked the cooperative’s 50th anni- Manager Robert Cooper gave a brief history of the versary. Te articles of incorporation for the then district and its operations, concluding his remarks Tri-County Cooperative Association were fled on by naming the four men who had preceded him: J.A.

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 Shawn Harley, left, and Harry Sanders perform line work circa 1989.

“Slim” Abell, Robert E. Mitchell, William G. Card an insulator securing a line gave way. Te line struck and Howard “Pinky” Trotter. President Lewie Aldridge Jones and knocked him out of the bucket. He left a wife then announced the building was being named for the and two sons. Ray Jones was the third fatality sufered late James P. Bowling of Charles County, who was a by the cooperative in its 50-year history.37 member of the co-op’s board of directors for 23 years, serving as president from 1968 to 1980. Bowling’s Capital credit checks totaling more than $1.5 million brother, Judge George W. Bowling, introduced were mailed in June for the years 1966–68. Te coop- the family members present. With their assistance, erative had reached its goal of refunding capital credits Bowling’s grandson, Gregg Battaglia, performed the on a 20-year cycle and was striving to reach a 15-year ribbon-cutting.36 cycle by 1988.38

Tragedy struck on May 26, 1987 when Chief Lineman About 1,500 members and guests turned out for Ray Winfeld Jones, 46, a 25-year employee, died of SMECO’s 50th anniversary annual meeting on July injuries he sustained in an accident the previous day. 13, 1987. John Tomas Parran of Indian Head intro- Lightning and high winds struck Charles County on duced former manager Forrest Coakley, who spoke on May 23, causing considerable damage along Route 225 the founding of the cooperative: west of Hawthorne Country Club. Although power was restored by Sunday evening, further repairs remained “I wish,” he said, “time would allow me to mention to be completed the next day. Jones, who worked in all of the employees who have devoted their work- the Calvert District, was one of more than two dozen ing lives to your Co-op, but that just isn’t possible. employees making the repairs. He was operating a We can, however, pay tribute to a few of them. bucket truck and was about 40 feet above ground when Tis with the thought that if we honor one, we

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 121 honor all. First, and sadly, I must say that two of our honorees are no longer with us. Tey are Harry E. Beck and J. Frank Norris. Harry Beck died in May of this year. He and his brother Albert were two of our frst employees. Frank Norris died suddenly last year.

“If there are any members of the Beck or Norris family here tonight, they can be very proud of the fne job Harry and Frank did throughout their careers.

“Next on our list are three former employees who are unable to be here tonight because of illness. Tey are Joseph A. Abell, Frank Stine and Merrill I. Gough. I’m sure you will join me in wishing Slim, Kaiser and Merrill the best of things to come and improved health.

“Te remaining 11 employees in our honored group are here in person, and I will ask them to come up so that you can meet them. Ted Pilkerton–47 yrs. Charlie Wible–41 yrs. Sandy Ferrall–46 yrs. Bob Miller–40 yrs. Willie Simms–45 yrs. Jimmy Shenton–40 yrs. Pinky Trotter–45 yrs. Floyd Chesser–40 yrs. Wilson Bowling–41 yrs. Lloyd Bowen–40 yrs. Grover Montgomery–41 yrs.” 39

Te number of full-time employees had grown from 342 at the end of 1986 to 368 at the end of 1987. Te need for the additional personnel to fulfll the cooperative’s mission was driven by a 50 percent growth rate in the number of consumers over the previous 10 years, the numerous construction projects undertaken to “keep up” with the increased population and subsequent demand for electricity and the steady advancement in technology.

Enough wire to stretch from Accokeek to Point Lookout and back! Tat, stated the 1988 annual report, was the amount of line construction that took place that year. Te cooperative had built 8.9 miles of transmission lines and 126.9 miles of distribution line. 40 Construct, Expand, Upgrade, Rebuild. Tese words tell A helicopter carried six steel poles to be set for the the story. During the year 5,675 new services were Chalk Point to Holland Cliff portion of the 230-kV line added, an average of 22 every working day. For the in 1986. sixth year in a row a new system peak demand was

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 hit, requiring the cooperative to escalate its construc- Acquisition) required the installation of microwave tion program. Te load management program saved communications and 900 MHz radio communica- consumers $914,073 in 1986 wholesale power costs, tions systems. Towers already in place at the district and by the end of the year 11,462 members had load ofces and an additional tower under construction management switches in their homes or businesses.41 In at the location of the proposed Ryceville 230 kV June 1988, the 10,000th switch had been installed at switching station would hold microwave dishes, new the home of Bob and Nancy Jefrey in the Hampshire multiaddress system (MAS) antennas and antennas Woods subdivision of Charles County.42 for conventional two-way mobile radio communications. Te MAS radio would communicate control New facilities were being added at a record pace. Two commands and electrical information between district substations, Westlake and Bolton, were built in 1988; ofces and substations. In turn, the data would be three more, Newtown, Ripley and McConchie, were passed into the microwave system to the dual computer under construction. Eight substations were being SCADA system located at the Hughesville operations rebuilt or upgraded, and fve new stations were in the center. Te cooperative’s Engineering Department had planning stages. Especially noteworthy was the upcom- been involved with the SCADA system and associated ing construction of SMECO’s frst 230-kV switching communication projects for more than three years. It stations at Ryceville and Lexington Park, a signifcant faced myriad fnancial, environmental and technical step toward upgrading SMECO’s transmission voltage issues that required resolution and it all came together from 66 kV to 230 kV in 1990.43 in 1988.45 In late 1987 SMECO and Pepco Maryland Del. John F. Slade of St. had completed negotiations to set Mary’s County chaired the annual wholesale power rates for 1988, meeting, held in 100-degree heat at the 1989 and 1990. On Jan. 1, the cooperative’s Hughesville headquar- new pact took efect; it resulted ters. For the frst time members were in savings in 1988 of $6.7 million registered using computer terminals, over 1987 costs. thus eliminating the time-consum- During the year plans progressed ing process of employees manually to build the combustion turbine registering members by checking generating facility. Considerable the names and addresses in account time was spent preparing and books. Finance and Administration submitting the various studies Tami Gardiner, longtime employee. Manager Joe Slater had spearheaded required by the REA and the PSC. the transition. As far as the board was Hearings were held and the cooperative was awaiting concerned, a contested election saw eight candidates a decision by the commission. SMECO also was vying for fve seats. All fve incumbent directors were involved in other key issues related to the project. Tese re-elected to serve three-year terms. included determining what size generating unit would SMECO refunded capital credits in 1988 for the be most cost-efective, soliciting bids for building the seventh consecutive year, with checks totaling more unit and obtaining fnancing. A 70-megawatt General than $1.6 million mailed to approximately 35,000 Electric unit was decided upon and the necessary $30 members who had accounts in their names in 1969, million to construct the facility was borrowed from the 1970 or 1972. (No capital credits were refunded for Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), the agency 1971, as the cooperative operated at a loss that year.) from which SMECO obtained part of its construction With the 1988 refund, SMECO had achieved its loan funds.44 goal of returning capital credits on a 15-year cycle. Technology begets technology and installing the Plans were being made to further shorten the cycle to SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data 10 years.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 123 300 were planned for 1989. Seventeen builders were participating in the program.46

In November George H.W. Bush of Texas was elected president of the United States. He carried 40 of 50 states and 54 percent of the popular vote in defeating Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts.

At year’s end the number of full-time employees had grown to 387, an increase of 19 employees over the previous year. It had been a difcult year; three employees passed away and co-workers also said goodbye to those who retired. Alex Montgomery, a meter tester in Hughesville who had been with the cooperative 37 years, died in February. In March, John Dwight Woodburn, who had been with the co-op for eight years and who worked out of the White Plains ofce as a tree trimmer, also died. In June, the White Plains ofce also lost Donald Reeves Burroughs, a serviceman with 25 years of service. Among the retirees were St. Mary’s District Manager Charles Wible, with 43 years of service, Bob Stansbury with 37 years, Millie Wheatley with 31 years and Harold Brent Garner, a World War II veteran, with 11 years of service. Charles- Prince George’s District Manager Robert Cooper was transferred to the St. Mary’s District to replace the Walter Smith, SMECO General Manager and Executive retired Wible and Assistant District Manager Roland Vice President, at an annual meeting held at the Keech was promoted to district manager at the White Charlotte Hall Military Academy. Plains ofce.

In early fall Karin and Jim Sober of Leonardtown In the December 1988 Co-op Review, General Manager became the owners of the frst home in Southern Walt Smith advised the members that: “Tis has been Maryland to be registered as an Energy Efcient one of the busiest years your Co-op has ever had. In Home (EEH). Tey had contracted with Talico Inc. many ways, it has also been one of our most success- of Mechanicsville, owned by Glen Gardiner and Talley ful.” He then went on to cite the record number of Brown, to build their new home in the fall of 1987. new consumers connected during the year, the coop- SMECO had just initiated the EEH program and erative’s excellent fnancial condition and noted that Talico was the frst builder to participate. Te program the average outage time for the year was the lowest it was designed to address all aspects of new construc- had been in many years. tion, including insulation, infltration, ventilation, windows, heating and cooling efciency, appliance History will record that the year 1989 was when selection and load management. Te program was the Berlin Wall fell; the Exxon Valdez grounded in another arrow in SMECO’s quiver to promote the Prince William Sound, Alaska, and spilled 12 million construction of homes that provided all the comforts gallons of crude oil; Chinese students protested in of modern living but also were economical to oper- Tiananmen Square and were massacred in June; the ate and had a lower demand for electricity. By the United States invaded Panama and captured brutal end of 1988 more than 70 EEH program homes had dictator and former U.S. ally Manuel Noriega, who been built or were under construction, and more than had declared war on the United States and killed a U.S

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 soldier; it was also the year the USSR called it quits in bringing total participation to 15,297 members by Afghanistan in a failed and costly attempt to quell the year’s end and a savings in wholesale power costs that Afghan insurrection. year estimated at more than $1.2 million. Te power purchased from Pepco and associated transmission As for Southern Maryland, it was another year of rapid expenses totaled $87.7 million for 1.9 billion kWh growth. Demography is a sociological discipline that of power. On Jan. 1 the second year of the three-year entails the study of human population. No sociol- wholesale power contract with Pepco took efect and ogy degree was needed to read the substation meters negotiations had begun to set wholesale power rates that recorded the sale of kWh increasing from under that would go into efect in 1991.47 500,000 in 1939 to nearly 1.9 billion in 1989. Te history and records of the cooperative document the Some $1.9 million was refunded in capital credits in growth of Southern Maryland. Eighteen new employ- June for the years 1973 and 1975 (SMECO operated ees were added during the year and 5,400 new services at a loss in 1974). Tis was the eighth consecutive year were connected. SCADA projects were completed at that capital credits were refunded, and it moved the fve switching stations, making the SCADA system cooperative closer to its goal of refunding capital cred- operational in all of SMECO’s switching stations. its on a 10-year cycle.

Twenty-one substations were placed on the system In the spring of 1989 General Manager and Executive and by year’s end the SCADA system was fully Vice President Walter H. Smith announced his retire- operational at 30 of SMECO’s 38 substations. A new ment efective July 14. It was only the second time in link between the Leonardtown and Lexington Park the cooperative’s history there was a leadership change switching stations was added for the microwave radio at the top. After serving in World War II as a combat system. Te microwave system was being used not engineer in England, France, Belgium and Germany, only for the SCADA remote consoles to each district Smith worked for the ESPSC. He came to SMECO but also for voice and computer data communication in 1953 as planning and operations engineer. In between the headquarters building in Hughesville and December 1965 he was appointed to the newly created the district ofces in Prince Frederick, White Plains position of assistant manager. On Oct. 1, 1974, he and Leonardtown. assumed the duties of general manager and subse- During 1989, 6.1 miles of transmission lines and quently was appointed executive vice president by the 236.8 miles of distribution lines were built. Te Bolton board of directors on Aug. 17, 1976. 48 substation was completed and the Burches Hill switch- SMECO’s Energy Efficient Home program paved ing station was enlarged. Construction projects were the way for the PowerSaver Home and ENERGY STAR® started at Newtown and McConchie, and work began Home programs. Kevin Clark, right, is pictured with an EEH builder. to upgrade 13 existing substations. Land was acquired for an addition to the Patuxent Park substation, as well as substation sites near Solomons in Calvert County and Willows Road in St. Mary’s County. Construction began on the 230-kV switching stations at Ryceville and Lexington Park, which marked a signifcant step toward upgrading the transmission voltage from 66 kV to 230 kV. Te increased transmission voltage was to help the cooperative meet the increasing demands for electricity. Te frst phase of the project was slated for completion in 1990.

Te load management program continued to grow with the installation of 3,874 additional switches,

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 125 Construction of the combustion turbine at Chalk Point. Smith led the cooperative during unprecedented growth and technological development and advancement. His calm and conservative leadership kept the cooperative on a steady course. During his watch, the number of consumers grew by some 55 percent; the annual wholesale power bill increased from $16 million-plus to almost $87 million; operating expenses fueled by growth and expansion increased from $22 million in 1975, Smith’s frst full year as general SMECO crews return from helping Black River Electric manager, to more than $111.6 million. To meet the a resolution to Walter Smith and his wife, Norma, by demands brought on by growth, some 2,134 miles of board President Lewie Aldridge honoring Smith’s 36 new line had been constructed and the total kWh sales years of service to SMECO.49 had risen to nearly 1.9 billion from 767.5 million in 1975. Two new district ofces were built and another I. Wayne Swann was named by the board of directors renovated during his term, in addition to the construc- to succeed Walter Smith. Swann began working with tion of the Hughesville headquarters. A lineman’s the cooperative in 1965, and he had served as manager training program, self-insured workers’ compensation of the Public and Members Relations Department fund, load management program, electronic meter since 1980. His duties there included planning and reading, a 15-year capital credit cycle, construction directing the cooperative’s public and member rela- of the 230-kV transmission line, SMECO’s role in tions program, developing communications and the dualization of Maryland Route 235 (Tree Notch marketing programs and serving as a media spokes- Road), the implementation of the SCADA and micro- man for SMECO. Swann, who earned a bachelor of wave communication systems, and the initiation of science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, the construction of the combustion turbine peaking also represented the SMECO and Choptank Electric generator were but a few of SMECO’s accomplish- cooperatives as a legislative lobbyist in Annapolis. ments under Smith’s leadership. Fall brought with it another catastrophic storm. On Maryland Del. Tomas A. Rymer of Calvert County Sept. 22, Hurricane Hugo hit, among other places, chaired the 1989 annual meeting on July 10. One of Black River Electric Cooperative in Sumter, S.C. Te the highlights of the meeting was the presentation of 113-mile-an-hour winds destroyed a major portion of

Chapter nine: 1980–1989 Ray Jones was killed while making repairs to power lines after a storm in May 1987. actually endure. It was amazing—everybody working together, pulling together, working safely and protect- ing one another.”50

In November the Maryland PSC granted SMECO a Certifcate of Public Convenience and Necessity to begin building a 77-megawatt combustion turbine unit, construction of which moved more quickly than anticipated; it was put into operation in mid-1990. Te $36.6 million generating facility was built on a four- Cooperative after Hurricane Hugo in 1989. acre site leased from Pepco at the Chalk Point generat- the cooperative’s transmission and distribution system. ing plant in Aquasco. Although SMECO would own When SMECO crews arrived to assist and viewed the the facility, Pepco would operate and maintain it for devastation, their frst impression was to turn around 25 years. When the unit became operational, SMECO and go home. SMECO crews spent two weeks in would get credit on its wholesale power bill from the area rebuilding lines, setting poles and connect- Pepco; estimates placed frst-year savings at greater ing homes; when they left Oct. 7, approximately 90 than $946,000.51 percent of the consumers had electricity. Tose help- December was a cold month and two snowstorms ing out in South Carolina included David Ager, Steve before Christmas were the cause of some 9,300 outages Austin, Willie Braxton, Tommy Harrison, Sonny Riley throughout the service area. Te St. Mary’s District and Gene Stine from SMECO’s White Plains ofce, reported the cold weather had caused trenching of new and Mike Beavers, Brian Cornelius, Tim Cullins, services to come to a near halt. Te ground in many Tom Fairfax, Ellis Gibson, Al Huseman, Nick Potts, areas was frozen more than a foot deep, preventing Philip Swales, Jay Tompson and Joe Trossbach from any penetration by the trenching equipment. On Dec. the Leonardtown ofce. SMECO employee Willie 22 between the hours of 7:35 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Braxton said of his fellow employees: Pepco’s power consumption was so great a 5 percent “You work with a bunch of people all your life, but voltage reduction was necessary. It was one of the few when it comes to something like this, it’s amazing. times Pepco had reduced voltage to meet the demand People can still impress you once you get down to during cold weather. Te cooperative had numerous a situation like this. I was real impressed with the outages due to the strain on the system.52 At the end performance of these guys and how much they can of the decade there was still plenty of work to be done.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 127 CHAPTER 10 The New Millennium (Opening

SMECO bucket trucks on display at the Hughesville headquarters.

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 Pandora’s Box): 1990–2002 “He lit up our lives and the lives of all Southern Maryland.”

So it was with profound sorrow that the cooperative’s board of directors noted the passing of Forrest Coakley on Jan. 20, 1990. Coakley had begun his career with the Southern Maryland Tri-County Cooperative Association, the predecessor of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO), in Aug. 14, 1938. Whatever reluctance the board may have had when initially hiring Coakley must have faded quickly. He was made manager within fve months, on Jan. 12, 1939, and remained in that position until his retirement on Oct. 1, 1974.1 For more than 35 years he helped SMECO grow through fts and starts, through peacetime and war, during years of scarcity and abundance. He worked steadily, persistently, and turned vision into reality. Te month of January 1990 also saw the formation of a new department within the cooperative—the Legal Services Department, composed of easement solicitors in all three districts, the permits and contract division and environmental and facilities division. In the past, the easement solicitors in the three districts reported to their respective district manager, the permits and contract division was in the Engineering and Electric Operations Department and the environmental and facilities division was part of the Finance and Administration Department. Staf assistant Al Gough was selected to head the new department. He had earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola College in Baltimore and his JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Gough had been with the cooperative 13 years at the time of his appointment to lead the newly created department. In addition, Gough began sharing the duty of representing the cooperative in Annapolis with Jan Penn, who had been promoted to head the Public and Member Relations Department with Wayne Swann’s move to the position of general manager. On March 20, Perry G. Bowen Sr., 94, resigned his position as board member. First elected to the board in 1946, Bowen served as a director for a total of 40 years. In 1988 he had received the President’s Award in Rural Electrifcation from the Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives. Samuel John “Jack” Hammett flled the vacancy created by Bowen’s resignation. A native of Calvert County, Hammett had been a building contractor for 33 years and was the president of his own frm, Hammett Building Services.2

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 129 “It’s been a long time.” drafted into the Army. Upon his discharge he returned to his job and stayed at the Popes Creek plant until it Tose were the words of James Teodore “Ted” closed in 1953. Pilkerton when presented with a personalized hard hat and gold ring commemorating his 50 years of service, In June 1990 the cooperative mailed out $1.9 million a co-op record to that date for number of years of in capital credits for the years 1976 and 1977. It service. Pilkerton was walking down the road return- marked the ninth consecutive year that capital cred- ing from the grocery store with his parents when, its were refunded. Since SMECO began refunding the “Mr. Skone yelled to me, ‘Hey boy, do you want a credits in 1962, consumers had received about $16.4 job?’ I said yes and he picked me up and took me back million through general refunds and refunds to the to the power plant, and I went to work cleaning out estates of deceased consumers.4 behind the power plant.” Tat was May 1, 1940. As Pilkerton noted, he had “never flled out a job appli- On June 18, 1990, the cooperative’s combustion cation whatsoever.”3 turbine generating facility at Chalk Point went online. It had been a remarkable construction accomplish- Pilkerton started out earning 34 cents an hour. At the ment. Preliminary site work had begun the previ- time, the co-op had just 352 metered customers and ous September, and once the Certifcate of Public the average electric bill was $3.50. Electric power was Convenience and Necessity was issued in November, a marvel. “When people were fnally hooked up, and construction began on a 24/7 schedule. Most of the those one or two lights began to glow—it was abso- work was accomplished during the winter months lute joy,” he remembered years later. In March 1945 in cold and wet conditions—to say the mud at the he became a diesel operator and shortly thereafter was construction site was knee deep would have been a Ted Pilkerton celebrates 50 years with SMECO in 1990. gross understatement. Project Manager Joe Furio, a civil engineer who had come to SMECO in 1988 via the Bechtel Corp. where he had been employed as a senior feld engineer for 13 years, was in charge of the combustion turbine construction. Furio was a Seabee (CB, Construction Battalion) and chief petty ofcer in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was well-suited for the task at hand. Several months after the project was completed he was called to active duty as a result of Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait and President Bush’s subsequent troop buildup in the Middle East, which ultimately led to Operation Desert Storm and Iraq’s retreat from Kuwait.

Judge George W. Bowling of Charles County chaired the 1990 annual members’ meeting. General Manager Wayne Swann spoke to the audience about some of the signifcant accomplishments of the cooperative during the previous year, and all proposed bylaw amendments were approved by the membership. Te members voted in favor of changing the titles of the ofcers from president and vice president to chairman and vice chairman and changing the title of executive vice president and general manager to president and

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 chief executive ofcer (CEO). All incumbent directors were re-elected.5 On Friday, Oct. 26, SMECO energized its frst 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, which extended from Ryceville in Charles County to Lexington Park in St. Mary’s County. It took fve years to complete construction of the line, the frst phase of a complete 230-kV loop planned for the Southern Maryland area.

During the last quarter of the year the cooperative successfully negotiated a new three-year wholesale power contract with the Potomac Electric Power Co. (Pepco) to take efect on Jan. 1, 1991. Under the new contract, SMECO was to receive a 1 percent discount for electricity purchased at the 230-kV level, for an estimated $200,000 annual savings on wholesale power costs. Under a separate agreement with Pepco, it was estimated the cooperative would realize an additional annual savings of $1 million on wholesale power costs over a 25-year period due to the credit being realized on the lease agreement on the combustion turbine unit.

At year’s end the cooperative had added 5,261 new services, bringing the total number of services in place Contruction of the combustion turbine. to 92,635. Te load management program continued to grow, with 3,240 switches installed in 1990— Beck, the St. Mary’s district superintendent, who bringing the total to 18,534 switches controlling some asked whether she was interested in a job. As she lived 27,775 appliances. Te cooperative estimated that just a short distance from the old Hollywood ofce, $1.67 million had been saved that year in wholesale she walked down for an informal interview, accepted power costs. the job and began her career with SMECO as a clerk- typist at $1 per hour. A new shopping mall in Waldorf, the St. Charles Towne Center, opened in 1990 and quickly became “Te staf of fve people welcomed me into their one of SMECO’s largest loads, with an average family,” Joy said. “Tere was no job application on fle monthly bill of $100,538. Te cooperative added 23 and no job description, other than you’ll do what needs employees during the year, with 428 full-time work- to be done.” A short time after her employment she ers on the books as the calendar turned.6 Late in the was fnalizing outage reports. “I had fnished several year, SMECO selected longtime employee Beulah hundred without any question. Ten, as I picked up “Nenie” Joy, the secretary in the St. Mary’s district, as one, my eyes fell on big bold writing: REFUSED. All SMECO’s woman of the year. She was honored for her other information was in order. I studied it and put many years of dedication and outstanding service at it aside. Later I handed the paper to Mr. Beck and a banquet sponsored by the Margaret Brent Business bashfully asked, ‘why did the serviceman refuse to put and Professional Women of St. Mary’s County.7 this line back on?’ After reviewing the slip, Mr. Beck looked at me and said, ‘He didn’t mean he refused Nenie Joy retired in April 1993 with 40 years of service to restore service to the customer. To the contrary, and a great story. She had come to work for SMECO he replaced the defective fuse with a new one, which in September 1952 after receiving a call from Albert re-fused the line.’” 8

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 131 Six employees with a combination of 204 years of tal was furnished. As a result, most co-op consum- experience retired during the year. Long-term employers would be eligible to receive yearly capital credit ees Jimmy Shenton and Bob Miller from the Calvert refunds based on the amount of money held in their district accounted for 88 of those years (44 years capital credit accounts.11 each); Francis Wood of the St. Mary’s District retired In September the cooperative sponsored a feld day with 32 years of service, along with Edith Mattingly, at the site of one of the largest geothermal heating who had 25 years in. Husband and wife Joe and and cooling installations in the mid-Atlantic region, Jeanette Cooksey planned on enjoying their retire- the St. Mary’s Professional Center in Lexington Park. ment together, Joe retiring with 26 years’ service in the Te 125-ton system was planned to supply the heat- Charles-Prince George’s District and Jeanette with 33 ing and cooling needs as well as all of the hot water years at the Hughesville headquarters ofce. for the 70,700-square-foot complex. Te feld day Tere was a downturn in the economy in 1991 and was held to help educate construction professionals, in February the cooperative instituted a hiring freeze architects, engineers and heating and air condition- and reduced the number of contract crews. In spite of ing contractors on the benefts ofered by the use of 12 the downturn, 3,256 new services were added, a new geothermal systems. peak demand of 468.4 megawatts was recorded in July, Te co-op was moving forward with technological the demand for electricity increased by 11 percent and advances of its own, including the installation of a WSI 9 energy sales increased by 6.6 percent. Weather Work Station, which began in late 1991 and In June construction began on a new transporta- took about six months to fnish. Te system allowed tion building located on the SMECO campus in SMECO to access information from the National Hughesville. In addition to a fve-bay garage, equipped Weather Service and to track and forecast storm systems with one 8,000-pound lift and two 35,000-pound approaching the service area. Te weather radar also lifts, and equipment necessary to maintain the coop- would help system operators predict when there would erative’s feet, the $3 million-plus building included be a greater demand for electricity and assist in more 13 ofce space for a number of other groups, including efective operations of the load management system. the Transmission and Substation Division, Master Te cooperative family was saddened when former Stores, Apparatus, Environmental and Facilities, and director Perry G. Bowen, 95, of Calvert County passed 10 Public and Member Relations. away in November. He had resigned his position the For the 10th consecutive year capital credits were year before after serving on the board for 40 years. refunded. In June almost 48,000 general refund checks Te 1992 annual report noted that the cooperative totaling $1.04 million were mailed to consumers who had had a “relatively quiet year with the addition of had used electricity in 1978, 1979 and 1980. only 3,169 new services.” Whether those living the experience considered it a “quiet year” is question- Del. J. Ernest “Ernie” Bell of St. Mary’s County able. Energy sales for the year increased a modest chaired the annual meeting on July 8. Bell, a former 1.7 percent, to just more than 2,000 gigawatt-hours captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and a graduate (a kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a unit of energy equal to of Catholic University School of Law, practiced law 1,000 watt-hours and a gigawatt-hour (GWh) equals 1 in Leonardtown. In spite of a torrential downpour billion watt-hours or 1,000 megawatt-hours (MWh)... that struck around 4 p.m., by 7:30 p.m. more than sufce it to say it’s a lot of energy). 1,000 people had gathered for the meeting. Members voted for a change in the bylaws to allow the board A management audit was undertaken and completed of directors to determine the method, basis, prior- during the year in accordance with board policy, which ity and order of retirement of capital credits, and do called for an audit at least once every eight years; the away with the requirement that capital credits would last audit had occurred in 1984. More than 25,300 be returned to members based on the year the capi- load management switches had been installed by 1992

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 SMECO held the first Southern Maryland Regional Computer Bowl in 1990 with eight teams representing seven high schools. and savings on wholesale power that year amounted to former state Sen. John Tomas Parran of Indian Head more than $2.31 million. in Charles County.

In April the board of directors adopted a resolution Approximately 44,000 of SMECO’s 98,000 customers to return 2 percent of the total amount held in each awoke Wednesday morning, Dec. 16, to fnd them- member’s account for margins allocated every year selves without electricity. Customers in all of Calvert from 1981–1991. Te new method of refunding capi- and portions of Charles and St. Mary’s counties tal credits allowed most of the co-op’s members to were left without power due to a problem at Pepco’s receive a refund, resulting in more than $1.5 million Chalk Point switching station, one of the fve points 14 being allocated for general refunds. from which Pepco supplied power to SMECO. Te Te cooperative’s Energy Efcient Home Program outage occurred at 4:47 a.m., and service was restored (EEH) now had 51 participating builders and a to most consumers in six hours. However, scattered total of 617 certifed homes. As part of the coopera- outages remained in Calvert County, especially in the tive’s EEH program and its continuing eforts to cut White Sands and St. Leonard areas, until power was demand charges on its wholesale power bill, a geother- completely restored by 4 p.m. Service restoration was mal seminar was held in May, followed several days hindered in certain areas by overloads to the distribu- later by a geothermal feld day at the Berry Hill Manor tion system.16 Tis was not the frst nor the last time neighborhood in Waldorf. Experts were on hand to Calvert County residents would be without power on address questions concerning installation, selection, a cold winter day because of constraints on the elec- equipment costs, operational savings and the applica- tric system, a problem that would be alleviated by the tion of the technology to new and existing homes.15 Southern Maryland Reliability Project. On July 13, 1992, 2,000 people showed up for the Five longtime employees retired in 1992. John annual meeting at SMECO’s Hughesville headquar- Matthews and Eddie Terres from the Charles-Prince ters, once again chaired by cooperative friend and George’s district retired with 43 and 39 years of service

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 133 respectively; Norris Shepherd in the St. Mary’s District In May 1993, SMECO implemented two VISION21 retired after 40 years; at the Hughesville ofce, Phil energy conservation programs—PowerSaver Home Welch literally posted his “gone fshing” sign and and PowerSelect. Te PowerSaver Home program was retired after 36 years of service; and the Charles-Prince an extension of the former Energy Efcient Home George’s district ofce supervisor, Harold Jackson, Program. It ofered rebates ranging from $1,700 to retired with 26 years of service. $3,500 to members who built homes that met the Highlights for 1993 included three major milestones: cooperative’s high energy-efciency standards. Because • Te cooperative installed its 100,000th meter; of a partnership with Fannie Mae (the Federal National • Total assets surpassed $300 million; and Mortgage Association), rebates could be used toward a • Total demand reached more than 500 megawatts. down payment, reserve funds or closing costs. During the year more than $250,000 in rebates were given to SMECO revamped its strategic planning process as a new homeowners. By the end of the year there were result of the 1992 management audit, and consider- 146 participating builders and 307 homes registered able time was spent the following year on “SMECO in the program. Te PowerSelect program ofered 2000—Our Connection to the Future.” Five strategic members rebates when they replaced residential heat- planning teams composed of a cross-section of coop- ing and cooling systems with qualifying high-efciency erative employees were formed to aid the planning electric models installed by participating contractors. process. Each team focused on individual departments By December 1993 the program had more than 114 and the subsequent goals and objectives recommended by the fve teams were presented to the board of direc- SMECO intern Kelly Hill explains a “blower door test” to a PowerSaver Home open house participant. tors. Times were changing in the electrical industry; there was talk of deregulation, competition, buy-ins and buyouts and on and on. Trough the strategic planning process, SMECO was learning to recognize the threats and opportunities surrounding the organization in a “brave new world.” It was just another March in Southern Maryland, with two winter storms in a two-week period. On the 4th, heavy wind and rain left thousands of customers without power, and on March 13–14 high winds and heavy snow toppled trees and downed power lines, causing some 20,000 outages throughout the service area.17

Congressman Steny Hoyer at a PowerSaver Home open house held in June 1993. From right, Hoyer at the podium, Mike Rubala, SMECO’s marketing and energy services supervisor, and Jan Penn, Vice President of Public and Member Relations.

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 participating contractors and had issued rebates total- construction materials that had gone overboard during ing $890,000.18 the building of the bridge.

In June capital credits amounting to $1,098,025 were Te river crossing was SMECO’s frst experience with refunded to co-op members. For the frst time, rather high-voltage submarine cable, and many of the divers than receiving a check, the credits were applied to a on the project came from the ofshore oil industry. Joe member’s electric bill. Approximately $40,000 was Furio, SMECO’s project manager, supervised the day- saved in processing and mailing costs. Members who to-day activities of the contractors and co-op employ- had refunds greater than $500 were issued checks ees. Te prime contractor and cable supplier on the rather than credits to electric bills.19 $5.5 million project was Fujikura America Inc. of Japan. Major subcontractors included Pirelli Jacobson Te annual meeting held on July 12, 1993, and once of Seattle and Williams Marine Construction of again chaired by former Sen. Tomas Parran Jr. saw Solomons, Md. Te completed line helped to relieve the election of a new board member. John G. “Jack” overloading on the system and allowed the coopera- Evans Jr. of California, Md., replaced Col. Norwood tive to serve both the southern portions of Calvert and Sothoron, who had been a board member since 1974. St. Mary’s counties from switching stations in either Evans earned bachelor’s and master’s of science degrees county. When the Solomons substation on Dowell in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Road was energized on Sept. 10, the 66-kV loop Institute. In 1984 he retired from the Toledo Edison between the two counties was complete22—none too Co., having worked the last seven years as assistant to soon, as it turns out, for the extreme cold weather in the vice president, nuclear. During his 37 years with January 1994 would have caused the cooperative some Toledo Edison, he worked as manager of a 640-mega- severe problems in providing service to the southern watt (MW) fossil fuel power station and as manager of portion of Calvert County if not for the loop.23 the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.20 Te cooperative said goodbye to a number of experi- During the summer Finance and Administration enced employees who retired in 1993. Bernard Clarke Manager Joe Slater was part of a four-man team that and Merrill Russell of the St. Mary’s District retired spent three weeks in India for the National Rural with 44 and 42 years, respectively; in the Charles- Electric Cooperative Association’s International Prince George’s District, Herman Gehring retired with Programs Division. Te trip was sponsored by the 43 years of service and District Manager Roland Keech U.S. Agency for International Development; upon his retired with 40 years of service. Assistant District return, Slater noted he had visited cities where rolling Manager George K. “Kenny” Hayden was appointed blackouts were a common occurrence, and that at one to succeed Keech. Hayden had worked for the cooper- utility, it took 18 months from the time the meter was ative since 1962 and had come up through the ranks. read to the time the bill was issued.21 Prior to his accepting a position in management, he had One of the most crucial construction projects served as president of the International Brotherhood of completed in 1993 was the Lexington Park to Solomons Electrical Workers (IBEW) local 1718. In Hughesville, 66-kV transmission line. Te project included laying Joyce Greenfeld Bowling, who had served as manager 4,000 feet of submarine cable several feet below the of the Human Resources Department since the retire- Patuxent River bed. Deep sea divers were used for ment of Bob Mitchell, retired after 38 years of service. clearing obstacles and assisting with cable installation Her position was flled by a newcomer, Frank Mudd, a in water as deep as 150 feet. Te depth was such that native of Charles County who held a bachelor’s degree the divers were very limited in the amount of time they in business administration from High Point College in could stay down, and in addition the visibility down North Carolina and an MBA with emphasis in person- under was described as “dark as ink.” Te submarine nel and labor relations from Golden Gate University cable was laid adjacent to the Gov. Tomas Johnson in San Francisco. He came to SMECO with more than Bridge and many of the “obstacles” encountered were 18 years of experience in the human relations feld.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 135 In November negotiations with Pepco to amend the As a cold January merged into a cold February, Mother wholesale power contract and set new rates for 1994 Nature was just beginning to show her stuf by deal- through 1996 were successfully completed; the overall ing SMECO some of the worst weather in its 57-year average increase in cost was 2.3 percent a year. history. On Tuesday, Feb. 8, scattered outages were reported in Calvert County as the frst layer of ice Brandon and Elizabeth Munday were surprised and began to form on trees and lines. By the following day, excited when they learned their new PowerSaver approximately 8,000 customers in Calvert County Home would become the site of SMECO’s 100,000th and up to 12,000 customers in northern Charles and meter. Te young St. Mary’s County couple had not southern Prince George’s counties had lost service, but realized they would be playing a part in a signifcant no problems had occurred in St. Mary’s County. milestone of the cooperative’s history. After 39 years of service, the cooperative had installed its 50,000th Te big blow to the system came when a second ice meter in 1976. It had taken less than half that time, storm hit the area on the evening of Tursday, Feb. 17 years, for SMECO to add another 50,000 meters. 10, and the outages began almost immediately. By At a small ceremony Dec. 22 at the Mundays’ home in mid-afternoon the next day, the ice accumulation had the Bay Ridge development in Great Mills, Chairman caused thousands of trees to fall on power lines, and of the Board Lewie Aldridge they kept falling for several days, and President Wayne Swann in many instances falling on lines presented the couple with an that had just been repaired. Te outdoor lamp post and lamp Hughesville substation was lost with an inscribed plaque noting when a transformer blew up, and the occasion.24 the Ridge substation went ofine when a regulator exploded. A Te year ended quietly but as it transmission line feeding the St. turned out it would literally be Leonard substation went down, the quiet before “Te Storm.” as well as a main transmission line between the Burches Hill January 1994 recorded some and Brandywine substations. of the coldest temperatures on Multiple outages occurred on record for the tri-county area in two Pepco main transmission the 20th century. During a week- lines that fed SMECO’s system. long cold spell, SMECO oper- Repairing storm damage after the ice storm. By late Friday evening, St. Mary’s ated at 25 percent above normal County had more than 18,000 capacity. On the night of Jan. 18, the wind chill index outages, and as trees kept falling, outages in Calvert ranged from -28 degrees F to -35 degrees F, and during County had escalated to 12,000. Te Charles-Prince the period Jan. 19–21, the highest temperature recorded George’s District reported some 4,000 outages. At the was 7 degrees F. Te cooperative experienced an all- peak of the crisis on Friday, Feb. 11, as many as 35,000 time system peak of 608 megawatts. How cold was it? customers were without electricity.25 It was so cold the fuel oil used to generate electricity in some instances turned into a jelly-like substance. A SMECO news release dated Feb. 17, 1994—about In response to an energy shortage in the mid-Atlantic 10 days after the weather onslaught began—said crews region, SMECO implemented a systemwide voltage in Calvert County were working to restore power to reduction and appealed to customers to conserve elec- 1,500 customers throughout the county; the St. Mary’s tricity. Tanks to customer cooperation, demand was District reported 700 customers without power and the reduced 5 to 10 percent, helping to prevent widespread Charles-Prince George’s District reported all known outages had been corrected. It would be Sunday the uncontrolled outages. 20th before all customers were back online. Te cooperative had many difculties in getting equipment to

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 SMECO had developed a tradition of promoting safe work practices for all of its employees, the office personnel as well as the line workers. “Hours worked without a lost time accident” is a familiar phrase among co-op employees nationwide. On Dec. 20, 1962, Larry Meyer, an official with theEmployers Mutual Insurance Company, presented a plaque to SMECO’s board of directors for one million man-hours Steve Montgomery receives the Safety Director’s award from Fred Benton without loss of time or disabling in 1994. accident. SMECO was the Facilities Director Ralph Cross, “In my 25 years of doing third cooperative in the United and St. Mary’s District Manager accreditation inspections, I States to receive the award, Jay Bushell received an award have never seen anything even a great source of pride to the for the Most Significant Safety come close to this operation,” board, employees, and the Improvements on behalf of the said Bill Lindsey, a field safety director, W.H. Stevens. 26 St. Mary’s District employees. representative for the National Rural Electric Cooperative At the employees’ annual In the early spring of 2000 Association (NRECA). “It truly Christmas luncheon in 1994, SMECO passed the field has to be seen to be believed.” Safety Director Fred Benton portion of its safety He added the co-op’s presented the Safety Director’s accreditation inspection Award to Transportation with the highest score ever Hughesville maintenance Supervisor Steve Montgomery in reached by a cooperative. garage “would do a NASCAR recognition of the outstanding Three inspectors with the Rural race team proud.” SMECO safety practices in place Electric Safety Accreditation scored 97.02 percent out in SMECO’s transportation Program spent 14-hour days of a possible 100 percent division. The annual Pride in checking cooperative facilities on the field inspection; the Safety Appearance Award was and operations. Their remarks cooperative’s previous score in presented to Environmental and were glowing. 1997 was 88 percent.27

repair sites, as a multitude of fallen trees and power

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 137 lines, treacherous layers of sleet and ice, and later a County told the story of restoring electricity to a house quagmire of mud, made roads nearly impassable at in the “deep woods” around 1 a.m. and the residents times. More than 230 line crews worked in rotating who had been sipping a little (obviously to keep warm) shifts around the clock to restore service. Contract celebrated the occasion by fring shotguns in the air of line crews and other utilities, including Pepco and the front porch. Rappahannock, Northern Virginia, Northern Neck, BARC and Choptank electric cooperatives, assisted in And of course there is always the individual who hides 28 the restoration. out in the hills during the battle and comes down to Everyone employed at the time had an ice storm story; shoot the wounded after it’s over. On Feb. 18—before it brought out the best and worst in people. When power had been fully restored—there appeared in the the SMECO telephone system was swamped, callers Enterprise a copy of a letter that had been sent to the turned to the counties’ emergency 911 number and Ofce of Consumer Assistance at the Public Service in short order the emergency management system was Commission (PSC). It was headed “SMECO Has overwhelmed with incoming calls. Te author recalls Managed Power Outage from the Start with Excuses a trip from Leonardtown to Ridge with St. Mary’s District Manager Bobby Cooper to survey damage. It Instead of Action.” It was authored by a “customer of 29 was the middle of the day and not one vehicle was on SMECO and an engineer with a neighboring utility.” the road between Great Mills and Ridge; the silence Te commission treated the matter with the deference was eerie and deafening. One line crew out of Calvert it was due. The ice storm of 1994 caused thousands of outages and left some SMECO customers in the dark for up to two weeks.

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 Spring eventually did come and in the months to follow district for outstanding contributions during the employees worked diligently to evaluate the coopera- February ice storms.31 tive’s service restoration eforts. As a result, a new crisis management plan was developed to improve on the Tere were no capital credits issued in 1994 due to cooperative’s readiness to meet the unexpected. Areas the expenses incurred with the February ice storms, covered in the plan ranged from damage assessment which caused approximately $3.7 million in damages and materials management to handling customer calls, to the cooperative’s utility plant. Nearly one-fourth dry ice distribution and media relations. of the distribution system had been damaged. Late in the year the cooperative received $2.9 million in reim- During the year several recommendations from the bursements from insurance carriers and the Federal 1992 management audit were implemented. A motor Emergency Management Agency. pool was established under the direction of the transportation division. Meter readers and collectors were In June SMECO President Wayne Swann appointed centralized out of the Hughesville ofce; they had been fve staf-level managers to vice president: Raymond divided between the three district ofces. Centralization J. Becmer, senior vice president, Engineering and would promote standard policies and procedures, Operations; Austin J. Slater Jr., senior vice president, reduce costs and provide better overall service. To Finance and Administration; Janice S. Penn, vice pres- replace the switchboard operator and to centralize ident, Public and Member Relations; Frank D. Mudd calls that went to the district ofces, a call center was Jr., vice president, Human Resources; and Alfred F. established in the Hughesville headquarters building to Gough Jr., vice president, Legal Services. quickly and consistently respond to customer calls; it Tree thousand people showed up for an uneventful was up and running fully by January 1995. July 11, 1994, annual meeting in Hughesville chaired, Te cooperative continued to seek technological once again, by former state Sen. John Tomas Parran advances. Te frst stage of a comprehensive auto- Jr. All proposed bylaw amendments were approved, mated mapping and facilities management project including one giving the board authority to set the day (AM/FM) began with a pilot project in the St. Mary’s and hour of the annual meeting and another autho- District. Te project, completed in 1997, converted rizing the Credentials and Election Committee to the entire 1,150 square miles of the service territory monitor the tallying of all ballots in lieu of counting into one seamless computerized map. Field inspec- all ballots, thus clearing the way for the future use of tions and aerial photography linked with data from the voting machines.32 computer system showed everything from exact loca- Nineteen employees retired in 1994 through an “open tions of street lights, poles, capacitors, regulators and window early retirement opportunity.” Tis was the reclosers to dates and other specifc information about second open window in the cooperative’s history, the equipment. A computer-aided drafting (CAD) as a similar program had been ofered in 1982. Te system was implemented in the district ofces, allow- cooperative hosted a dinner party in October at the ing district drafting departments to create detailed Mechanicsville Social Hall for those retiring: H. Leroy drawings using advanced computer technology. Te Elliot, 44 years; Robert Cooper, 40 years; Francis long-term objective was for the CAD fles to be linked “Luke” Hayden, 40 years; Dorothy Gibson, 37 to the AM/FM system.30 years; Robert “Tootie” Readmond, 35 years; George In April SMECO employees were deeply saddened Bowen, 34 years; George Tompson, 34 years; Diana by the death of co-worker Columbus Marshall, a Henderson, 30 years; James Wood, 30 years; Martha chief lineman in the Calvert District who had been DeMarr, 28 years; Barbara Quade, 28 years; Mary Lou with the cooperative for 28 years. He died during Shorter, 26 years; Charles Herbert, 26 years; Francis surgery at Calvert Memorial Hospital. Marshall— Holyoak, 24 years; Archie Foot, 23 years; Robert along with Ralph Violett, Linda Long and Al Tyler, 18 years; Charles Gray, 17 years; Joe Ellis, 16 Holland—had recently received an award from the years; Charles Mooradian, 15 years.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 139 Te mass retirement created a shift in the workforce It was not all rumor. Central Louisiana Electric Co. and opened up the opportunity for advancement to recently had launched a successful hostile takeover bid other employees. Te retirement of District Managers for Teche Electric Cooperative. Electric cooperatives Robert Cooper and Leroy Elliot along with the retire- throughout the country set up a special fund to fght ment of District Manager Roland Keech the previous any attempt at a hostile takeover—all for one and one year saw a complete change of leadership at the district for all. Te new atmosphere in the industry resulted in level within 12 months. Kenny Hayden had replaced SMECO placing additional emphasis on its strategic Keech. Ron Fuller was promoted to district manager planning process.37 of the Calvert District. Fuller had come to SMECO in Te year saw the installation of a second large trans- 1986 as an associate engineer, and prior to his promo- former at the Hawkins Gate switching station in tion had held the position of distribution engineer- Charles County to increase capacity and improve ing supervisor.33 Jay Bushell was promoted to district service at the switching station, a major metering manager for the St. Mary’s District. Bushell started point for 230-kV power from Pepco. Te transformer, with the cooperative as a tree trimmer in 1966 and manufactured by Pauwels of Manitoba, Canada, moved into the cooperative’s lineman feld. He worked arrived by barge at Morgantown on the Potomac his way up to chief lineman, later became a foreman River and was moved from there by contractors and and at the time of his promotion was the assistant SMECO’s crews. Te unit, which weighed 200,000 district manager for the St. Mary’s District.34 By year’s pounds in shipment, weighed double that after it was end the cooperative had 436 full-time employees. installed and flled with 20,000 gallons of oil.38 Te Southern Maryland region experienced steady In the spring the board of directors adopted a resolution growth and continued prosperity during 1995. More to return $3 million in capital credits and in June $1.9 than 4,040 new services were connected, bringing the million was credited to more than 77,000 members’ total services by year’s end to more than 105,000. Te electric bills. About $1.1 million in checks was sent to load management program continued to expand, real- customers whose refunds were more than $500. izing $3.2 million in savings on demand charges; since its inception in 1982, savings of some $17 million had It was the year of the Internet, and at the October been credited to the use of load management, which board meeting SMECO directors approved plans reduced energy demand during peak times of energy for the cooperative to implement a Web server. “Te use, now numbering 34,644 switches.35 Internet is becoming a prevalent means of communication around the world,” Dave Heidelbach informed Te winds of change were blowing through the util- the board. Heidelbach was coordinating the Internet ity world as companies responded to anticipated project with co-workers Robert Herron and Jingshong industry-wide deregulation. Corporations through- Xie. “Every day, more and more people are discover- out the country were taking stock of their competi- ing this powerful tool,” he said. “As a company, it’s tive position, or lack thereof. In September, Baltimore imperative that we be on the cutting edge and provide Gas and Electric Co. (BGE) and Pepco announced a information through this medium of the ’90s.”39 proposed merger between the companies. President Swann stated a “merger between these utilities should In December 1995, Senior Vice President for Finance not have any adverse efect on the co-op or its custom- and Administration Austin Joseph Slater Jr. bid fare- ers.” Whether he was “whistling past the graveyard was well and accepted a position with NRECA. Slater had another matter,” but he went on to explain that the come to the cooperative in July 1979 as an accountant; recently negotiated wholesale rates that had been set he worked his way up to a director, then controller and through 1998 were assignable to the new company. fnally a manager before being promoted to senior vice Te ground was shifting in the electrical industry; in president in 1994. In his new position at NRECA, the cooperative world, there were rumors of hostile Slater handled consulting services delivered to distri- takeovers and buyouts.36 bution cooperatives in the areas of anti-takeover strat-

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 egies, mergers, consolidations, management audits the highest in its 59-year history. SMECO was able and benchmarking.40 to refund $2.6 million in capital credits, the second- largest annual amount refunded to date.41 At year’s end the cooperative had 454 full-time employees, 18 more than the previous year. Four employees In another area, the winds of change were turning into retired during the year, including longtime employee gales. Te U.S. Congress had passed the Energy Policy Bill Hardesty, with 31 years of service, and very long- Act of 1992 in an efort to promote greater competi- time employee Teodore “Ted” Pilkerton, with 55 tion in the bulk power market. In 1996, the Federal years of service. At that time Pilkerton held the coop- Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) implemented erative record for years of service; it was surpassed what it deemed to be the intent of the act with order by Lloyd Goble in August 2011. Goble began his Nos. 888 and 889. Te stated objective was to “remove SMECO employment on Aug. 2, 1956, and had impediments to competition in the wholesale bulk worked for Pilkerton in the Meter Department. As of power marketplace and to bring more efcient, lower May 2012, Goble was still working for the coopera- cost power to the nation’s electricity consumers.”42 A tive. Consumers sometimes are concerned about their noble objective indeed. While the federal government meters running fast; it appears Pilkerton and Goble, regulated wholesale power, it then was up to the states with their 110 years of experience, found the means to that regulated distribution and retail rates within their slow theirs down. borders to determine whether deregulation was in their best interest. Te cooperative had another strong fnancial year in 1996. Total kWh sales, total electric and operat- Reversing its decision of the previous year, the ing revenues and net margins of $10.1 million were Maryland PSC found the rapidly changing nature of the electric industry warranted further investigation Professionals perform aerial inspections of the lines. of regulatory and competitive issues facing Maryland utilities and their customers. Numerous meetings were held during the year by the PSC with the electric utilities and other afected and interested parties. Te Enron Corp., one of many that were interested, was well represented at these hearings and during the entire deregulation process. Two parties, the Maryland Ofce of the People’s Counsel (OPC) and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, recommended a slow SMECO linemen assist local towns with special requests.

The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 141 and cautious approach; after all, the system was not broken. Te OPC and the cooperative recommended that competition on the wholesale level (already a federal law) be tried before being implemented on the retail level. Te argument fell on deaf ears. Te momentum for this brave new world of deregulation was such as a locomotive racing down a mountainside. It was a herd mentality and deregulation was viewed by the larger utilities as an opportunity to compete in other areas; in other words, it was perceived there was a lot of money to be made.

It was against this backdrop that the cooperative kept sharpening its strategic planning process. When all was said and done it turned out to be the same old tale of what makes a successful company. Rule 1 is to have competitive rates, reliable electric service and good customer service; Rule 2 is when in doubt, refer to Rule 1. Te cooperative previously had pledged no rate increase through the year 2000, system upgrades and the implementation of the latest technologies were an ongoing process, and numerous programs had been and were being implemented from demand-side management energy efciency programs to key accounts; and As rain pours down on the annual meeting, customer- then there were the employees and their outstand- annual meeting with former state Sen. John Tomas ing record of community involvement. SMECO was Parran Jr. chairing. Joseph Stone of Chaptico was preparing as best it could for the unknown conse- elected to the board of directors, replacing John G. quences of a deregulated electric industry. Evans Jr. of California, Md. Stone, active in commu- In February SMECO welcomed a new vice presi- nity afairs, was a Nationwide Insurance representative dent for fnance and administration, Tomas Kandel, in Leonardtown and a partner in Century 21, Stone who replaced Joe Slater. Kandel, a CPA, held a & Associates.45 master’s degree in business administration from Wind and rain generated by Tropical Storm Fran Xavier University and a bachelor’s degree from Miami afected thousands of cooperative customers in early University of Ohio. Formerly the acting chief fnancial September. Sixty crews worked in shifts around the ofcer of the Virgin Island Water Works and Power clock; as fast as crews restored power to some custom- Authority, his résumé included experience with inves- ers, others lost their service. At the height of the storm tor-owned utilities and municipal power agencies.43 on Sept. 6, more than 7,000 consumers were without In February and April the cooperative ofered free power. In addition to outages caused by the storm, seminars to the public on “Cruising the Internet.” county control centers asked SMECO to interrupt Topics included an overview of the Internet; primary service to fooded areas.46 services available on the Internet; ways of connecting At year’s end Walter M. Meinhardt Sr. was appointed to the Internet; fnding information; and a demonstra- to the board of directors to fll the unexpired term of tion of Internet programs and services.44 Benjamin E. Richards, who resigned from the board Despite thunderstorms and steady downpours, 1,542 after 28 years of service. Meinhardt was the president members registered for the July 8, 1996, members’ and founder of the Brandywine Companies Group. At

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 Parris Glendening to a state advisory group to work with a 20-member task force made up of members of the state legislature and various state departments. Te group represented industrial, commercial and residential customers in addition to investor-owned utilities, cooperatives, municipal systems, and independent power producers including Enron, as well as other interest groups. Te deliberations would be the basis for legislation to be introduced in the General Assembly in January.48

State Senate President Tomas V. “Mike” Miller, the main proponent for deregulation in Maryland, had said the main goal of the efort was to “bring fairness in the pricing of electricity for Marylanders and to lower rates.”49 Tus, the legislative leadership began the process of deregulation on the premise that the pricing of electricity in Maryland was unfair. It soon would become evident that legislating fairness, economics and physics is, at best, a challenging task.

To prepare for the task at hand, management again sharpened its strategic action plan and the buzz for 1997 became “Smarter. Faster. Better.” but in the end members take shelter under a tent. it all revolved back to Rule 1. Talk about faster, in the time of his appointment he was serving as a direc- September, Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green broke tor for the Prince George’s Federal Savings and Loan, the land speed record in the Nevada desert. He did so and was past vice president and director for the Bank in a jet-powered car, Trust SSC. Peaking at 766.109 of Brandywine. He had served on the boards of Sovran miles per hour, the Trust became the frst land vehicle Bank of Maryland, Citizens Bank and Trust Co. and to break the sound barrier. MetroVision of Prince George’s County. He was also Infrared testing with thermographic imaging of distri- a member of the Baden Volunteer Fire Department.47 bution equipment in all three districts was initiated On Feb. 5, 1997, the cooperative celebrated its 60th during the year, giving the cooperative the ability to anniversary; the heavens helped mark the occasion troubleshoot the lines and spot potential problems with a visit from Comet Hale-Bopp, which hurtled before outages occurred. Te three-year feld inven- past the Earth in the spring. A ball of rock, dust and tory necessary for the Geographic Information System ice, its tail could be seen in the Northern Hemisphere (GIS) was completed on schedule. Te computer- without a telescope during the month of April. ized mapping project would enhance the ability to reveal problems and improve service reliability. In Te year saw the electric industry making preparations the summer, a new program, StormSentry was initi- in earnest for a new competitive electricity market. ated. Te new program was built on the success of the Te Maryland General Assembly and the PSC were Secure Power Program, which began ofering custom- actively engaged in addressing how the industry would ers uninterruptible power supply systems (UPS) and be restructured. Cooperative staf members partici- plug-in surge devices in 1991. StormSentry provided pated in the deregulation process at many levels during a meter base surge arrester and a plug-in surge protec- the year and would continue to do so for the next two tor. A committee of 13 employees representing each years. President Swann was appointed in July by Gov. area of the cooperative developed the program. For

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 143 a monthly fee, the cooperative ofered customers 1963 as a clerk-typist, retired from her position as protection against damage to their home appliances personnel director after 35 years of service. Her posi- and electronic equipment caused by power surges. tion was flled by Judy Dudley, who had been on the Te service also came with a coverage guarantee as an human resources staf since 1986. She held a certif- added safeguard.50 cate as an HR generalist and HR professional from the Society for Human Resource Management. Harold In an efort to improve operating efciencies and Hintze retired after 40 years of service in the Charles- reduce costs, the president investigated the matter Prince George’s District. Fred Lewis in the Engineering of outsourcing. SMECO, along with Rappahannock Department retired with 40 years of service. Muriel Electric Cooperative and Northern Virginia Electric Bowling retired with 38 years of service. She had begun Cooperative, signed a letter of intent with Intellisource her career as a clerk-typist and ended it as the ofce Inc. Contract negotiations were initiated to allow the supervisor of the St. Mary’s district. David Hogge, company to handle the cooperatives’ information tech- chief lineman in the Charles-Prince George’s district, nology, document management and telecommunica- retired after 35 years. William “Repete” Mattingly tion needs. Te 10-year contract became efective on left the St. Mary’s district with more than 38 years of Jan. 1, 1998. Eight employees from SMECO’s infor- service and Charles “Junior” Tucker, who had come mation services area were transferred to Intellisource to work in 1951 as a tree trimmer at $1.02 an hour, with salaries and benefts comparable to what they had retired after 46 years. at SMECO.51 On Dec. 3, 1997, the PSC issued an order direct- Net margins in 1997 were $12 million higher than in ing investor-owned utilities to begin introducing 1996, while capital credits amounting to $3.9 million retail competition as of April 1, 1999. Full retail were issued in June. Te load management program choice would be phased in over a three-year period. now numbered some 40,776 switches, 781 PowerSaver Cooperatives and municipal utilities were given the Homes had been built in the four-county service area, option of delaying participation. Te sounds emanat- new services were being connected at the rate of 285 ing as a result of the order were not the sounds of a month, the Call Center received more than 206,000 Christmas, and on Dec. 31 the commission amended calls and there had been more than 82,000 visits its order to begin competition 15 months later, on July to SMECO’s website during the year. To the casual 1, 2000.52 And wrapping up the year, the attempted observer driving through downtown Hughesville in merger between Pepco and BGE that was announced 1997 (prior to the construction of the bypass) and on Sept. 25, 1995, was dissolved on Dec. 22, 1997. looking around, the activity and impact on Southern Te stage was set for the year 1998 and the fun was Maryland emanating from the three cooperative build- just beginning. ings would have been hard to fathom. On Jan. 2, 1998, the cooperative joined with 16 other Despite the heat and humidity there were 1,300 parties and fled for a rehearing to contest parts of the registered members at the annual meeting held in PSC restructuring plan. When the state task force on Hughesville July 14, 1997. Former state Sen. John deregulation could not craft a bill acceptable to all Tomas Parran Jr. once again chaired the meeting. parties, it was thought, momentarily, there would be President Swann spoke to the crowd on the status of no legislative action on the matter during the session. deregulation eforts and what was transpiring in the Te issue picked up steam in late March when an utility industry. For the second year scanner voting amendment was tacked onto a bill allowing Maryland machines were used, courtesy of the Charles County utilities to form holding companies (what’s old is new Election Board and county commissioners. All incum- again) and called for full competition to begin in 2000 bent directors were re-elected. (rather than be phased in as originally called for). Senate President Miller endorsed the amendment. A number of longtime employees retired during 1997. “We have to make the people who are opposed to Joan Mitchell, who had come to the cooperative in change accept that it’s a reality,” he told Te Baltimore

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 Toward the end of 1999 the cooperative made some initial efforts to update the Maryland Electric Cooperative Act, which had been passed into law in 1941 and governed the way electric cooperatives did business. With the passage of the customer choice law changing the ground rules regarding competition, the two Maryland electric cooperatives, SMECO and Choptank, were attempting to position themselves to compete by being allowed to have the ability to offer additional products and services, an ability the investor-owned utilities already had. A draft revision had been prepared and both cooperatives had met with their respective legislative representatives. The matter would play out over the next several legislative sessions.

During the 2000 General Assembly, SMECO and Choptank Electric Cooperative of Denton tried unsuccessfully to amend the Maryland Electric Cooperative Act. The proposed legislation was opposed by representatives of the Maryland fuel oil and propane gas dealers association. Given the testimony before the legislative committees regarding the matter, it appeared that everyone was for competition as long as they were not impacted. The effort on the part of the cooperatives would continue and in the meantime they would chart another course.

Sun. “Tis is a hammer to say utilities have to face up Dec. 31 with several modifcations. On Oct. 9 fve of to that reality.”53 Maryland’s six utilities, including SMECO, fled court appeals to the PSC’s order. Te utilities maintained the Te PSC also opposed the General Assembly’s restruc- PSC lacked proper authority to restructure the elec- turing measure. PSC Chairman Glenn Ivey noted: tric industry, and that the state legislature must act to “It seems unwise to address such important policy resolve several issues, including taxation and stranded decisions through foor amendments when no hear- costs.55 (In a regulated environment, the costs for ings have been held and interested persons have had constructing power plants are recoverable from the no opportunity to explain the ramifcations of these sale of power from these investments. In a competitive complicated issues.” In the end, despite last-minute attempts to push through a bill, the 1998 legislative market, construction costs that could not be recovered session ended with no action being taken.54 from the sale of power would be stranded costs.)

After the legislative session, representatives from all of Te appeal echoed the commission’s own call for legis- the state’s utilities and other interested parties (that is, lative action in its original order. Te appeal asked that Enron) began meeting in PSC roundtables to consider any court proceedings be delayed until after the legis- retail choice implementation issues. Te roundtables lature’s 1999 session ended in April to give lawmakers were split into working groups on six issues: competi- time to pass the needed legislation. Tus the stage was tive billing, consumer education, consumer protec- set for the 1999 legislative session; meanwhile, back in tion, demand-side management programs, supplier Hughesville, with a number of employees engaged in authorization and universal service. Te working the “roundtable” process, it was a step above “business groups were scheduled to submit fnal reports to the as usual.”56 PSC by May 1, 1999. A separate technical implemen- Teams were being put in place to execute upgrades tation working group began meeting in May and was of the cooperative’s fnancial management, customer, due to report to the PSC in June 1999. geographic and work management systems. Under And then on Sept. 10, as if the waters weren’t muddied Intellisource guidance, computers were upgraded to lay enough, the PSC issued an order in response to the the foundation for the information system improve- rehearing requests of Jan. 2, reafrming its order of ments.57 An Intellisource team and an internal SMECO

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 145 group were working to tackle the year 2000 or Y2K been sought since Pepco had become the full-require- date change problem. Te “Millennium Bug” became ments supplier in 1953. With the advent of competi- quite the cause célèbre, being described as an “interna- tion, the cooperative reasoned it was in the best interest tional problem of epic proportions” producing untold of the consumers to investigate the market. Ten compa- millions of dollars to consultants who had visions of nies submitted proposals to supply all or a portion of imperiled fnancial markets, manufacturing grinding the co-op’s power needs. In accordance with SMECO’s to a halt, chaos in the air trafc control network, cars existing 10-year rolling wholesale power agreement not starting and gasp!—worst of all—your credit card with Pepco, negotiations began to determine the pric- being rejected during the holiday season.58 Te prob- ing for the years 1999, 2000 and 2001. After several lem in a nutshell was that most software and micro- months of negotiations, SMECO and Pepco mutu- chips made date calculations using a two-digit value for ally agreed to enter into a new contract with a signif- the year. Jan. 1, 2000, would appear as 1-1-00. It was cantly reduced term and special pricing arrangements. feared the computer system could interpret it not as Te new agreement allowed the cooperative to exit the the year 2000 but as 1900 or 1800, resulting in errone- Pepco contract within three years but no sooner than ous data and computer shutdowns. two years. Under the previous agreement, that process Te cooperative’s Y2K project identifed all systems, would have taken until December 2007. components and equipment that used data felds as Te new terms gave the cooperative greater fexibil- part of their functions and took the necessary steps to ity as customer choice was descending on Maryland.60 ensure the major systems were Y2K-compliant by the In December, SMECO exercised the two-year buyout 59 end of 1999. option obligating SMECO to pay Pepco $26 million In light of pending deregulation and the ensuing in January 2001 but at the same time giving the coop- competition, the cooperative began phasing out its erative the fexibility to shop the wholesale power demand-side management rebate programs in favor of market for a more competitive price. market-driven alternatives. Te programs were devel- More than 3,000 members turned out for the annual oped in response to legislation passed by the Maryland meeting in Hughesville on July 13, 1998, with former General Assembly in 1991 and were fnanced through state Sen. John Tomas Parran Jr. of Indian Head again a surcharge on consumers’ electric bills. SMECO’s chairing. Unfortunately it would be the last meeting rebate programs—PowerSaver Home, PowerSelect, he chaired, as failing health would preclude him from PowerMax and PowerWise—ofered incentives to again accepting the chairmanship. Members elected customers for implementing energy conservation W. Michael Phipps to one of the three board seats measures in their homes or businesses. for Calvert County, replacing Arthur Dowell Jr., who A major milestone for the cooperative occurred in resigned after serving on the board since April 1984. 1998 when SMECO solicited bids for wholesale power Phipps operated a family farm and was a funeral direc- supply. It marked the frst time public proposals had tor for Rausch Funeral Home. He was a member of the

During 2001 SMECO was awarded a $1.6 million heating and air conditioning (HVAC) replacement contract with the U.S. Department of the Navy at Glenn Forest, a 250-unit townhome complex for Navy families in Lexington Park. In April 2002, SMECO completed the energy-related project in partnership with CMS Viron of Kansas City and Tri-County Aire of Mechanicsville, Md. The project, completed three months early, was part of a 10-year areawide public utilities contract with the U.S. General Services Administration.61

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 Calvert County Planning Commission, vice chairman sel. MacDougall came to the cooperative from BGE, of the Southern Maryland Agricultural Commission where he was associate general counsel for regulatory and associate director of the Calvert County Fair.62 and rates in BGE’s legal department. He handled rates and regulatory activities before the PSC and the Te month of July saw the passing of William E. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In Highby, a former member of the board of directors addition, he was experienced in reviewing legislation, from Charles County. Highby was a longtime activist drafting bill amendments and providing bill analysis in the Southern Maryland community who was frst and legal opinions. MacDougall held a law degree elected to the board in 1973. He had graduated from from the University of Maryland School of Law as Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and attended gradu- well as a master’s in business administration and a ate school at the University of Maryland. He was active bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University in Charles County with the Children’s Aid Society and of Maryland. He would help guide the cooperative the board of elections. Highby was also a trustee of through the minefeld called restructuring and repre- the Charles County Community College and served sent the cooperative before the PSC and the FERC 63 on the Charles County Planning Commission. In during some very hectic times. His frst task was to August, John H. Bloom of Indian Head was appointed coordinate SMECO’s roundtable eforts with the to fll Highby’s seat. PSC.65

A former educator, Bloom worked in the Charles Once again, retirement lured some longtime employ- County public school system for 35 years and served as ees to hang up their SMECO hats. Lorraine Cook, a superintendent of schools from 1981 until his retire- senior clerk in the Hughesville ofce, retired after 43 ment in 1993. He had served on several state education years with SMECO; Jim Butler, who had started with committees and was a member of the Commission for the cooperative as a groundman in 1967, retired as a Maryland Public Broadcasting, the Board of Trustees general foreman with 31 years of service; Carl Burch, of the Charles County Library and the Southern who also began his SMECO career as a groundman, Maryland Regional Library Association. He also was retired as a general foreman after 36 years; Myrtle a member of the Tri-County Regional Infrastructure McWilliams from the St. Mary’s District retired with Advisory Committee. He held bachelor’s and master’s 36 years; and Rosalie Carpenter, of the Hughesville degrees from the University of Maryland.64 ofce, retired after 31 years with SMECO.

Fred Benton, SMECO’s job training and safety direc- It was a successful year both operationally and fnan- tor, retired in June with 37 years of service. Hired in cially. Sales increased 4.5 percent and electric revenue 1961 as a groundman, Benton advanced to lineman, increased 3 percent, from $187.4 million in 1997 to serviceman and chief lineman. He had served as the job $193.1 million in 1998. Capital credits were refunded training and safety director since 1979. Benton’s posi- in the amount of $3.1 million to customers receiving tion was flled by Jim “J.R.” Grow, who had worked electric service prior to January 1998. with the cooperative from 1972 to 1993, beginning as a groundman and advancing to system inspector and On Jan. 25, 1999, SMECO entered into a new whole- general foreman under Fred Benton. Grow had left the sale power contract with Pepco Energy Services, company to return to his Kansas home, where he was an unregulated subsidiary of Pepco that played by employed by a municipal utility as superintendent of diferent rules than a regulated utility. Te company, electric operations. which sold electricity and natural gas in the mid- Atlantic region, was one of the 10 companies that had In light of the numerous demands being placed on responded to the request for wholesale power bids the cooperative personnel as a result of the deregulation previous spring. Wholesale pricing under the four- process, a new vice president position was created year agreement was solely on an energy basis, and and flled. Mark A. MacDougall joined the senior eliminated the wholesale fuel adjustment clause and staf as vice president of regulatory afairs and coun- demand charge components present in prior agree-

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 147 ments. Te contract was to take efect on Jan. 1, 2001, and it was anticipated it would save consumers $81 million over its term. Te estimated savings included In an advertisement in the Nov. 14, 2001, gross receipt taxes and payment of the Pepco contract editions of local newspapers, a group buyout. Te length of the wholesale agreement would of Maryland fuel oil and propane gas carry SMECO through the customer choice transition dealers challenged SMECO’s investment period, and yet was short enough to give the coopera- in Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Services tive leverage in keeping prices competitive. Te long- term power contracts of the past no longer made good (MACS), more particularly in the Aero business sense.66 Energy portion of MACS. The ad followed a complaint filed with thePublic Service Cooperative personnel remained active in the regulatory and legislative arenas and, after a very hectic legis- Commission by the fuel oil and propane lative session, Gov. Glendening signed into law the gas dealers association alleging the invest- “Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act of ments violated Maryland law and orders of 1999.” It was the most sweeping change in the elec- the commission. tric industry that Maryland had ever experienced. Te purpose of deregulation, stated the PSC, was: In April 2003 a PSC hearing examiner dismissed the complaint of the Maryland “To put downward pressure on costs thus providing consumers with the lowest possible fuel oil and propane dealers association, prices for electricity, to allow all customers to ruling that electric cooperatives were not choose their power supplier, to provide incentives prohibited by law from engaging in busi- for the creation and development of innovative ness operations through affiliate enter- products and services.” 67

prises. The association followed up with Attempting to foster competition and maintain a another complaint, asking the PSC to “level playing feld” between retail suppliers and local investigate the financial integrity of SMECO utilities, the legislation included a provision requiring and Choptank resulting from their invest- utilities to eliminate their generating plants through ment in Aero Energy; that complaint was sale or transfer to a non-regulated business unit. Te practice would force both the suppliers and utilities subsequently rejected by the commission. to use the wholesale market to procure power. Under the new legislation, the consumer could choose to continue purchasing power from the local utility, known as standard ofcer service, or purchase power from another electric retail supplier. Physics would require the local utility to continue to be responsible for the delivery of power. Rates were to be frozen for a number of years, based on negotiations with the PSC, at prices ranging from 3 percent to 7.5 percent lower than 1999 prices. Once they had expired, customers would have the option of shopping for a diferent supplier.68 And thus was Pandora’s box opened.

And what happened? SMECO, with its new Pepco

Load management at Hawkins Gate. Energy Services wholesale power contract and $81 million in savings in its back pocket, negotiated with

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 the PSC to have its rate cap and subsequent 3 percent tive body’s foor that “SMECO’s 22 percent increase decrease in rates coincide with its new wholesale power doesn’t look so bad after all.” contract (Jan. 1, 2001, to Jan. 1, 2004). In Southern Maryland the transition went so smoothly the lights And what of the future of the Electric Customer Choice didn’t even blink. When the wholesale power contract and Competition Act of 1999? Will it, as the poet T.S. 69 and rate cap expired, SMECO went to the open market Eliot said, end not with a bang, but a whimper? Or to purchase power. Te resulting rates increased some has it already? As far as the cooperative is concerned, 22 percent for SMECO consumers. Te cooperative these are the facts: As of 2012, the act has been in efect had done a good job during this period in educating its for more than 10 years. Te cooperative is obtaining members to the realities of an open market, and while its electricity by means of an open futures market there was some grumbling, there were no “wholesale” (think hog bellies). Tousands of hours have been riots. Senate President Miller did, however, take the expended on the process and millions of dollars spent opportunity to castigate the cooperative on the Senate for electronic systems to support “customer choice.” foor for the increase in rates. (At that point, the coop- To date one customer, the Patuxent River Naval Air erative was the frst utility in the state to have its rate Station, contracted with Pepco Energy Services in cap expire and the “greater metropolitan area” had yet 2002 for a six-month period and then returned to to have its brush with reality.) SMECO. Te cooperative has since contracted with the naval air station to take over and upgrade its elec- When the Pepco rate cap came of several years later tric distribution system. It seems to all go back to Rule and there was a 38 percent increase in rates, Elizabeth 1. Competitive rates, reliable electric service and good A. Noel, peoples counsel for the District of Columbia, customer service—as with economics, physics and was quoted in the March 12, 2006, edition of Te genies—can’t be legislated; you have to work on it. Washington Post: “I think everyone is just looking at Maryland and getting sick to their stomach. Tis is not Although wholesale power contract negotiations and what was supposed to happen. … nobody wanted this.” customer choice dominated much of the day-to-day

And then there was the case of Baltimore Gas and Electric. Te utility had not had a rate increase since 1993. With passage of the legislation, their subsequent negotiations with the PSC and the mandated legislative decrease, their rates were frozen until 2007 at rates below the 1993 level. When the rate cap was lifted, gasoline prices had risen 150 percent, heating oil had increased 200 percent and natural gas prices—which play a big role in determining the region’s electricity prices—had risen some 125 percent. To add fuel to the fre, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita had caused a shut- down of major natural gas pipelines. Fuel prices on the open market were in orbit and headed for deep space. When the customers of the largest utility in the state found themselves faced with a 72 percent increase, a cry went up far and wide—at least far and wide enough to be heard in Annapolis. Tere was talk and several attempts by the legislature to close Pandora’s box and put the genie back in the bottle, but Greek mythol- ogy and genies, like economics and physics, don’t always play by legislative rules. Te Senate president did acknowledge, with some humor, from that legisla- The ice storm on Jan. 30, 2000.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 149 With many miles of waterfront, SMECO’s service area is susceptible to flooding caused by hurricanes, as evidenced by the destruction pictured here during Hurricane Floyd. activity during 1999, there was much more going on. At the August 1999 board meeting, vice chairman A new customer information system (CIS) for billing Gilbert O. Bowling was selected by the board to and storing customer data was put in place, one in a succeed Aldridge as chairman. Walter Rayner Blair series of information upgrades that were occurring, III was appointed to fll Aldridge’s St. Mary’s County with most necessitated by the various requirements seat. A local businessman, Blair was the owner of of the “customer choice” legislation. Y2K was still an Blair’s Jewelry and Gifts in California and the Blair’s issue and considerable time was being spent to bring video store chain. He was also the president of Blair the cooperative’s systems into “Y2K compliance.” Family Limited Partnership, a real estate development company. He held a bachelor’s degree from the Te new Mutual substation in Calvert County was University of Maryland. completed; in St. Mary’s, the Saint Andrews substation near Wildewood Estates was completed; and in Massive Hurricane Floyd crashed through Southern the Charles-Prince George’s District, reconductoring Maryland on Sept. 16, leaving fooded streets, toppled jobs were completed in the Bryantown and Dentsville trees, broken utility poles and downed power lines areas. Capital credit refunds in 1999 were more than in its wake. Overall, approximately 30,000 consum- $4.8 million, about $600,000 more than the 1998 ers—about one-quarter of the cooperative’s member- refunds. Te combined total expenses of the coopera- ship—were impacted. Contract crews and personnel tive were $205.2 million and of that, 65 percent, or from neighboring electric cooperatives in Maryland, $132.8 million, had gone toward purchased power.70 Pennsylvania, Virginia and Delaware joined SMECO crews as they worked 16-hour shifts in heavy rain and Attorney Ernie Bell of Leonardtown, who had previ- high winds to restore power. All service was restored by ously chaired the 1991 annual meeting, chaired the last Sept. 19. SMECO’s Call Center felded 16,000 calls annual members’ meeting of the millennium. Rainy during the four-day restoration efort.71 weather caused President Swann to skip his remarks but more than 1,000 members stayed for the drawings In November the cooperative began construction of for 50 small prizes and six grand prizes. a new three-story ofce building on the Hughesville campus, with Scheibel Construction of Huntingtown Just after the annual meeting the cooperative family the designer and builder on the job. Te $1.8 million mourned the death of Lewie Aldridge Sr., the chair- building, which would add 22,500 square feet of ofce man of the board of directors since 1980; he had served space, was slated for completion in July 2000. on the board for 26 years. Former board member Arthur Dowell passed away during the year also; he Year’s end saw the retirement of three longtime employees. Johnny Adams of the St. Mary’s District had resigned the previous year due to health reasons. retired with 33 years of service. He had started in 1966 as an apprentice groundman and ended his career

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 as general foreman. Transmission and Substation service eforts. And then, as the employees would say, Superintendent John Posey capped a co-op career “there’s our real job.” In the 10 years following deregu- spanning 44 years with a rousing retirement party. lation, no one came to the customer choice party, but He started as a groundman in 1955 and rose through the result of the efort and teamwork involved made the lineman ranks before assuming his superintendent for a stronger SMECO, and many of the upgrades duties in 1985. All those who knew Posey remember to the internal systems and business practices imple- he often said he “loved Mondays and hated Fridays.” mented in preparation for choice also made good To that date, Christine Burch held the record for business sense.72 number of years of service for female employees when she retired with 45 years. She held many positions Even with all the emphasis on better technology, some during her tenure and retired as a work order clerk in in Southern Maryland never had the opportunity the Hughesville ofce. She also held the record for the to view the end of Super Bowl XXXIV. On Sunday, longest continuing smile. Jan. 30, 2000, an ice storm swept through the area; at the peak of the crisis, about 8,000 customers were with- On Dec. 31, 1999, a number of information tech- out electricity. Hardest-hit areas included Lexington nology employees worked through the holiday at the Park, Valley Lee, Solomons, Lusby, Drum Point, Cobb Hughesville ofce as part of the Y2K plan to assure the Island, Accokeek and Nanjemoy. Power was restored death of the “millennium bug” had not been “greatly to most customers by late Monday night.73 Te St. exaggerated.” And thus as the new millennium dawned, Louis Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans 23–16 for and the lights came on all over the world, the Druids their frst Super Bowl win. were holding forth at Stonehenge and the geeks were holed up at SMECO’s Hughesville headquarters. A general refund of $3.2 million in capital credits was made in June 2000. And on July 10, 2000, at Restructuring of the electric utility industry contin- the cooperative’s 62nd annual meeting, a brief, ued to evolve in Maryland and during the years 2000 intense thunderstorm did little to dampen the spirits through 2003 SMECO personnel were stretched of more than 1,600 registered members and their thin to keep pace; a deregulation “transition team” guests. A bylaw amendment authorizing SMECO to guided changes to cooperative systems, policies and form business entities benefcial to the operation of procedures in preparation for a competitive electric the cooperative was approved by 86 percent of the market. To aid in the process, three outside groups registered members and the fve incumbent directors were hired, ACS Government Solutions Group, were re-elected to the board. Severn Trent Systems and American Management Systems, a consulting frm with experience in utility Once again, a number of long-term employees left restructuring. Te role of the call center, load profl- SMECO via retirement. Mike Howard, a meter tester ing and settlement, billing education, communication frst class, retired with 36 years of service; Gloria Wood, eforts and the sharing of data between the co-op and a chief clerk in the Meter Department, retired with 35 outside power suppliers were but a few of the issues years of service; Billy Mister, a line inspector, retired tackled. Member services and customer programs with 35 years of service; Charlene Norris, a chief clerk were enhanced, and facilities, systems and technology in the St. Mary’s District, retired after 32 years; and programs continued to be upgraded. Joe Brawner, a collector in the Charles-Prince George’s District, retired after 26 years. A customer information system (CIS) and a retail choice solution (RCS) were put in place, as was an SMECO’s new executive building was completed interactive voice response (IVR) system. Te CIS and during the year. Te president, two vice presidents RCS allowed SMECO to process and transfer neces- and their support staf moved to the third foor of the sary customer data for successful implementation of new building, which also housed a meeting room for choice in the service territory. Te automated tele- the board of directors. Te main level was rented to phone system enhanced the cooperative’s customer the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland. Te

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 151 SMECO each invested $2.65 million in Aero Energy and Adams delivered an equal amount of equity in the company.75

It was during the summer of 2000 and into the spring of 2001 that news headlines put the spotlight on electric problems emanating from deregulated California. Te question arose, “Can this happen here?” But the public was reassured the problem in California had nothing to do with deregulation, but rather the state was sufering from an electric supply that had not kept pace with high demand. It is a fact that at the time

Pepco President John Derrick with SMECO President of the crisis, no new power plants had been built in Wayne Swann and Jan Penn, Vice President of California in the preceding 10 years, that the state Public and Member Relations, at the site of SMECO’s had grown rapidly and there had been some extreme combustion turbine at Chalk Point. weather conditions—but it also was a fact that during Call Center was slated to move to the bottom foor in the crisis the state had a generating capacity of 45 giga- early 2001. watts and at the time of the blackouts the demand was At the end of the frst year of the new millennium 28 gigawatts. It later was learned that a demand supply SMECO had 8,623 miles of line in service, 120,667 gap was created by some energy companies, mainly meters in place and was averaging 231 new connec- Enron, to create artifcial shortages. Traders were able tions a month. Southern Maryland was busting at to sell power at premium prices, sometimes up to a the seams.74 factor of 20 times its normal value. Because the state government had a cap on retail electricity charges, the During the 2001 legislative session, SMECO and market manipulation squeezed the industry’s reve- Choptank once again were unsuccessful in their nue margins, causing the bankruptcy of Pacifc Gas attempts to amend the Maryland Electric Cooperative and Electric and the near bankruptcy of Southern Act. Unable to gain the legislative fexibility that California Edison.76 conventional wisdom deemed necessary to compete with other Maryland utilities, the two cooperatives Te month of April marked the retirement of two tacked northward up the Chesapeake Bay. Shortly employees who together represented 74 years of coop- after the legislative session ended in April, SMECO erative experience. Mary Pat Jameson, a clerk-typist announced it had joined with two mid-Atlantic elec- in Customer Accounting, retired after 47 years with tric cooperatives in forming a new company chartered SMECO. As of May 2012, Jameson held the longest in Delaware. Te new limited liability corporation was record for SMECO female employees; 21 more days called Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Services (MACS). than Barbara Wilson, who retired in 2004 with 47 SMECO had joined with Adams Electric Cooperative years. Jan Penn, vice president of public and member of Gettysburg, Pa., and Choptank Electric Cooperative relations, retired at the end of the month because of of Denton, Md., in creating MACS. It was anticipated health reasons; she had 27 years of service. Penn had the company would bring new energy alternatives to come to SMECO as a home economist and advanced Southern Maryland and help SMECO capitalize on to senior member relations advisor prior to becoming future technologies, including fuel cells. manager of member and public relations in 1990. She was appointed vice president in 1994. As vice presi- Trough MACS, the three cooperatives would share dent, she managed SMECO’s communications and ownership of Aero Energy, an established regional media relations functions along with marketing and propane and oil company based in New Oxford, Pa. energy conservation programs. She also developed and Aero Energy had been a for-proft subsidiary of Adams oversaw the Call Center and the cooperative’s many Electric Cooperative since 1998. Choptank and other customer service eforts. Additionally, she served

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 as a lobbyist and helped position the co-op for the board member, James A. Richards of Brandywine, was advent of customer choice. Te cooperative has had elected to represent Prince George’s County. Richards, the beneft of many dedicated employees over its years the son of former director Benjamin Richards, flled and Penn holds a high place in that category. the seat vacated by Walter M. Meinhardt Sr., who did not seek re-election. Richards was the president and With Penn’s retirement the cooperative began an inter- chief operator of Richards Enterprises, a commer- nal reorganization. Two divisions, Rates and Economic cial property maintenance business. He had retired Studies and Communications, were moved under the from the Prince George’s County Fire Department former Regulatory Afairs Department to create the after a19-year career; he also had 20 years of military new External Afairs Department under the leadership service and was a senior master sergeant in the D.C. of Vice President Mark MacDougall. Under the new Air National Guard. structure, the External Afairs Department would have responsibility for all rates and regulatory matters. It also On Sept. 11, 2001, the United States witnessed a was to share responsibility for legislative matters with second day that would live in infamy. More than Al Gough, vice president of legal services. Te depart- 3,000 people died when terrorists few planes into ment also was to assume all the twin towers of the duties related to internal and World Trade Center in New external communications.77 York, the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and the Friends and co-workers were mountains of Stonycreek saddened with the death of Township, PA. Te country Al Holland, 50, a 28-year would be changed forever. employee and general fore- Utilities throughout the man in the Calvert District. country started taking a seri- Al passed away in June after a ous look at their vulnerabil- sudden illness. A U.S. Army ity and began bolstering their veteran, he had worked at the security measures. SMECO Calvert Clifs Nuclear Power Robert Young and David Johnson’s tribute display to those lost on September 11, 2001. was no exception. Human Plant prior to coming to Resources Vice President SMECO in 1973. Frank Mudd was tasked with developing recommendations for current and future security needs. A In June the cooperative issued $4.9 million in capital counterintelligence ofcer from Naval Air Systems credit refunds to eligible members; it was the highest Command made a presentation at the November amount refunded to date and brought the total amount safety meeting to acquaint SMECO stafers with the distributed through 2001 to $49.5 million.78 SMECO combined eforts being undertaken by various local, President Wayne Swann was named CEO of the year state and federal agencies. in the frst Leading Edge Award presented by the College of Southern Maryland at an awards banquet Te emotions following the event were evident. It was on June 14 at Middleton Hall in Waldorf. Te award noted at a SMECO staf meeting that some patriotic celebrates outstanding companies and leaders who citizens were attaching American fags to electric poles have achieved signifcant growth and are contributing as demonstrations of support. At the September staf to the economic vitality of Southern Maryland. meeting, it was suggested that such fags need not be removed immediately and only if an employee had to More than 3,600 people turned out for the coopera- work on a particular pole with a fag attached.79 tive’s 63rd annual meeting held on July 9, 2001. Some 1,800 members registered to vote in the board elec- Both operationally and fnancially, 2002 was a good tion, the second highest in the co-op’s history. Attorney year for SMECO. A new system peak demand of 657 Ernie Bell of Leonardtown served as chairman. A new MW was registered in July, and that was topped by

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 153 a 670-MW demand in August. Overall distribution were destroyed. Te La Plata United Methodist Church gigawatt-hour (GWh) sales increased 6.6 percent to lost its steeple, the CVS pharmacy lost its roof and the 2,974, operating revenue from the sale of electric- KFC restaurant was demolished. Approximately 180 ity increased 2.9 percent to $201.9 million and the homes and businesses were impacted by the storm’s number of electric services stood at 127,347 at the fury in La Plata alone. end of the year. Given some of the lowest interest rates in 40 years, $30.6 million of long-term variable-rate “You had to see it to believe it,” Kenny Hayden, Charles- debt was refnanced and another $24.3 million was Prince George’s District manager, said of the damage. converted from variable-rate to fxed-rate debt for a Te storm’s devastating path continued from La Plata, term ending Dec. 31, 2003. Tese actions reduced afecting Kings Grant, Route 488 and Hawkins Gate interest rate volatility as well as overall borrowing Road, leveling homes, barns and forests, causing costs. SMECO’s investment in MACS performed major damage on Scout Camp Road and Homeland well. MACS produced equity earnings of $144,000. A Drive in Hughesville. After skirting along the edge of record $5.5 million in capital credits was refunded to Benedict, the storm skipped across the Patuxent River eligible members, bringing the total refunded through into Calvert County, where it continued its destruc- 2002 to $55.1 million.80 tive path. Te twister tore into Adelina, Seagull Beach Road, across Grays Road and into Mutual before On Sunday evening, April 28, 2002, beginning at ripping across St. Leonard, Calvert Beach and Long approximately 7 p.m., a tornado ravaged Charles and Beach and then across the Chesapeake Bay. Calvert counties, shattering lives, destroying homes and devastating the town of La Plata. Te twister was Eyewitnesses who saw the twister in St. Leonard graded as one of the worst such storms to occur in described it as “massive.” When the storm reached the Maryland, with six people killed and 93 injured. More Chesapeake Bay, a worker at Calvert Clifs Nuclear than 30,000 members were left without electricity in Power Plant took some striking photographs of more the aftermath. than one twister out over the water. Despite the over- In was the second time in La Plata’s 129-year history it whelming devastation, crews were able to reduce the had sufered the efects of a deadly tornado; a twister number of customers without power to 5,000 by in November 1926 killed 13 children and four towns- midday Monday. By Wednesday evening, all possi- people when it hit a school. Some 70 SMECO crews ble service had been restored. Tere were approxi- and 60 contract crews labored in shifts around the mately 180 customers whose homes were destroyed or clock for three days to restore power. Tey replaced damaged beyond repair, and another 50–60 accounts 225 cross-arm braces and 144 utility poles (includ- that were awaiting electrical inspections. ing 25 transmission poles) in Charles County alone. What impressed him more than anything else, District Eighty-three transformers and 65 fuses were restored and in excess of 300,000 feet of conductor and guy Manager Kenny Hayden said, was the number of wire were strung, including that needed to repair 51 people who brought food and beverages to working downed lines in Calvert County. Crews continued crew members. Some SMECO board members also to work throughout the days and weeks following to brought food, as well as other public service organiza- make permanent repairs. tions. “Te outpouring of support from the community was overwhelming,” he said. Portions of La Plata were leveled by what the National Weather Service categorized as an F-4 tornado. Te “Tis was a lifetime of learning experience for anybody water tower in La Plata was toppled, spilling an esti- who played a role in the restoration,” said Ken Capps, mated 75,000 gallons of water in the street and SMECO’s system operations manager. “We used restricting the town’s water supply. Landmarks such as pieces of what we learned from the 1994 ice storm in Posey’s Market, Mitchell Supply and Archbishop Neale this situation. In the next storm, we’ll be that much School—which was celebrating its 75th anniversary— more prepared,” he said.81

Chapter ten: 1990–2002 More than 3,200 people were in attendance at the cooperative’s 64th annual meeting held in Hughesville on July 8, 2002. Attorney Ernie Bell of Leonardtown once again served as chairman. As part of his opening remarks, President Wayne Swann announced that after 37 years with the cooperative, he would retire in January 2003. Swann, who was named by the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce as 2002 Businessperson of the Year, would follow fve other longtime employees who retired during the year. Charles-Prince George’s District Manager Kenny Hayden was one of them; he retired after 40 years of service.

“Sometimes I look at these younger guys, and I feel if they had a chance to see how we did it 30 or 40 years ago, they might appreciate the equipment we use now,” Hayden said. “Back then, we’d use a bar and a sledgehammer to dig a hole. It would actually take you all day just to dig one hole. Te digger derricks can do Aftermath of the 2002 tornado. it in a couple of minutes just by pushing a lever, and the pole is set with no efort at all.” 82 ful leadership uniquely qualifed him for his new role. Prior to returning to the cooperative, he most Another employee who knew all about the old-time recently had been employed with NRECA in the ways, David Farrell, said goodbye after 40 years with the position of vice president of the National Consulting co-op; apparatus lineman Carlton Wood, no stranger and Training Group. Slater also had served as CEO/ to the old ways either, retired with 35 years of service; general manager for Tideland Electric Membership Dallas Goldsmith, a machine equipment operator who Cooperative in North Carolina and had worked for during his 37 years “performed just about every job SMECO for 16 years, rising to senior vice president function that could be performed in the district— of the Finance and Accounting Department. from hand-digging holes for anchors and poles and installing underground cables to being a premier truck When Wayne Swann came to SMECO in 1965, the driver,” also retired. Finally, Jean Henderson retired cooperative’s sales of electricity were being measured after 38 years of service. She began her career in 1959 in millions of kilowatt-hours; when he announced as a billing clerk, which at the time was a manual his retirement in 2002, sales were being measured in process. She became SMECO’s frst computer opera- gigawatt-hours. Service connections had risen from tor on Dec. 1, 1962, the year SMECO bought the frst 31,000 in 1965 to 127,347 in 2002. What was once IBM computer. Henderson left the co-op in 1978 but a small rural community had grown into an expan- returned fve years later and worked in the headquar- sive community and, according to NRECA, SMECO ters mailroom for 19 years before retiring.83 in 2002 was one of the 10 largest cooperatives in the nation. Swann’s retirement truly marked the end of an In early October the board of directors announced era for both SMECO and the electric utility industry. the appointment of Austin J. Slater Jr. to replace He was the helmsman as a new millennium dawned, Swann as president and CEO. After an eight-year guiding the cooperative through the rocky shoals of absence, Slater was returning to SMECO. He was deregulation—with the navigational assistance of a (and remains, as of this writing) an active member lot of new computer systems—and into the new and of the community, serving on the boards of many unknown world of customer choice. It was not an easy community groups. His extensive electric coopera- task or course but through his leadership the cooperative experience and more than 20 years of success- tive was as ready as it could be for the unknown.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 155 CHAPTER 11 Dealing with Pandora’s Opened

Ken Capps, Vice President of Engineering and Operations, and Joe Slater, SMECO President and CEO, dish out food to

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 Box: 2003–2012 Life may have slowed down for Swann upon his retirement in January 2003 but that was not the case at the cooperative. Ray Becmer retired March 20 after 34 years of service. Becmer came to work for Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) in 1969 as a system electrical engineer and spent the last seven years of his career as senior vice president of engineering and operations. Signifcant engineering projects during his tenure included the construction of the Chalk Point Combustion Turbine, the 230-kV facilities at Ryceville, Hewitt Road and Hawkins Gate, and the 66-kV underground transmission lines at Farmington, Piscataway, Patuxent River Naval Air Station and on the lower Patuxent River. His focus on system reliability enabled the cooperative to respond quickly to weather-related problems, including the 1994 ice storm, Tropical Storm Fran and Hurricane Floyd and the April 28, 2002, tornado in La Plata.1

Ken Capps replaced Becmer as vice president. He had begun his SMECO career in 1981 as an associate engineer, and had served as distribution engineer, director of distribution and communications, director of substations and distribution and as the cooperative’s systems operations manager. He received his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology.2 After Capps’s appointment, President Joe Slater announced a reorganization plan to create “families” of similar job functions to improve focus, accountability, responsibility and uniformity. Specifc changes included the creation of two new vice president positions, a department to focus on customer service and an information technology (IT) department. Longtime employee Susan Hamilton was named as vice president of the cooperative’s new Customer Service Department, which included the Call Center, credit and collections, customer accounting, district service functions and energy and technology. Hamilton started with the cooperative as a clerk-typist in 1970 and had held the positions of steno clerk, department secretary, easement solicitor, records administration supervisor and district ofce supervisor. Joseph Trentacosta was named as the cooperative’s vice president of information technology and chief information ofcer, with responsibility for managing SMECO’s IT systems, including computers, information networks and telecommunications. Trentacosta had more than 18 years of experience in the IT feld before he began with SMECO, including seven with Verizon Wireless as IT director. He received his bachelor of science degree in information systems from Fordham University workers during Hurricane Isabel. Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 157 and his master of business administration degree in fnance from New York University.

Te retirements continued as St. Mary’s District Manager Jay Bushell said goodbye in May after 37 years of service. He was replaced by “Herbie” Smith, who began his career with SMECO in 1971, with service to the cooperative as materials management manager, among other posts. Smith, a native of Lexington Park, was well-known in St. Mary’s County, as he had been active in local sports and community organizations for many years.

Te cooperative’s 65th annual meeting was held on the Hughesville headquarters grounds on July 14 with more than 2,800 people in attendance. Fern Brown of White Plains was elected to represent Charles County, flling a seat vacated by Mary Newman, who had served on the board for 24 years and did not seek another term. At the time of her election Brown was the domestic violence coordinator for the Circuit Court of Charles County and founder of the Charles County Silent Witness Program. She also served the Center for Abused Persons as board president, outreach advocate, victim’s court advocate and hotline counselor. Shorter’s Restaurant in Benedict was destroyed by SMECO members also approved proposed changes to bylaws giving SMECO’s board the ability to deter- expertise in managing its increasingly complex mine the method of conducting future meetings and wholesale power needs. APM was founded in 1999 elections. Shortly after the bylaws were changed, the and in 2003 was owned by 14 electric cooperatives, board voted to hold SMECO’s 2004 annual meeting including SMECO. on Sept. 1 at the headquarters ofce in Hughesville. Tis move marked a departure from the co-op’s tradi- Te board selected as chairman for 2003–2004 tional strategy of buying wholesale power from a single Daniel Dyer of Prince George’s County, replacing supplier. SMECO had solicited bids in 2002 for a new Gilbert Bowling of Charles County, who had served wholesale power contract to follow the expiration of for four years (a departure from SMECO’s policy of the Pepco Energy Services contract on Dec. 31, 2004. limiting the chairman’s term to three years). Bowling Te bids refected that the instability of natural gas had agreed to serve a fourth year to oversee the transi- prices had greatly afected the forward market price tion in SMECO’s management, as President Wayne for wholesale power and that power suppliers wanted Swann retired and new President Joe Slater moved much higher fxed rates to protect themselves against into that position. any future instability in electric prices. President Joe Slater summed up the situation: “In today’s electric In August 2003, SMECO joined the Alliance for market, joining ACES Power Marketing is our best Cooperative Energy Services Power Marketing (APM course of action to ensure competitive rates for our or ACES Power Marketing). Te function of APM members. Te fundamental organization of the whole- was to act as an agent to secure and market energy sale power market has undergone dramatic change in for its member cooperatives and clients. As a member, recent years, requiring new tools, expertise and market SMECO would receive technical and marketing knowledge. ACES Power Marketing brings these

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 (IVR) system processed 63,500 calls and the Call Center another 66,718 for a total of 130,218 calls. A successful new practice implemented by SMECO during the storm was that of delivering meals to its onsite crews and support personnel, saving the co-op money and maximizing restoration eforts by reducing travel time for crews.4 Tere are always lessons to be learned from a storm of Isabel’s magnitude. Te storm further emphasized SMECO’s need to improve its outage management and reporting systems and procedures. Plans already were in place for a new outage management system to be implemented by the end of 2004; likewise, projects already were under way to replace the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and Geographic Information System (GIS) and to upgrade and enhance the IVR system.5

Tere was one other lesson, though unreported. Tere is an old axiom that an army travels on its stomach—so do utility employees. It was thought it would be a real treat to give our friends who had come from out of state to assist the cooperative a taste of Southern Maryland fare, including stufed ham, crab cakes and steamed shrimp. While the SMECO employees reveled in the Hurricane Isabel in September 2003. repast, our Southern and Midwestern cousins sent word essential skills to SMECO and will help us keep rates from the feld their systems were not responding well down and ensure a reliable source of energy.”3 to the new diet—please send hot dogs and hamburgers next time. No good deed goes unpunished. In the early afternoon of Sept. 18, Hurricane Isabel slammed into the Eastern Seaboard. Te storm proved In November, SMECO installed and made operational to be the most damaging storm to that point in a new Customer Information System/Open Vision SMECO’s 66-year history. At the height of the outage, (CIS/OV) to record and track information relevant to 73,687 customers—more than half of SMECO’s members’ accounts. Te new system enabled the coop- system—were without power, more than twice as erative to provide enhanced services, more detailed many as during the 1994 ice storm and nearly three information on billing items and further improve- times that of the 2002 tornado. SMECO literally saw ments to customer service. As a result of extensive test- this one coming, and when Isabel’s path was projected ing and employee training, the transition to the CIS/ as heading for the Chesapeake Bay, with the eye pass- OV system was virtually seamless to the customers.6 ing just west of Southern Maryland, SMECO employ- With some of the lowest interest rates available in 45 ees geared up for the worst. Utility workers from years, SMECO was proactive in taking signifcant steps Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, elsewhere in in 2003 to reduce its overall borrowing costs by ref- Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina were nancing a number of its loans. Te cooperative issued a brought in prior to the storm and provided with food record amount of $5.9 million in capital credit refunds and lodging. during the year and realized a fnancial gain of more Total restoration costs were in the neighborhood of than $3.3 million on the sale of the De La Brooke $3.1 million. SMECO’s Interactive Voice Response property in December. Te De La Brooke property,

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 159 located on the Patuxent River, had been purchased for ation of SMECO’s procurement method showed the the construction of a power plant. cooperative would save its customer-members $29 million in 2005 alone. Year’s end brought goodbyes for several more longtime employees. William “Squeaky” Hanson retired Te year also saw the modernization of the cooperative’s from the Charles-Prince George’s District after 35 outage management system. An updated Geographic years of service. Hanson began his employment as Information System was brought online and a central- a truck driver, worked his way through the line- ized Operations Center in Hughesville was opened, man classifcations and retired as a serviceman. Jim where distribution system operators worked around Battaglia, SMECO’s energy management and tech- the clock in concert with the Call Center. A three- nologies manager, retired after 30 years of service. year contract with the local union was successfully Battaglia began his career as a draftsman but worked negotiated and union representatives were included in the customer services and marketing felds for most on the Engineering and Operations Restructuring of his career. His job evolved to include oversight of Committee, since changes in that department would SMECO’s business relations and energy technologies. directly afect the line workers. He supervised the co-op’s key accounts and demand- side management programs. Finally, Pete Small, a chief Te cooperative enjoyed a fnancially successful year, lineman in the Calvert District, retired after 36 years with $12 million in margins and the refunding of of service, and Bob Oldham, SMECO’s principal $6.4 million in capital credits. During the year 4,500 new accounts were connected, for a total to that date engineer for transmission, retired after 13 years with 8 the cooperative. of 135,000. President Slater probably summed up the year 2003 During 2004, SMECO had 18 employees retire with most succinctly when referring to the aftermath of a total of 553 years of service to the co-op. Of those 18 Isabel, he quoted Winston Churchill: “If you are going employees, 11 of them had worked at SMECO for 34 through hell, keep going.”7 years or more. Barbara Wilson, an executive secretary, with 47 years of service, had worked for the coopera- On Feb. 16, 2004, Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich tive’s four presidents and had seen customer record- paid a visit to Hughesville to announce the funding for keeping evolve from membership cards to computer and groundbreaking ceremonies of the long-awaited systems. “It’s been a great career. I was fortunate to be “Hughesville bypass.” Te bypass was for many years able to work close to home. I’ve seen a lot of changes in on the Department of Transportation’s project list— the co-op that are all for the better,” Wilson said upon and it was a long time coming. Its completion several her retirement. Wilson was joined in retirement by years later would help relieve trafc congestion through Frank “Gene” Stine, general foreman in the Charles- Southern Maryland’s main crossroads and reduce the Prince George’s District, with 41 years of service; Lena number of trafc accidents. Gardiner, customer accounting manager, (40 years); St. Mary’s serviceman Henry “Whitey” Modrzakowski Te year also marked several new initiatives for the (39 years); Joseph Hilwig, meter operations director co-op. Along with the introduction of a new customer (38 years); James F. Mattingly III, a Charles-Prince bill format, a new Operations Center and a new date George’s cable locater (37 years); Charles “Ronnie” for the annual meeting (the weather was much better Wood, a serviceman in the Calvert District, (37 years); in September!), the cooperative began a new era in its chief lineman Richard Small (37 years); procurement method of purchasing wholesale power. During the year specialist Evelyn Swann (36 years); Joyce Hilwig, call the cooperative worked with ACES Power Marketing center manager (35 years); and Kenneth Hutchins, a to develop a managed portfolio of energy supply. Te dispatcher in the Calvert District (34 years). portfolio approach enabled SMECO to keep the rates as low as possible and ofered less risk than buying Joe “Chubby” Miles, a 27-year employee who served from a single-source supplier. An independent evalu- as storekeeper in the St. Mary’s District, lost his battle

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 with cancer, as did former Vice President of Public were made in establishing and implementing emer- and Member Relations Jan Penn, who had retired in gency preparedness systems and procedures in accor- 2001 due to medical reasons after 27 years with the dance with the National Electric Reliability Council cooperative. For the cooperative’s 2004 fundraiser, and Homeland Security guidelines to ensure greater the employees chose Hospice of Charles County as safety and reliability in the workplace and commu- the benefciary and donated $16,000 in memory of nity. SMECO recorded net margins of $12,085,052 Penn. In addition, former SMECO director Benjamin and issued capital credits in the amount of $4.5 Richards died in September; he had served on the million. Retail price caps ended in 2004, subjecting board from 1968 to 1996. the cooperative to higher market prices for wholesale power because of increased fuel prices. Power supply On January 20, 2005, President George W. Bush needs were addressed using a managed portfolio and took the oath of ofce to begin his second term. Tat a number of suppliers to serve the cooperative’s native same month the 69-kV submarine cable located near load requirements. For each supplier, credit worthiness the Gov. Tomas Johnson Bridge between Calvert was reviewed and credit requirements were negotiated. and St. Mary’s County failed, leaving consumers in Short-term borrowing capacity was increased by $100 parts of both counties without electricity. Service was restored within two days but that failure required the SMECO employee fundraising efforts have benefited many area organizations. In 2001, a donation was made installation of a temporary cable at the bottom of the to Hospice in memory of Jan Penn. Pictured from left Patuxent River. Construction began on the temporary are Elaine McConkey, Finance and Acct. Manager, a representative from Hospice, Jan’s husband Bill Penn, cable project in April and the circuit was re-energized and Frank Mudd, Vice President of Human Resources. on May 23. Installation of a new permanent cable was completed in 2006. Te cable failure provided further evidence that the completion of SMECO’s 230-kV loop was necessary. Te year proved to be a strong one fnancially for the cooperative, but as always there were many new and continuing issues to deal with. Te cooperative continued to take advantage of evolving technologies and to upgrade its existing ones. Online services continued to be expanded and great strides

Installing the temporary cable at the bottom of the Patuxent River in 2005. Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 161 million to address the necessary credit requirements Time marches on and many longtime employees again for the power supply portfolio. A new hourly system bid the cooperative farewell in 2005. Elaine Mattingly, peak of 788 megawatts was recorded in July and elec- executive assistant at the Hughesville headquarters, tric sales increased by 3.7 percent over 2004, totaling retired after 46 years. She came to SMECO in 1959 as 3,395,028 megawatt-hours. a clerk-typist and was promoted to stenographer clerk Te SMECO annual meeting in August at the and department secretary before moving to the presi- Hughesville headquarters attracted more than 2,400 dent’s ofce. Ralph Cross retired after 38 years with people and members re-elected incumbents from the cooperative; he began his career in data process- Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s ing and came to SMECO in 1967 as assistant ofce counties.9 services director. In 1987 he was appointed manager for environmental and facilities management. During In late summer the Gulf Coast was devastated by his tenure Cross oversaw the construction of the head- Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. After Hurricane Katrina quarters building (1981), the transportation build- in August, SMECO sent two groups of linemen to ing (1991) and the executive building (2000). Diane help the Singing River and Pearl River Valley coopera- Hofman, an accounting clerk in the fnance depart- tives in southern Mississippi. A month later, two more groups went to the Jeferson Davis Electric Cooperative ment, retired after 37 years. Pat Queen, a stores clerk in in southwest Louisiana, where Hurricane Rita made the Charles-Prince George’s regional ofce, retired after landfall. Mike Nygaard out of Hughesville went with 33 years with SMECO; and, property rights specialists the frst and third groups as SMECO’s onsite coor- Jack Williams served on SMECO’s Board of Directors for dinator and liaison with the cooperatives. “In some places the buildings were just totally gone. All of us were just amazed at what we saw,” Nygaard said. “In Mississippi I thought the damage was the worst I had ever seen. But in Louisiana the damage was much worse. All of us had worked storms before, but Rita was like no other storm.” According to Nygaard, there was a variety of wildlife to contend with—cotton- mouth snakes and rattlesnakes in Mississippi and alli- gators in Louisiana.10

SMECO crews helping sister co-ops after Katrina.

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 Joyce Lundstrom and Ida Kaminetz retired during the He served overseas as a naval ofcer during World War year, with 25 and 20 years of service, respectively. II and was president and board member of the Mutual Fire Insurance Co. in Calvert County. St. Leonard resi- Former director Norwood Sothoron, who had served dent Nancy Zinn was selected to fll the seat vacated on the board from 1974 to 1993, passed away during by Williams. Zinn, a purchasing supervisor for the the year, and the cooperative lost Mike Estep, a store- Calvert County Public Schools, had previously been keeper in the St. Mary’s District. Estep was well-known employed by the H.G. Trueman Lumber Co. and the for his devotion to sports, his religious faith and his Department of the Navy. A graduate of the College commitment to helping his community. of Southern Maryland, she served as a member of the On Jan. 1, 2006, the resignation of the longest-serving Calvert County Board of Education and is past chair- member of the board of directors to that date became man of the Calvert County Planning Commission. efective when John W. “Jack” Williams resigned after Board member Francis Nimmerrichter also resigned 47 years of service. First elected to the board in 1958, during the year after more than 26 years of service. He he was one of three directors representing Calvert came to the board as a director from Charles County County. He served as secretary-treasurer to the board in 1980. La Plata resident Richard A. Winkler was from 1964 to 2004. During his tenure he served as selected to fll the seat vacated by Nimmerrichter. president of the Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Winkler served as the director of fscal services for Association of Electric Cooperatives and president of Charles County for 27 years and as president of the the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Charles County Rotary Club. He also served with the 48 years. He also served as NRECA’s president. Knights of Columbus, the United Way, Hawthorne Country Club and the Charles/St. Mary’s Baseball League. Winkler was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force in 1969 and earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Maryland.

In May the cooperative family was saddened with the passing of Louis P. Jenkins Sr., who had represented Charles County on SMECO’s board for 13 years and served as general counsel for another 28 years, completing more than 40 years of service to SMECO. Joseph R. Densford, an attorney from Leonardtown, was appointed board attorney to fll the vacancy left by Jenkins’ death. Densford received his law degree from the University of Maryland in 1975 and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1976. In addition to his law practice, he had served as an assistant state’s attorney, county attorney to St. Mary’s County, and attorney to the town of Leonardtown and the St. Mary’s County Planning Commission. Mark MacDougall, vice president of external afairs and counsel, was named general counsel.

Te co-op weathered many personnel changes in 2006. In March, Sonja Cox was named fnancial services vice president and chief fnancial ofcer. Originally from South Carolina, Cox worked for Carolina Power & Light Co. before joining SMECO in January 1999

The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 163 as fnancial reporting supervisor. She also served as In 2007 SMECO marked its 70th anniversary, a a business analyst in IT and as energy procurement milestone commemorating seven decades of serving manager. Cox, a certifed public accountant licensed the Southern Maryland community. Both the state in Maryland, earned a bachelor of science degree in Senate and House of Delegates passed resolutions accounting from the University of Maryland and a recognizing SMECO for 70 years of dignifed, profes- master of business administration degree from Johns sional and faithful service to the Southern Maryland community. Te cooperative also received a gover- Hopkins University. nor’s citation and hosted Gov. Martin O’Malley at Fifteen employees with a total of 432 years of service the Hughesville headquarters. retired during the year—the average length of service Mother Nature made notable “visits” in February and was 29 years and seven employees retired with 35 April. On Feb. 14, cold temperatures and precipita- years or more. Steve Austin, Phil Batts, Charles Cusic, tion combined to cover some of SMECO’s service Joe Johnston, Connie Matthews, Dave Roberts and area with almost an inch of ice, causing nearly 22,000 Sharon McWilliams all had 35 years or more, with outages. Damage was concentrated in the Charles- Sharon McWilliams topping the list with 40 years of Prince George’s District. All available SMECO service. Al Gough, vice president of corporate services, personnel and resources focused on restoring power as retired with 29 years of service. Upon his retirement, quickly and safely as possible. By the middle of the personnel were reassigned to other departments and day after the storm, service had been restored to all the vice president’s position was eliminated. Te year but 3,900 accounts, and all service was restored by also marked the 50th anniversary of meter foreman the following day. Te second major storm occurred Lloyd Goble’s employment with the cooperative; he in April, bringing severe winds and resulting in more started at SMECO on Aug. 2, 1956. than 47,000 outages to area residents and businesses. Te storm brought down power poles and lines and A mild winter contributed to the warmest year on blew out several transformers. Despite the damage, the record and the moderate temperatures resulted in cooperative responded quickly to restore power. a decrease in average monthly usage of 6 percent. A Director G. Purnell Frederick, who had represented February ice storm cost $550,000 in repairs and tropi- St. Mary’s County on the board of directors for more cal depression Ernesto hit in September, causing $2 than 29 years, resigned at the end of March 2007. million in damage. Neither storm qualifed Southern A retired employee of the St. Mary’s County Public Maryland for Federal Emergency Management Agency Schools and veteran of World War II, Frederick was a (FEMA) reimbursement funds. In spite of these losses, member of American Legion Post 221 in Avenue, Md. the cooperative was able to refund $2.7 million in At retirement, he was serving on the board of the St. capital credits over the course of the year.11 Mary’s County Center for Life Enrichment. His son,

J.D. Power and Associates, known as “the voice of the consumer,” recognized SMECO as a top award recipient in the firm’s Electric Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, which measures customer satisfaction with electric utilities by examining six key factors: power, quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; and communications and customer service. SMECO was the highest-rated electric utility in its class (companies serving 125,000 to 499,999 residential customers in the East Region). The cooperative consistently received the highest rating of similar utilities in five of the six categories in 2008. In addition, SMECO was rated 57 points higher than the average utility in its class.

SMECO won this distinction five years in a row: 2008-2012. In 2012, SMECO was one of 50 brands named J.D. Power 2012 Customer Service Champions.

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 SMECO’s LEED-certified Engineering and Operations facility in Hughesville under construction during 2011-2012.

J. Douglas Frederick, a 35-year employee of the St. SMECO also shared results of its 2007 customer Mary’s County Public Schools, was selected to succeed survey on renewable energy. him. Te younger Frederick was building trades team To encourage more active conservation programs leader in the SMCPS Division of Support Services. and reduce Maryland’s energy use, Gov. O’Malley Te cooperative won signifcant legislative victories in announced his EmPOWER Maryland initiative, 2007, which gave SMECO the authority to purchase which directed the state’s electric utilities to establish power using long-term contracts of any length. energy-saving programs, i.e., demand-side manage- Under the Maryland Public Service Commission’s ment programs—similar to those that went out the (PSC) previous requirements, the cooperative was not window with the Maryland Electric Customer Choice allowed to sign wholesale power supply contracts that and Competition Act of 1999—proving the axiom extended past May 2010. Te new legislation allowed “everything old is new again.” the purchase of power using long-term contracts with- In late 1997, SMECO entered into an outsourcing out being limited by the regulatory constraint, and thus agreement for information technology (IT) functions gave greater independence and fexibility in managing with a company called Intellisource. Tat 10-year the cooperative’s energy portfolio, to the beneft of the agreement eventually was bought out by ACS and cooperative’s customer-members. then Lockheed Martin; it ended in 2007. Trough In September SMECO participated in the Maryland that experience SMECO determined that some strategic IT functions, computer systems and customer and Energy Summit, in which Gov. O’Malley brought fnancial data are so important to its success that they together leaders from industry, academia and should be kept in-house. communities to develop a strategic energy plan for the state. Te cooperative provided insights on long- In 2007 SMECO invested in a mobile workforce term contracts for purchasing power; the Renewable system, increasing its ability to respond to outages Energy Portfolio Standard; tax incentives for new quickly. Te system allows SMECO ofce person- generation; relief for transmission congestion; siting nel to communicate electronically with employees in and permitting for generation and transmission the feld. A laptop computer in each truck enables facilities; and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. servicemen to pinpoint areas of concern and make

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 165 repairs quickly and efciently. It enables the cooperation in St. Mary’s County to increase capacity and tive to automate its business processes and to track the construction of two distribution feeders serving and measure the workload, helping to get a handle Calvert and Charles counties.13 on what was done, when it was done and how long it On Jan. 2, 2008, the cost of petroleum rose to $100 took, thus assisting in quantifying the work done, the a barrel. It was one of the many notable and dynamic performance and the cost. events that would occur during the year on the To prepare for storms and other events, SMECO economic front. In July, the U.S. stock market plunged undertook during the year to further develop its when word hit the street that several major fnan- Emergency Response Plan, which includes a detailed cial institutions were in trouble. In September, U.S. set of procedures for efectively restoring power in the fnancial giant Lehman Brothers went bankrupt and event of a crisis. To help perfect the plan, SMECO in October stock markets crashed around the world. management participated in a disaster simulation It was the beginning of a global fnancial crisis that involving all aspects of the business. Te drill assisted afected employment rates, the housing and mortgage in fne-tuning the procedures and helped employees markets, the auto industry, banks, lending institu- learn to anticipate many possible complications.12 tions and the stock market. Individuals saw their nest eggs crumble, and corporations watched as the value In other developments, in 2007 the cooperative of their investments fell. Te asset value in the coop- began discounting capital credit payments to estates erative’s retirement plan decreased substantially, losing to refect the time value of money. SMECO refunded approximately $30 million in equity and requiring the about $1 million in capital credits over the course cooperative to make a larger-than-usual cash contribu- of the year. Finally, the cooperative’s newest substation to the plan the following year. tion in Bensville, Charles County, was energized on Democratic Sen. Barack Obama won the November Dec. 21. Te completion of the substation was the presidential election and became the frst African culmination of a number of successful construction American to serve in the ofce. In December, Bernard projects undertaken during the year, including the Madof’s fnancial frm collapsed amid reports of his upgrade of the Hughesville substation and a substa- fraudulently pocketing $50 billion of other people’s Raleigh Midkiff, Rich Jarboe and Janice Stewart money in a Ponzi pyramid scheme that made those participate in a SMECO emergency response drill. of the 1920s look like a Sunday school collection. Te fnancial crisis that began this year would prove to be of long duration—and the worst since the Great Depression that began in 1929.

To fulfll the promise of providing reliable service, SMECO launched the Southern Maryland Reliability Project in April 2008. Te project, designed as an upgrade, would provide additional capacity by creating a continuous “loop” of electricity around SMECO’s service area. Te loop design provides greater operational fexibility to feed power from either direction in the event of an outage, which reduces the risk of a prolonged outage and improves the system’s reliability. First envisioned in the early 1970s by then-chief engineer Richard McCoy, construction on portions of the loop had begun in 1974; however, that same year, the PSC denied permission to build the line—and thus complete the loop—from Holland Clif to Calvert

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 Clifs. An application for a Certifcate of Public the opportunity to invest in wind, solar and other Convenience and Necessity to complete that portion renewable projects to satisfy the state’s mandate to of the loop was submitted to the Maryland PSC in purchase renewable energy. Te organization also November and approved by that body in July 2009. ofers the opportunity to participate in screening Construction began in 2010 with a projected comple- renewable energy proposals based on their cost and tion date of 2015 and a projected cost of $110 million. value. Trough the cooperative efort, projects that are built to serve customers in one part of the country also Te cooperative’s 2008 annual meeting was held in can beneft a co-op in a diferent area by providing August with some 2,000 individuals in attendance. green energy credits. In addition, power from a new Attorney and former Maryland Rep. Ernie Bell chaired project can be sold directly into the wholesale market, the meeting. Guest speaker William Brier, vice presi- making additional power supply available to energy- dent of policy and public afairs at the Edison Electric intensive areas. In an efort to promote green initiatives Institute—and a SMECO customer-member— when feasible, SMECO launched a new load reduc- described the trends in the utility industry afecting tion program in 2008 giving its customers the oppor- energy usage and electric rates. SMECO President and tunity to conserve energy and money. Te SMECO CEO Austin J. Slater Jr. addressed the audience as well, CoolSentry program is a load-reduction program that discussing the ever-increasing demand for electricity in assists with managing energy demand and preventing Southern Maryland and the urgent need to fnd solu- power shortages in the Southern Maryland area.14 tions to the increased demand. Slater encouraged the audience with the news that SMECO purchased a A plan to dramatically expand its Hughesville campus percentage of its power supply from renewable sources with a state-of-the-art, 145,000-square-foot building such as solar and wind, and that SMECO planned to was announced during the year. Part of the project’s increase this percentage to at least 20 percent by 2022. goal was to replace the cooperative’s aging regional ofce in White Plains, which was too small for the SMECO underwent a reliability audit in 2008 for the expanding operations in the Charles-Prince George’s frst time. Conducted by Reliability First in September, region. Along with the White Plains construction and the compliance audit proved to be a rewarding confr- maintenance crews, the new building was slated to host mation of the cooperative’s eforts to maintain the part of the Engineering and Operations Department, security and integrity of its electric system. SMECO is including the Operations Center, Technical Services, registered for the North American Electric Reliability Engineering Services and Apparatus departments. Corp. functions of load-serving entity and distribu- SMECO’s Contact Center also was slated to move tion provider, which sets the parameters for the scope to the new facility. SMECO designed the build- of the audit. Reliability First conducted the audit and ing in conjunction with CDS Associates to meet the will monitor the cooperative on a six-year basis. Te Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s objectives of the audit were to review and validate (LEED) platinum standard, the building industry’s SMECO’s compliance with applicable reliability stan- top rating for green standards. “We hope to be a model dards and requirements regarding self-reported viola- for green construction; this will be a great opportunity tions, self-certifcations and mitigation plans and to to show people how conservation works,” stated Tom document SMECO’s compliance culture. Te coop- Russell, SMECO’s environmental afairs and property erative successfully met all of the national and regional rights manager.15 Construction began in June 2009 requirements of the reliability audit. with an anticipated move-in date scheduled for 2012.

Te cooperative continued to work locally and Many areas in Southern Maryland still lack access to nationally on the energy issues of the day. SMECO high-speed Internet. Recognizing the lack of access is President and CEO Slater led the way for SMECO to an important issue because it afects the quality of life join 23 cooperatives from across the nation to form and the economic vitality of the region, SMECO in the National Renewables Cooperative Organization 2008 joined the Maryland Broadband Cooperative (NRCO). Participation in the NRCO gives SMECO (MDBC), whose mission is to provide high-speed

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 167 Linemen work on the system at Webster Field. Jeff Mayor and Bruce Pleger in front, George Young and Bernie Clarke in back. broadband access to Internet service providers in the SMECO’s many accomplishments in education and rural areas of the state. Te member-owned fber optic training were honored at the 2008 Leading Edge network will be the infrastructure used by service Awards at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), providers to serve individual customers and busi- which presented the cooperative with the Partnership nesses. MDBC plans to develop broadband infra- in Education award. Te honor recognized such structure throughout Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s SMECO education initiatives as the electric power counties and in southern Prince George’s County. In technician degree ofered in partnership with CSM. addition, the cooperative and MDBC fnalized a fber Te cooperative also ofers supervisory training to its lease agreement to facilitate expansion of broadband employees through the college. capabilities in Southern Maryland. Te year 2009 saw the cooperative receive its Certifcate Te cooperative mourned the loss of Larry Hogan, a of Public Convenience and Necessity from the PSC to distribution system operator in SMECO’s operations complete a 230-kilovolt loop through Calvert County center, who died in a vehicular accident in August. and into St. Mary’s County—the Southern Maryland Hogan had been with SMECO since 1986 and had Reliability Project. Te board of directors approved demonstrated a strong commitment to his community the plans for the construction of the new environmen- and to the cooperative during the years. In other person- tally friendly facility in Hughesville and a contract was 16 nel news, three longtime employees chose to retire in awarded to begin construction of the building. 2008. Jim Bowling, the work management director in With the nation’s economic difculties afecting busi- the Engineering and Operations Department, stepped nesses and individuals alike, and the government down after 42 years; Bob Trott, district engineering focusing on the energy sector for innovative ways to supervisor in the Calvert District, bade farewell after produce energy and improve efciency, the time was 41 years of service; and Susan Hamilton, vice presi- right for SMECO to change its look. A new logo was dent of customer and member services, retired after adopted to refect the cooperative’s commitment to a 38-year career at SMECO. Upon her retirement, purchasing power generated by renewable resources, personnel were reassigned to other departments and to facilitating the development of renewables, to the vice president position was eliminated. promoting energy conservation and helping customers

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 manage energy use, and to being an environmentally NASA data for load forecasting. Te pilot project responsible corporation. tested methods for improving load forecasts for electric and gas utilities by making use of weather data A typical March in Southern Maryland saw the area that NASA collects through satellites orbiting the blanketed with a foot of snow, cutting of power to Earth and analyzes with its developmental models. more than 20,000 accounts. With the help of contract SMECO used weather data from three sites in the area crews and assistance from cooperatives in three states, for the project; NASA’s model-analyzed satellite data SMECO was able to bring back power to all customers are provided by 16 grid points in and around Southern within 48 hours. Restoration costs were approximately Maryland. If the project is successful in improving $1 million. On March 12 the cooperative hosted a the cooperative’s ability to forecast its need for power visit by Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot; unfor- supply and reducing the power supply costs, NASA’s tunately, he did not have a spare million to help with data and model results will be made available to utili- the costs of storm restoration. ties around the country.17 On May 1, SMECO took over the electric systems Breaking from a 27-year tradition of holding the at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Webster Field members’ annual meeting at the Hughesville head- in St. Inigoes and the Navy Recreation Center in quarters (1982–2008), SMECO’s 71st meeting was Solomons—a privatization agreement some eight held at the Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, years in the making. Te cooperative committed to home of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball having a minimum of two crews onsite for the frst team. Te 2009 meeting was a success and it gave fve years, to improve and upgrade the systems, replac- the opportunity for many members to attend who ing unsafe equipment and addressing safety issues such had never attended an annual meeting. Some 1,270 as line clearances. It was anticipated that $19 million members registered and the incumbent directors were would be invested in upgrading all three sites. re-elected. Revenue from electric sales totaled $453.9 In March the cooperative signed an agreement with million in 2009, with net margins of $3.25 million. the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Personnel changes continued to abound. SMECO Education to privatize the facility in Piney Point, employees were saddened with the death of Mary popularly known as the Harry Lundeberg School of Swann, chief customer accounts clerk for the Calvert Seamanship. Trough discussions over the previous Regional Services division, in March. Swann had been three years the cooperative took the necessary steps with the cooperative for 32 years. Retirement took a to take over the electric system. Work began in May number of old friends as well. Francis Hewitt, a direc- following the March agreement, and in less than tor representing St. Mary’s County, stepped down in six months the cooperative had replaced a mile of December after 33 years of service; Ralph Violett, a three-phase underground cable, 18 transformers and cable locater in the Calvert region, retired after 44 metering equipment. years of service; and Herbie Smith retired after 37 Each year the St. Mary’s County Chamber of years of service as logistics and system operations Commerce recognizes an outstanding business leader manager in charge of four divisions: distribution oper- in the community as their Business Person of the Year. ations, transportation, regional services and materials Te 2009 award was presented to SMECO President management. Smith began with SMECO in 1971 as and CEO Joe Slater at the chamber’s annual meeting an apprentice tree trimmer and held a number of posi- in June for his leadership in the industry, his record of tions, including St. Mary’s district manager. participation in the community, his focus on quality Also saying goodbye were Tommy Cooksey, regional and reliable service for customers and his position as operations director for the Calvert region, who retired chair of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce Board. after 35 years with SMECO; Danny Ellis, a general During 2009 SMECO was selected as one of only two foreman in the St. Mary’s region, who retired after more electric utilities to participate in a pilot study using than 35 years with the cooperative; and Frank Mudd,

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 169 vice president of human resources (HR), who retired programs as a system engineer. In 2010 White left civil after 16 years of service. When Mudd joined the coop- service to pursue a role as a defense contractor.19 erative in 1993, the HR department still worked on During the year the cooperative began implementing paper, not computers. “Like the rest of SMECO, our a pilot project for Advanced Metering Infrastructure department has adapted well to the forces of technol- (AMI) and smart metering. To help customers better ogy and streamlined our business practices,” he stated understand their energy bills, smart meters, in conjunc- in part, when summing up his career at SMECO. With tion with AMI and a meter data management system, Mudd’s departure the cooperative’s HR functions were can provide hourly energy use data— information that merged into the renamed Financial, Economic and will educate residential and business customers about Employee Services Department under Vice President how they use energy. Proposals from many vendors Sonja Cox.18 were reviewed and a company, Sensus, was selected.20 Te year 2010 presented SMECO and its employees After the cold temperatures and high usage months of with a unique combination of challenges. Not only winter, SMECO launched its EmPOWER Maryland did the economy continue its sluggish march through suite of energy-efciency programs to comply with the year, prompting many to put an increased empha- Maryland’s goal of reducing energy consumption by sis on conservation, Mother Nature tested the coop- 15 percent by the year 2015. Te programs ofered a erative’s ability to respond to emergencies and keep number of ways for customers to reduce electricity use, the power fowing. Southern Maryland experienced including lighting discounts, appliance rebates, appli- record snowfalls in late 2009 and early 2010—more ance recycling, home energy checkups and rebates on snow than any winter since 1884, when records for water heaters. In May the cooperative began taking snowfall started being kept. February brought waves of power from the Stony Creek Wind Project. Under an storms, breaking records for snowfall across the region. 18-year contract, SMECO will purchase energy from Te heavy accumulation shut down roads and schools 35 wind turbines located near Somerset, Pa., some 150 and brought trees down onto power lines. Te storms miles north of the cooperative’s service area. created treacherous conditions for the crews, who endured deep snow and freezing temperatures while Construction of the new eco-friendly facility in repairing the damage. Responding to the unprec- Hughesville began in March and the lobby of the edented emergency was a team efort, including the White Plains ofce was closed to the public on Dec. Operations Center, Contact Center, Transportation, 30, 2010. Te cooperative’s new facility will have a Facilities and Information Technology. Te coop- geothermal heating and cooling system that at this erative received a multitude of thank you notes and writing is the largest in the state. At the beginning of e-mails following the storm, testifying to the dedica- 2012 the new facility was about 40 percent complete. tion of SMECO’s workforce. October 2010 marked the end of the load management program that began in 1982. Te program saved In February, Peter Scott White was selected by the board millions of dollars over 28 years by reducing peak to fll the unexpired term of Francis Hewitt, who had demand in summer and winter. CoolSentry replaced resigned the previous December. White is the coop- the load management program, ofering a program- erative’s frst director to have served at the Patuxent mable thermostat along with $50 in credits each year River Naval Air Station. A 20-year Navy veteran and for customers who help to reduce demand during fight ofcer, he frst came to Southern Maryland in summer months. Customer participation in the new 1992 to attend Test Pilot School at Patuxent River; program thrived, in part because the old program was he went on to serve in Operation Desert Storm. His so successful. last assignment was as NAVAIR’s airworthiness ofcer before retiring from active duty in 2002. He remained A major milestone for the 230-kV Southern Maryland with NAVAIR for another eight years as a civilian, Reliability Project was achieved when the cooperative overseeing numerous Navy and Marine Corps aircraft received a Finding of No Signifcant Impact (FONSI)

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 from the Rural Utilities Service for the environmen- said farewell. Foggo previously had served in that role tal assessment. Obtaining the FONSI—a two-year with Washington Gas. process including open houses and an open meeting—was also a condition of the PSC in its approval of For the third year in a row, SMECO won the J.D. the Certifcate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Power and Associates Award for customer satisfaction, Clearing this hurdle gave SMECO the green light beating the ratings of the previous year. It was especially to continue with the fnal permitting, engineering, gratifying to all SMECO personnel as the customer procurement and construction of the 230-kV line surveys that determined the award were held not long through Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. after February’s massive snowstorms. Te cooperative received kudos when it was recognized as a great place More than 1,500 people turned out for SMECO’s to work and do business. SMECO was ranked 27th annual meeting on Sept. 1, 2010, again at the Blue in Maryland in the third annual Gazette of Politics and Crabs’ Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf. All Business “Exceptional 53 Awards.” SMECO stood out incumbent directors were re-elected. for its dedication to promoting employee health and extensive community involvement. In November Director Samuel “Bo” Bailey of St. Mary’s County resigned after 33 years of service, Te cooperative ended the frst decade of the millennium during which he served as vice chairman of the board with 10,503 miles of line in service, 150,152 meters and chaired the Personnel in place and total megawatt-hour and Benefts Committee. He sales of 3,562,779.21 As it represented SMECO on the approached its 75th anniver- Public Relations Committee sary, SMECO was squarely on for the Virginia, Maryland solid ground and riding the wave and Delaware Association of technology to enhance its of Electric Cooperatives and commitment to service. the board for Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Services. Te Te 2011 Maryland General board selected William Cullins Assembly Session was indicative to complete Bailey’s unexpired of what the cooperative has faced for many years and will continue term. Cullins, president and SMECO’s annual meeting held at the ball park part owner of Cullins Trucking in Waldorf in 2010. to face. A bill was introduced Co. in Clements and part owner and defeated that would have of Wicomico Grain Elevator in Wicomico, served required utilities to enter into long-term contracts as a member of the St. Mary’s County Chamber of for the output of wind generation in the Atlantic Commerce, the Seventh District Optimist Club and Ocean. Te bill also sought to impose a surcharge on the St. Mary’s County Liquor Board. all Maryland ratepayers to underwrite the construction of the wind turbines to be located of the coast of Seven employees retired from SMECO in 2010, repre- Ocean City. Te cooperative argued successfully that senting a total of 185 years of experience. Four of them ofshore wind power is some of the most expensive served with the cooperative more than 35 years: Pam in the nation and that the customer-members would Cooksey, Jim Hill, Sonny Riley and Harry Sanders. be bearing the cost for a private venture. Te coop- John Rutt, transmission and substation engineering erative pointed out it supported renewable energy—as director, retired after 17 years. He oversaw the design evidenced by its contract for wind power from Stony and engineering of seven new substations and led Creek in Pennsylvania—but not at any cost. the expansion of many more. Supply Chain Director Larry Hak marked his retirement after 15 years with Te bill was the signature energy-related initiative SMECO and Dave Foggo, who had represented the brought by Gov. O’Malley and it was expected the cooperative for six years as a lobbyist in Annapolis, bill would return in future legislative sessions. One

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 171 bill that did pass—the “Maryland Electricity Service For the fourth consecutive year, SMECO received an Quality and Reliability Act”—was introduced because award from J.D. Power and Associates for the 2011 of the ongoing reliability problems experienced by Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Pepco customers. Te bill requires the PSC to adopt Study. According to J.D. Power’s news release, regulations that implement service quality and reliabil- SMECO ranked highest in the East region midsize ity standards for the state’s electric companies. It estab- utility segment.24 lished fnancial penalties that could be imposed for a In July 2011, records for high temperatures were utility’s failure to meet the new standards. Maximum broken all along the East Coast, and those high civil penalties of $25,000 per day could be imposed temperatures drove up the demand for electricity. for failure to satisfy the standards. Happily, SMECO PJM Interconnection, which manages the high volt- was praised during the hearings on the bill for its solid age transmission system in all or part of 13 states and reliability and for the work the crews do to keep the Washington, D.C., set a new record for peak power lights on. use on July 21 at 5 p.m. In one hour, the utilities met Te cooperative was successful in getting an amend- the demand for 158,450 megawatts (MW) of power. ment that exempts electric cooperatives in Maryland At the time, that was roughly the amount of power that Switzerland used in a typical day.25 from the penalty provisions of the bill. Several bills that would have imposed increased costs on coop- SMECO had a contract for the Stony Creek wind erative members also were defeated. Tese would power project and in 2011 signed an agreement for the have mandated long-term contracts for solar energy; Mehoopany wind project, also located in Pennsylvania. mandated that customers pay surcharges for using Te cooperative decided to commit to solar power more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month; prohibit by establishing a wholly-owned subsidiary, SMECO utilities from disconnecting customers for nonpay- Solar LLC, and constructing a generating facility on a ment; and required that SMECO provide customer 47-acre parcel near the cooperative’s new engineering information to third-party electricity suppliers. In and operations building in Hughesville. all there were more than 2,400 bills and resolutions SunEdison, based in Beltsville, Md., was selected to introduced during the 2011 session. More than 100 of construct the solar facility that would have a 5.5 MW those bills had or would have had a direct impact on capacity able to produce nearly 8,700 megawatt-hours SMECO and its customer-members.22 (MWh) of energy annually. SMECO planned to use SMECO launched its smart meter project in 2011 more than 10 percent of the solar energy produced to by installing about 900 smart meters in a St. Charles power its new engineering and operations building. neighborhood in Waldorf. As part of the privatiza- Creating the SMECO Solar subsidiary made the solar tion agreement with the Navy, approximately 1,000 project eligible for grants available under the American smart meters were installed at the Patuxent River Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Te grant covered 30 Naval Air Station, Webster Field, and the Solomons percent of the construction costs, which would help recreation center. lower the cost to customer-members. Construction on Te cooperative signed an agreement with Siemens and the project was to begin in July 2012. Solar energy production was to reach full operation in early 2013 eMeter Corporation to develop a meter data manage- and continue for at least 20 years.26 ment system (MDMS), the eMeter EnergyIP system, to manage the data generated by the smart meters. Te Looking back at 2011, SMECO personnel will MDMS would provide the cooperative with the abil- remember the earthquake on August 23, Hurricane ity to display and use meter information to improve Irene on August 27, and Tropical Storm Lee on business operations in addition to providing custom- September 7. Te earthquake had millions of people ers with the ability to access their energy use informa- talking because it was such an unusual event for states tion through the Internet.23 along the east coast. Buildings were evacuated and

Chapter eleven: 2003–2012 damage to some structures was considerable. Shortly thereafter, Americans saw images of engineers inspect- ing the Washington Monument by rappelling from the pointed tip down the side of the structure.

SMECO’s operations center tracked Hurricane Irene the week before it hit and the cooperative was well-prepared. Additional electric co-op crews from Alabama and Georgia were on site, suppliers had made cross-arms, transformers, and other materials available, and employees were on alert. Te hurricane hit the area on a Saturday morning, outages started around noon, and the rain lasted through the night. At 1 a.m. Sunday, SMECO was confronted with 11 transmission circuits that were out of service and 18 substations and 82 feeders that were de-energized. About 108,000 customers were without power. On Sunday, August 28, approximately 4 million people were without power Customer-member sentiment when power was restored and at least 40 people had died as the states along the after Hurricane Irene. east coast tallied the efects of the massive storm. In 2011, the board of directors approved a capital credit general refund of $3.073 million and a special refund While cities and towns were evacuated from the to estates and unpaid fnal bills of $1.185 million. At Carolinas to New England, the hardest hit areas of year’s end, SMECO had more than 152,000 custom- Southern Maryland were those near the rivers and ers, margins of more than $15 million, sales of more the Chesapeake Bay. Te heavy rain and strong winds than 3,437,000 MWh, and operating expenses of caused extensive damage totaling more than $7 million more than $419 million. to SMECO’s electric system. Hurricane Irene caused more damage and more outages than at any time in Te Southern Maryland Reliability Project had begun the history of the cooperative. But the restoration in 2008 with open houses for customer-members process that followed was the most well-coordinated, and other stakeholders to learn about the coopera- organized, and executed storm response SMECO tive’s plans to complete the 230-kV loop through personnel had ever witnessed.27 Calvert County. A new switching station in Aquasco in southern Prince George’s County and an upgraded Lloyd Goble marked his 55th year with the coop- switching station in Holland Clif in northern Calvert erative just three weeks before SMECO held its County were completed in October 2009, and the line 73rd Annual Meeting. Te meeting was held on that crosses the upper Patuxent River to connect the Wednesday, August 24, 2011, at the Blue Crabs two stations was energized at 230 kV. 28 Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf for the third In 2012, construction of the fnal portion of the consecutive year. More than 1,200 customer-members loop was underway. In March, SMECO began registered to vote, with 257 of them voting by absen- construction of the Sollers Wharf switching station tee mail-in ballot. Te fve incumbents were re-elected in southern Calvert County. In May crews started to serve on SMECO’s Board for three years: Nancy W. building roads for heavy equipment to access the sites Zinn of Calvert County; John H. Bloom of Charles where the new 230-kV poles would be constructed. County; Daniel W. Dyer of Prince George’s County; At the time of this writing, SMECO’s plans called and J. Douglas Frederick and Joseph V. Stone Jr. of for the Southern Maryland Reliability Project to be St. Mary’s County. completed in 2015.29

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 173 Epilogue

The Popes Creek generating station that once provided power to Southern Maryland closed and emptied of its equipment.

Epilogue It is doubtful that when Wendell M. Reed, Edna L. Millar, John B. Hupp and Vlad J. Donat of Charles County, Henry A. Xander of Prince George’s County, and George R. Quirk and William H. Mattingly of St. Mary’s County gathered in the ofce of the Charles County agricultural extension agent, P.D. Brown, in La Plata on Feb. 5, 1937, to sign the articles of incorporation for the Tri-County Cooperative Association, they could envision the impact of their actions on the future of Southern Maryland. At the time, the newly formed Rural Electrifcation Administration (REA) had written of the proposed electrifcation of Southern Maryland as not economically feasible; the investor-owned utilities refused to serve the area because of the economics and then fought the cooperative’s eforts, often with the tacit approval of the Public Service Commission (PSC). Over the last 75 years many major steps forward have been counterintuitive. After a rocky start with incorporation (REA had given the cooperative a two-month deadline to guarantee three members per mile of line, each paying a membership fee of $5 and a minimum monthly bill of $3.50), no power was forthcoming when the investor-owned utilities refused to sell power at reasonable rates. Against all odds, the board of directors approved the construction of a power plant at Popes Creek and on July 23, 1938, power began fowing to 484 members over 215 miles of line. In 1943 a far-sighted board of directors pushed for the acquisition of the Southern Maryland assets of the Eastern Shore Public Service Co. Te board successfully persuaded a reluctant REA to provide fnancing and thus assured the cooperative a contiguous service territory composed of St. Mary’s, Charles, Calvert and southern Prince George’s counties. In 1959 a vigilant board of directors responded to the increased growth in the area and the rising cost of purchased power by authorizing an engineering study to determine whether the co-op could generate its own power at a lower cost. When the study showed the afrmative, it wasted no time in purchasing a three-hundred acre tract of farmland and receiving REA authorization for an $18 million loan to build the plant. Te project was fought by Pepco and turned down by the PSC but the board’s actions ultimately resulted in an 8½ percent reduction in the rate of wholesale power and the contract was in efect for some 14 years (1963–77). Te cooperative took an active part in the activities and debates that ultimately restructured the Maryland electric industry. Tere were many parties and interests involved and SMECO’s philosophy when considering each issue was to ask the question, “Will this help provide reliable service at the

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 175 most economical cost?” Te answers did not always chairman, Wendell M. Reed, born in New Mexico correspond with what “the powers that be” wanted in 1865—the last year of the Civil War and 47 years to hear. When the fundamental organization of the before New Mexico was admitted to the union; it is the wholesale power market began to drastically change, story of the Beck family, who for a number of years ran requiring new tools, expertise and market knowledge, a SMECO ofce out of their home in Hollywood; it the board again wasted no time and in 2004 joined is the story of the latest retiree, and of every employee with ACES Power Marketing to develop a managed who has over three-quarters of a century worked under portfolio of energy suppliers. Tis move saved co-op the most adverse conditions responding to the whims members some $29 million dollars in wholesale power and winds of Mother Nature; but most of all, it is a costs in 2005 alone, and today SMECO’s portfolio of story of teamwork and a wonderful unspoken bond power contracts stands at $1 billion. between a band of brothers and sisters.

Te cooperative has been and continues to be a leader SMECO’s first General Manager Forrest Coakley, in technological innovation. SMECO has advanced light years in technology since this author sat in on a staf meeting in the early 1980s and then-General Manager Walt Smith asked his staf, “Do you think we ought to get a fax machine?” Te staf for the most part—chief engineer Dick McCoy was the exception—looked at one another and asked, “What the heck is a fax machine?” Te reader should be reminded this was before the era of cell phones and e-mail.

Cooperative members have been blessed over the years with both dedicated board members and employees. Te history of the cooperative is based on the actions and deeds of individuals. It is the story of the frst board Mark Thompson, a system operator, seated, and Joe Slater, Vice President of Finance and Administration, in SMECO’s operations center in 1990.

Epilogue Over the last 75 years hundreds of dedicated men Frederick who pioneered eforts to bring an electric and women have spent their working careers with cooperative to Calvert County, stated: SMECO, each building on the actions, decisions and “Te frst electric power from the Popes Creek achievements of their predecessors to achieve frst, the generating plant and the founding of Southern electrifcation of Southern Maryland and second, the Maryland Electric Cooperative must rank as one continuing reliability of that electric service, and in of the most important events in the history of the process to build one of the premier electric utilities Southern Maryland. Te growth and develop- in the United States. Fifty years ago, on the occasion ment of Southern Maryland would not have been of the 25th anniversary of the founding of Southern possible without electric power.” Maryland Electric Cooperative, the late Judge John B. Gray of the 7th Judicial Circuit and a native of Prince To be continued… seated, with Frank Schindler.

William Bell installing a bi-directional meter.

The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 177 HONORED Employees and Board Members

EMPLOYEES WITH MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF SERVICE Mori, Michael A. 1/31/1986–present 26.3 Name Duration of Years Mudd, Samuel A. 1/10/1955–4/1/1980 25.2 employment of service Oliver, Faye C. 8/16/1956–1/1/1983 26.4 25–29 YEARS Oliver, Gary K. 5/26/1987–present 25.0 Appleby, David J. 12/3/1984–present 27.4 O’Neill, James (d) 2/11/1946–5/7/1974 28.3 Bailey, Shirley D. 10/26/1953–4/24/1979 25.5 Penn, Janice S. (d) 1/15/1974–7/13/2001 27.5 Baldwin, Kelli A. 3/16/1987–present 25.1 Potter, William Calvin (d) 5/18/1953–4/1/1981 27.9 Bowie Jr., Joseph R. 5/6/1985–present 27.0 Quade, Barbara* 5/18/1964–8/16/1994 27.8 Bowling, Eleanor W. (d) 1/27/1959–7/30/1986 27.5 Reynolds, Johnny C. 11/16/1972–3/23/2001 28.4 Brawner Sr., Joseph E. 7/8/1974–1/16/2001 26.5 Roach, Elizabeth (d) 9/27/1948–6/18/1976 27.7 Briscoe, Tomas I. 5/1/1984–present 28.0 Rollins, Brian G. 6/11/1984–present 27.9 Burch, E. Lucille (d) 5/16/1947–9/30/1974 27.4 Rollins, Martha T. 10/23/1984–present 27.5 Clearwater, David 7/20/1984–present 27.8 Rubala, Mike J. 6/9/1977–11/17/2006 29.5 Cooksey Jr., Joseph R. (d) 9/24/1962–9/30/1991 29.0 Sanner, Leona (d) 9/22/1953–11/11/1979 26.2 Countiss, Kevin J. 4/1/1986–present 26.1 Schindler, Francis (d) 5/13/1948–7/31/1975 27.2 Cox, Scott K. 2/24/1986–present 26.2 Shlagel, Joseph R. (d) 9/2/1969–8/10/1994 25.0 Cross, Logan “Toy” 7/3/1978–6/26/2003 25.0 Shorter, Mary Lou 3/27/1968–11/30/1994 26.7 Cross, Mary “Lorraine” 10/28/1969–8/31/1995 25.9 Skone, Harold J (d) 5/1/1938–4/24/1964 26.0 Derby, Ronald J. 1/27/1987–present 25.3 Slater Jr., Austin J.* 7/2/1979–present 25.8 Dixon, Ralph M (d) 1/2/1957–12/31/1982 26.0 Slattery, John Francis (d) 6/1/1954–7/25/1979 25.2 Dobson, James R. (d) 9/29/1970–2/1/1996 25.4 Smith, Michael A. 5/4/1987–present 25.0 Dudley, Judith 7/9/1984–present 27.8 St. Clair, Kevin F. 4/30/1984–present 28.0 Fenwick, Paul A. 4/6/1979–6/13/2007 28.2 Stevens, Agnes “Lil” 3/6/1970–6/30/1998 28.3 Flerlage, August H (d) 11/29/1948–9/26/1974 25.8 Stone Jr., Charles “Chuck” 7/16/1984–present 27.8 Flerlage, Benjamin H. 10/20/1960–1/1/1990 29.2 Stone, Valerie B. 4/8/1985–present 27.1 Flora, Alan C. 12/17/1984–present 27.4 Suit, Harold O (d) 9/17/1951–2/9/1979 27.4 Franzak, Scott G. 2/28/1986–present 26.2 Tomas, Glenn I. 4/4/1983–present 29.1 Gant, James A. (d) 3/19/1973–9/26/2002 29.5 Tompson, Elmer M. (d) 4/14/1972–5/21/1998 26.1 Gardiner, Tami* 6/5/1983–present 25.7 Tribbet, Frank J. 5/16/1968–12/31/1997 29.6 Gibson, Ellis 1/31/1986–present 26.3 Van Horn, Ada J. 8/4/1980–8/23/2007 27.1 Gough Jr., Alfred F. 3/14/1977–6/15/2006 29.3 Ward Jr., Charles R. 1/31/1986–present 26.3 Gray, Patricia F. 6/23/1980–4/26/2006 25.9 Ward, Paul P. (d) 8/12/1946–3/18/1976 29.6 Hancock Jr., James I. (d) 9/3/1968–1/15/1996 27.4 Wathen, Josephine “Jody” 2/6/1984–present 28.3 Harley, LaRaine A. 8/30/1985–present 26.7 Wathen, Tomas G. 10/15/1984–present 27.6 Herbert Jr., Charles W. 6/17/1968–12/22/1994 26.5 Wenfeld, Paul 5/9/1986–present 26.0 Holland, Alexander (d) 4/2/1973–6/21/2001 28.2 Williamson, Carl W. 8/10/1973–6/24/2003 29.9 Holyoak, Frances 10/22/1952–11/30/1994 27.0 Jackson, Cecilia “Vanessa” 1/6/1984–present 28.3 30–34 YEARS Jackson, James “Harold” (d) 4/18/1966–10/30/1992 26.6 Abell, Benedict I. (d) 1/7/1946–2/4/1977 31.1 Johnson, Wesley C. (d) 6/4/1976–6/16/2004 28.1 Adams, John 9/1/1966–8/19/1999 33.0 Jones, Ray W. (d) 9/25/1961–5/26/1987 25.7 Ager, David M. 2/13/1978–present 34.2 Knott, Michael A. 5/27/1986–present 25.9 Baden, Tomas C. (d) 6/27/1949–12/31/1981 32.5 Lewis, Donna L. 6/11/1979–9/27/2007 28.3 Battaglia, James L. 1/21/1972–11/3/2003 31.8 Long, Charles D. 3/4/1974–9/26/2003 29.6 Beck, Albert L. (d) 7/13/1938–9/13/1968 30.2 Long, June Z. (d) 4/1/1958–10/27/1983 25.6 Becmer, Raymond J. 8/25/1969–3/20/2003 33.6 Lucas, Mary Ann 12/27/1956–3/18/1982 25.1 Bowen, George T. (d) 3/23/1960–11/30/1994 34.7 Lundstrom, Joyce F. 2/12/1979–2/17/2005 26.0 Bowles Jr., James “Jay” 11/13/1979–present 32.5 Macaranas, Glenn E. 4/6/1987–present 25.1 Bowling, Calvin “Bucky” 4/13/1981–present 31.1 Maddox, Steven E. 3/19/1984–present 28.1 Bushell, Curtis (d) 6/1/1953–8/15/1984 31.2 Marshall, Hooper “Columbus” (d) 10/3/1966–4/9/1994 27.5 Butler, James H. 1/3/1967–8/7/1998 31.6 Marshall, Joseph “Jake” (d) 3/18/1966–7/31/1992 26.4 Campbell, Myra I. 2/5/1979–present 33.3 Mattingly, Edith G. 8/29/1966–10/31/1991 25.2 Capps, Kenneth M. 10/21/1981–present 30.5 Miles, Joseph “Chubby” (d) 12/8/1977–10/6/2004 26.8 Card, William G. (d) 6/27/1949–12/31/1981 32.5 Montgomery, John “Steve” 10/1/1984–present 27.6 Carpenter, Mary Rosalie 4/17/1967–7/31/1998 31.3 Morgan, Cecilia A. 8/15/1977–8/28/2003 26.1 Chichester, Frederick S. (d) 8/18/1965–1/3/1999 33.4 Morgan, James “Billy” 7/23/1984–present 27.8 Clarke, Tomas “Maurice” (d) 2/18/1952–6/2/1986 34.3

Honored employees and Board members Cooksey, Jeanette B. (d) 11/3/1958–11/18/1991 33.1 Beavers, Phillip “Mike” 11/1/1968–11/14/2003 35.1 Curley, Mary Ellen 2/2/1981–present 31.3 Beck, Joseph (d) 5/5/1947–6/28/1985 38.2 Dorsey, Joseph P. 9/17/1958–12/31/1990 32.3 Benton, Huntt “Fred” 9/25/1961–7/30/1998 36.9 Dyson, Edward E. (d) 8/10/1955–2/12/1986 30.5 Bohle, James K. 11/26/1962–11/1/1999 37.0 Elliott, Shelton R. 5/16/1966–5/30/1997 31.1 Bowling, Joyce T. 2/21/1955–6/30/1993 38.4 Farrell, Arthur (d) 8/23/1948–8/30/1979 31.0 Bowling, Muriel P. 10/19/1959–1/30/1998 38.3 Flanagan, John F. 8/28/1978–present 33.7 Bowman, Tomas “T.J.” 2/1/1974–present 38.3 Goode Jr., Arthur L. 9/6/1974–4/16/2008 33.6 Braxton, William M. 8/6/1973–4/1/2011 37.7 Greenfeld, Janice M. 6/12/1978–present 33.9 Brown, David L. 7/18/1975–present 36.8 Grow, James R.* 12/22/1972–10/10/2008 30.5 Burch, Carl E. 9/24/1962–9/24/1998 36.0 Hardesty, William F. (d) 3/16/1964–3/30/1995 31.1 Bushell, Curtis “Jay” 7/21/1966–5/23/2003 36.9 Harley, Xavier Shawn 6/15/1979–present 32.9 Bussard, Samuel B. 2/2/1976–9/8/2011 35.6 Harris, Augusta L. 6/26/1972–6/27/2005 33.0 Cairns, Richard “Dickie” 9/29/1969–4/24/2008 38.6 Harris, Joseph G. (d) 1/10/1946–12/22/1978 33.0 Chase, William “Roscoe” 1/8/1976–present 36.3 Henderson, Diana M. 9/3/1963–5/31/1994 30.8 Chesley, Vernon I. 8/25/1975–present 36.7 Higgs, James D. 6/6/1975–6/16/2009 34.1 Clarke Jr., William “Bernie” 6/8/1973–present 38.9 Hough, Willard C. (d) 2/10/1947–2/4/1980 33.0 Coakley, Forrest (d) 7/1/1938–9/30/1974 36.3 Hutchins Jr., John “Kenny” 1/16/1970–12/3/2004 34.9 Conner, Ronald H. 9/26/1975–present 36.6 Jameson, Francis A. (d) 9/22/1954–2/14/1985 30.4 Cooksey Jr., Tomas D. 6/22/1973–1/16/2009 35.6 Johnson, J. Melvin (d) 12/3/1945–1/2/1976 30.1 Cooksey, Pamela C. 4/30/1973–1/18/2010 36.7 Johnson, Veronica E. 12/26/1978–present 33.4 Countiss, Bernard F. 8/8/1975–present 36.8 Jones, Marian H. 7/28/1978–8/1/2011 33.0 Cross, Benson Ralph 12/18/1967–4/29/2005 37.4 McCready, Glenn E. 2/18/1972–7/21/2005 33.4 Cusic, Charles “C.K.” 8/3/1970–1/31/2006 35.5 Mister, John “Billy” (d) 2/1/1966–12/15/2000 34.9 Dyson, Charles “Reggie” (d) 9/19/1947–6/28/1985 37.8 Mitchell, Robert E. 10/3/1949–11/28/1980 31.2 Earle Jr., William H. 9/15/1972–present 39.7 Moore Jr., Norman 12/29/1978–present 33.4 Ellis Jr., Joseph “Danny” 4/27/1973–2/5/2009 35.8 Morgan, John “Lee” 7/7/1969–4/28/2003 33.8 Fairfax, Tomas E. 8/1/1967–2/15/2005 37.6 Nelson, Margene B. (d) 7/16/1973–5/17/2005 31.9 Faunce, John M. 5/2/1973–present 39.0 Norris, Charlene A. 8/1/1967–3/30/2000 32.7 Gardiner, Charles W. 4/7/1952–4/9/1990 38.0 Nygaard, Gerald “Mike” 2/5/1979–present 33.3 Garner, Deborah J. 6/26/1974–present 37.9 Owens, James “Mike” 7/6/1973–7/17/2006 33.1 Gibson, Dorothy “Pecky” 7/1/1957–8/19/1994 37.2 Parran, Marine 9/4/1979–present 32.7 Gilroy, Reginald P (d) 9/24/1947–9/1/1983 36.0 Pickeral-Brown, Rosemary 3/1/1982–present 30.2 Goldsborough, Joseph “Fox” 5/12/1969–2/28/2005 35.8 Queen, Patricia H. 6/19/1972–9/29/2005 33.3 Goldsmith, Dallas E. (d) 1/6/1965–1/29/2003 38.1 Reed, James Matt 7/14/1980–present 31.8 Guy, Charles L. (d) 4/4/1949–6/28/1985 36.3 Smith, Karen S. 1/14/1980–present 32.3 Hamilton, Susan B. 1/5/1970–4/4/2008 38.3 Sonntag, Arthur “Bo” 9/10/1979–present 32.7 Hanson, William “Squeaky” 9/3/1968–8/11/2003 35.0 Stewart, Allan L. 2/13/1978–present 34.2 Henderson, Jean* 7/27/1959–12/31/2002 38.4 Sullivan, Robert “Mike” (d) 3/26/1973–12/7/2007 34.7 Henning, Stephen M. 7/1/1966–8/30/2002 36.2 Swales, Philip I. 4/3/1978–present 34.1 Herbert, Charles J. 1/4/1977–present 35.3 Swann, Mary A. (d) 1/3/1977–2/12/2009 32.1 Hill, James H. 6/11/1973–2/4/2010 36.7 Taylor, Robert W. 6/6/1975–6/16/2008 33.1 Hilwig, Joseph M. 1/10/1966–7/12/2004 38.5 Tennyson, Patricia A. 5/15/1978–9/23/2011 33.4 Hilwig, Joyce E. 4/28/1969–9/21/2004 35.4 Tompson, George E. 4/9/1962–11/30/1994 32.7 Hofman, Teresa “Diane” 3/4/1968–3/17/2005 37.1 Tompson, Richard (d) 3/31/1947–5/11/1978 31.1 Hogge, David L. 8/24/1962–1/5/1998 35.4 Wheatley, Mildred M. 6/3/1957–11/1/1988 31.4 Hopkins, Donnie C. 6/7/1971–2/16/2007 35.7 Wood, Christina A. (d) 5/13/1946–8/10/1978 32.3 Horky, Kenneth A. 9/29/1969–3/31/2005 35.5 Wood, James W. (d) 5/18/1964–11/30/1994 30.6 Howard, Michael W. (d) 6/8/1964–5/26/2000 36.0 Wright, Donald E. 12/10/1979–present 32.4 Huseman Sr., Richard B. 3/3/1969–3/31/2005 36.1 Young, John W. (d) 6/3/1957–6/1/1990 33.0 Jeferies, Joe L. 9/29/1976–present 35.6 Johnson, S. Wallace (d) 3/16/1939–6/27/1977 38.3 35–39 YEARS Johnston, Joseph P. 10/23/1967–12/29/2006 39.2 Austin, John “Jack” (d) 8/6/1951–8/1/1990 39.0 Kersey Sr., James T. (d) 12/19/1946–1/1/1983 36.1 Austin, Steven T. 6/4/1970–5/31/2006 36.0 Knox, Anthony R. 9/16/1975–present 36.6 Barnes, Amy C. 5/16/1977–present 35.0 Lawman Sr., William A. 8/6/1973–present 38.8 Batts, Phillip D. 4/2/1971–5/31/2006 35.2 Lewis Sr., Fred W. (d) 4/28/1958–1/30/1998 39.8

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 179 Lewis, Ophelia “Bernadette” 5/16/1977–present 35.0 Joy, Beulah “Nenie” 9/16/1952–6/30/1993 40.8 Mason Jr., Tomas “Willie” 6/27/1975–present 36.9 Keech, Roland L. (d) 4/9/1953–8/31/1993 40.4 Matthews, Constance P. 9/8/1970–10/16/2006 36.1 Matthews, John W. 7/18/1949–5/29/1992 42.9 Mattingly, Charles P. “Pete” 1/3/1949–4/4/1986 37.3 Mattingly, Charles “Kinky” 2/3/1969–present 43.3 Mattingly III, James F.* 9/25/1967–8/20/2004 36.5 McWilliams, Sharon A. 7/6/1965–2/28/2006 40.7 Mattingly, William C. “Repete” 6/2/1958–2/28/1997 38.8 Miller, Robert R. 1/6/1947–7/30/1990 43.6 McNey, Molly L. 6/7/1974–present 37.9 Morgan, Louise* 2/15/1960–7/24/2003 40.6 McWilliams, Myrtle E. 8/6/1962–8/7/1998 36.0 Montgomery, Grover C. (d) 8/1/1946–7/31/1987 41.0 Miller, Terry L. 7/12/1976–present 35.8 Norris, William B. (d) 10/20/1950–10/20/1990 40.0 Mitchell, Joan C. 4/1/1963–4/1/1998 35.0 Russell, John “Merrill” (d) 3/5/1951–8/31/1993 42.5 Modrzakowski, Henry “Whitey” (d) 10/25/1965–12/31/2004 39.2 Shenton, James A. (d) 6/9/1947–1/1/1992 44.6 Montgomery, Alexander (d) 10/31/1951–2/7/1988 36.3 Shepherd, Francis N. “Shep” 6/16/1952–6/30/1992 40.1 Montgomery, Wallace J. (d) 11/29/1946–1/1/1983 36.1 Simpson, Robert “Ned” (d) 6/20/1949–6/28/1991 42.0 Morgan Jr., James “Roy” 9/18/1967–6/24/2003 35.8 Slattery, John F. 10/5/1970–1/20/2011 40.3 Norris, Francis “Doc” (d) 9/8/1933–10/29/1969 36.2 Sosbe, Martin “Glenn” 2/26/1968–8/1/2011 43.5 Norris, J. Francis “Frank” (d) 9/30/1946–6/19/1986 39.7 Stine, Frank “Gene” 2/4/1963–6/15/2004 41.4 Norris, Philip N. 9/18/1967–1/2/2003 35.3 Stine, Frank “Kaiser” (d) 9/9/1936–2/20/1979 42.5 Potts Jr., Nicholas T. 11/9/1973–present 38.5 Trossbach Jr., Joseph O. 10/31/1969–present 42.5 Readmond, Robert “Tootie” 4/1/1959–11/30/1994 35.7 Trott, Robert A. 10/31/1967–1/18/2008 40.2 Riley, James “Sonny” 8/27/1973–9/9/2010 37.1 Violett, Ralph T. 4/5/1965–9/10/2009 44.5 Roberts, David B. 8/31/1970–2/16/2006 35.5 Willett, Karen “Sue” 6/16/1969–present 42.9 Sanders, Elmer “Harry” 8/13/1973–4/8/2010 36.7 Wible, Charles A. 10/28/1946–12/5/1988 42.1 Selig Jr., Allen R. 8/19/1974–present 37.7 Small, Richard “Pete” 9/18/1967–1/5/2004 36.3 45–49 YEARS Smith, Herbert L. 6/11/1971–1/16/2009 37.6 Burch, Christine* 10/27/1952–1/3/2000 46.0 Smith, Walter H. 3/2/1953–9/27/1989 36.6 Cooksey, Joseph R. (d) 10/20/1940–1/1/1990 49.2 Stansbury Jr., Robert L. (d) 1/16/1951–6/30/1988 37.5 Ferrall, William “Sandy” (d) 12/24/1932–7/15/1978 45.6 Swales, Walter M. 6/20/1975–present 36.9 Goldey Sr., Howard “Sonny” 11/14/1966–present 45.5 Swann, Evelyn M. 7/22/1968–12/31/2004 36.5 Jameson, Mary Pat (d) 2/1/1954–6/21/2001 47.4 Swann, Irving Wayne 7/19/1965–5/15/2003 37.8 Mattingly, Dorothy “Elaine” 10/12/1959–8/31/2005 45.9 Swann-Hicks, Mary Jane 12/8/1975–present 36.4 McConkey, Patricia “Elaine” 1/30/1967–present 45.3 Terres, Edward J. 2/16/1953–2/28/1992 39.1 Posey, John H. 2/1/1955–1/4/2000 45.0 Tompson, Mark L. 11/9/1973–present 38.5 Rawlings, Tomas C. 8/1/1966–present 45.8 Vermillion, William L. (d) 1/23/1963–3/30/2001 38.2 Simms, Tomas “Willie” (d) 10/1/1940–12/19/1985 45.2 Washington, S. Diane 11/3/1975–present 36.5 Trotter Jr., Howard “Pinky” (d) 7/2/1940–9/27/1985 45.3 Welch, John C. 10/26/1973–present 38.5 Tucker Jr., Charles “Jr.” 8/1/1951–7/28/1997 46.0 Welch, Philip L. 6/18/1956–9/30/1992 36.3 Welch, Tomas “Dusty” 4/16/1952–12/31/1998 46.7 Wood, Charles “Ronnie” 11/28/1966–7/28/2004 37.7 Wilson, Barbara J. 9/3/1957–12/31/2004 47.4 Wood, Cliford C. 5/31/1966–1/10/2002 35.6 Wood, Francis X. (d) 8/3/1953–10/20/1991 38.2 50 YEARS OR MORE Wood, Gloria M. 3/30/1965–3/30/2000 35.0 Goble, Lloyd A. 8/2/1956–present 55.8 Yates, John Pearl 4/29/1968–4/22/2003 35.0 Pilkerton, James “Ted” (d) 5/1/1940–5/10/1995 55.1 Young, George A. 5/6/1977–present 35.0

40–44 YEARS GENERAL MANAGERS AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Abell, Joseph “Slim” (d) 5/13/1932–5/31/1975 43.1 Forrest Coakley 1938–1974 Beach, Ralph 11/16/1970–present 41.5 Walter H. Smith 1974–1989 Beck, Harry E. (d) 3/14/1940–12/31/1982 42.8 I. Wayne Swann 1989–2003 Bowen Jr., Joseph “Lloyd” (d) 11/3/1947–1/15/1988 40.2 Austin J. Slater Jr. 2003–present Bowling Jr., James E. 3/15/1966–5/16/2008 42.2 Bowling, W. Wilson (d) 5/14/1942–12/31/1982 40.7 Chesser, Floyd M. (d) 8/15/1947–7/31/1991 44.0 Clarke Sr., William “Bernard” 10/20/1948–5/31/1993 44.6 Cook, Elsie Lorraine 12/1/1955–7/31/1998 42.7 Cooksey, Floyd A. (d) 1/3/1949–2/6/1989 40.1 Cooper, Robert E. (d) 4/19/1954–11/30/1994 40.6 Cusic, Shirley T. 7/27/1959–2/13/2001 41.6 Dean, Larry 2/1/1971–present 41.3 Elliott, Harvey “Leroy” (d) 2/16/1950–7/29/1994 44.5 Farrell Sr., David A. 9/25/1961–6/28/2002 40.8 Gardiner, Lena K.* 4/16/1962–6/4/2004 40.7 Gehring, Henry “Herman” (d) 12/6/1948–10/1/1993 44.8 Gough, Merrill (d) 2/27/1933–5/17/1974 41.2 Hamilton, John L. 5/7/1962–5/16/2003 41.1 Hayden Jr., George “Kenny” 4/30/1962–7/31/2002 40.3 Hayden, Charles “Garner” (d) 1/3/1949–6/14/1990 41.5 Hayden, Francis “Luke” 4/26/1954–6/30/1994 40.2 Lloyd Goble, employee with the most years at SMECO. Hintze, Harold A. 6/18/1956–2/27/1997 40.7 Huseman, Charles “Al” 1/20/1966–1/15/2009 43.0 *Non-consecutive years of service.

Honored employees and Board members SMECO BOARD

BOARD PRESIDENTS AND CHAIRMEN Wendell M. Reed 1937–1938 George R. Quirk 1939–1959 William H. Mattingly 1960–1964 Mervell M. Dean 1965–1967 James P. Bowling 1968–1980 Lewie Aldridge 1980–1999 Gilbert O. Bowling 1999–2003 Daniel W. Dyer 2003–2008 Joseph V. Stone Jr. 2008–present

BOARD ATTORNEYS J. Edward Burroughs 1937–1962 Robert E. Wigginton 1963–1978 Louis P. Jenkins 1978–2006 Joseph R. Densford 2006–present

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Calvert County 1946–1951 Perry G. Bowen Sr. Adelina 1954–1958 Perry G. Bowen Sr. Adelina 1959–1990 Perry G. Bowen Sr. Adelina 1958–1959 M. Kenneth Buckler Prince Frederick 1974–1984 M. Kenneth Buckler Prince Frederick 1973–1974 Arthur W. Dowell Jr. Prince Frederick 1984–1998 Arthur W. Dowell Jr. Prince Frederick 1990–Present Samuel J. Hammett Prince Frederick George Quirk, W. Haverman Mattingly, Edward Digges 1963–1973 Ray K. Hance Prince Frederick and Claude Owings in Miami, Florida, for the 1954 NRECA 1946–1950 J. Wilmer Johnson Prince Frederick annual meeting. 1951–1958 J. Wilmer Johnson Prince Frederick 1946–1954 G.I. Rupert Lore Solomons Prince George’s County 1958–1963 G.I. Rupert Lore Solomons 1946–1955 W.R.C. Connick Brandywine 1950–1958 Claude I. Owings Owings 1960–1967 T. Randolph Cooksey Brandywine 1998–Present W. Michael Phipps Owings 1964–1980 D. Leonard Dyer Accokeek 1958–2006 John W. Williams Jr. Solomons 1980–Present Daniel W. Dyer Accokeek 2006–Present Nancy W. Zinn St. Leonard 1967–1968 Richard S. LeVieux Aquasco 1996–2001 Walter M. Meinhardt Sr. Brandywine Charles County 1968–1996 Benjamin E. Richards Brandywine 1950–1951 Beverly H. Barnes La Plata 2001–Present James A. Richards Brandywine 1998–Present John H. Bloom Indian Head 1956–1960 Kenneth G. Wilson Brandywine 1970–Present Gilbert O. Bowling La Plata 1937–1963 Henry A. Xander Accokeek 1946–1958 J. Hayden Bowling Hughesville 1938–1957 J. Tomas Bowling Wicomico St. Mary’s County 1957–1980 James P. Bowling Waldorf 1973–1999 Lewie Aldridge Sr. Lexington Park 1957–1970 Walter W. Bowling Sr. Newport 1977–2010 Samuel M. Bailey Jr. Colton’s Point 2003–Present Fern G. Brown White Plains 1999–Present W. Rayner Blair III Lexington Park 1938–1942 Robert Vernon Cooksey Mt. Victoria 1960–1977 Benjamin H. Burroughs Sr. Mechanicsville 1952–1957 Edward S. Digges La Plata 2010–Present William R. Cullins III Clements 1937–1938 Vlad J. Donat Welcome 1938–1968 Mervell M. Dean Hollywood 1974–Present Kenneth L. Dyson Hughesville 1946–1974 John R. Drury Sr. Leonardtown 1969–1974 William E. Highby La Plata 1946–1950 Roland B. Duke Leonardtown 1975–1998 William E. Highby La Plata 1993–1996 John G. Evans Jr. California 1937–1939 John B. Hupp Bryans Road 1977–2007 George Purnell Frederick Abell 1939–1968 William P. Jameson Pomonkey 2007–Present Joseph Douglas Frederick Loveville 1965–1978 Louis P. Jenkins Sr. La Plata 1978–2009 Francis E. Hewitt Callaway 1941–1975 Ernest Keller Waldorf 1968–1978 Irving G. Hewitt Callaway 1958–1965 L. Spencer Knott Hughesville 1937–1975 William Haverman Mattingly Abell 1937–1938 Edna L. Millar Ironsides 1937–1960 George R. Quirk Park Hall 1946–1950 F. DeSales Mudd La Plata 1951–1973 S. Sprigg Reeves Chaptico 1979–2003 Mary R. Newman Waldorf 1976–1977 Joseph L. Somerville Loveville 1980–2006 Francis J. Nimmerrichter Waldorf 1974–1993 Norwood S. Sothoron Lexington Park 1937–1939 Wendell M. Reed Welcome 1996–Present Joseph V. Stone Jr. Leonardtown 2006–Present Richard A. Winkler La Plata 2010–Present Peter Scott White California

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 181 NOTES 22 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Nov. 30, 1928. 2 Te New York Times, April 3, 1930. 23 Ibid. 3 Te New York Times, Feb. 3, 1931. Chapter one 24 Te Times-Crescent, Dec. 7, 1928. 4 January 1993 report of the Energy 25 Te Times-Crescent, Dec. 14, 1928. Information Agency, Ofce of the (No Endnotes) Administrator, U.S. Department of Energy, 26 Te Times-Crescent, Jan. 18, 1929. Washington D.C., on the Public Utility Chapter two 27 Te New York Times, Jan. 25, 1929. Holding Company Act of 1935. 1 5 Growing up in Prince Frederick during the 28 Maryland Independent, Jan. 15, 1928. Saint Mary’s Beacon, July 18, 1930. 1920’s & 30’s, Arthur Wilson Dowell, 6 29 Deed dated Sept. 22, 1930, recorded edited by Carolyn Dowell Mohler, Te Times-Crescent, April 5, 1929. among the land records of St. Mary’s Copyright 1999. Arthur Dowell served 30 Saint Mary’s Beacon, May 1, 1910. County, Md., at Liber JMM 7 Folio 115. on the Board of Directors of Southern 31 Maryland Electric Cooperative from Nov. Te Times-Crescent, April 12, 1929. 7 Deed and bill of sale from Eastern Shore 20, 1973, until July 8, 1974, when he 32 Maryland Independent, June 7, 1929. Public Service Co. to Southern Maryland resigned to run for public ofce. He served Electric Cooperative recorded May 14, 33 Te Times-Crescent, April 12, 1929. again from April 17, 1984, until resigning 1945, among the land records of Prince at the end of his term on July 13, 1998. 34 Ibid. George’s County, Md., at Liber 728 Folio 35 93. Te certifcate of merger between the 2 Saint Mary’s Enterprise, Sept. 19, 1925. Ibid. Maryland Power and Light Co. and the 36 3 Ibid. Te Times-Crescent, April 26, 1929. Eastern Shore Public Service Co. dated 4 Franchise to William F. Cecil from the 37 Te Times-Crescent, May 3, 1929. Oct. 13, 1943, is included as part of the bill of sale. commissioners of St. Mary’s County, dated 38 Ibid. Sept. 28, 1925, SMECO fles. 8 Washington Daily News, Dec. 23, 1930. 39 Maryland Independent, June 7, 1929. 5 Saint Mary’s Enterprise, Oct. 24, 1925. 9 Te Baltimore Sun, Dec. 26, 1930. 40 Te Times-Crescent, May 3, 1929. 6 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Feb. 18, 1926. 10 Te Washington Star, April 22, 1931. 41 Franchise to William F. Cecil from the 7 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Nov. 12, 1926. county commissioners of St. Mary’s 11 Te Baltimore Sun, April 25, 1931. 8 Land records of Calvert County, Maryland, County dated Aug. 13, 1929, and 12 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Dec. 11, 1931. subsequently assigned to Southern Liber AAH 19 Folio 23. 13 Maryland Electric Cooperative by the http://science.howstufworks.com/ 9 Land records of Calvert County, Maryland, Eastern Shore Public Service Co. on April transport/fight/classic/golden-age-of- Liber AAH 19 Folio 371. 25, 1945, SMECO fles. Te franchise was fight-timeline5.htm 10 Franchise to George W. Woolford assigned by William F. Cecil and Elizabeth 14 Te New York Times, July 30, 1932. from the county commissioners of St. Cecil to William F. Stevens of Chicago, 15 January 1993 report of the Energy Mary’s County, dated Feb. 16, 1928, Ill., by deed dated Oct. 25, 1929, at Liber Information Agency, Ofce of the and subsequently assigned to Southern JMM 6 Folio 482, land records of St. Administrator, U.S. Department of Energy. Maryland Electric Cooperative by the Mary’s County, Md. Stevens subsequently Eastern Shore Public Service Co. of assigned the franchise to the Maryland 16 Te New York Times, July 30, 1932. Maryland on April 25, 1945, SMECO Light and Power Co. on Sept. 22, 1930, 17 Ibid. fles. by deed recorded among the land records 18 Ibid. 11 Saint Mary’s Beacon, May 22, 1925. of St. Mary’s County, Md., at Liber JMM 7 Folio 115. In July 1943 the Maryland 19 12 Ordinance of the commissioners of Te Times-Crescent, Feb. 24, 1928. Light and Power Co. merged with its Leonardtown, “Efecting the Maryland 13 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Feb. 24, 1928; Te parent company, the Eastern Shore Public Light and Power Company,” dated Nov. Southern Maryland Times, April 6, 1928, Service Co., Public Service Commission 30, 1932, and approved by the Public reprinted in Te Times-Crescent, April 13, Case No. 3038. Service Commission of Maryland, Order 1928. 42 Te Times-Crescent, Aug. 30, 1929. No. 24647, Case No. 3640, on Feb. 13, 1934. Te commissioners of Leonardtown 14 Saint Mary’s Beacon, March 30, 1928, 43 www.livinghistoryfarm.org/ at the time were Francis F. Greenwell, reprinted from Te Times-Crescent of La farminginthe30s/money_08.html. Stephen M. Jones, B. Kennedy Abell, Plata. 44 Deed from William F. and Elizabeth D. Louis F. Abell and William G. Fenwick. 15 Te Times-Crescent, April 13, 1928. Cecil to William F. Stevens, recorded J. Richard Norris was the clerk to the 16 Saint Mary’s Beacon, April 27, 1928. among the land records of St. Mary’s commissioners. SMECO fles. County at Liber JMM 6 Folio 482, dated 20 17 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Nov. 25, 1932. Saint Mary’s Beacon, June 29, 1928. Oct. 28, 1929. 21 18 Te New York Times, Jan. 31, 1933. Saint Mary’s Beacon, March 22, 1928, ad 45 Te Times-Crescent, Nov. 1, 1929. by the Leonardtown Implement Co. for a 22 Te New York Times, Feb. 5, 1933. Delco-Light system. 46 Te New York Times, Dec. 29, 1929. 23 Te New York Times, Aug. 24, 1933. 19 Te Times-Crescent, Sept. 28, 1928. Chapter three 24 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Nov. 24, 1933. 20 Ibid. 1 1930 Timeline. http://xroads.virginia. 25 Saint Mary’s Enterprise, Feb. 26, 1932. 21 Te Times Crescent, Nov. 16, 1928. edu/~1930s2/Time/1930/1930fr.html 26 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Nov. 17, 1933.

Notes 27 Saint Mary’s Beacon, March 30, 1934. 51 Letter dated Nov. 10, 1936, from Morris Sen. R.V. Cooksey, Mount Victoria; Edna 28 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Oct. 12, 1934. L. Cook, REA administrator, to Rev. S. Millar, Ironsides; Margaret Reed, Welcome; John Rudtke of Holy Angels Church in Mr. and Mrs. George Wade, Port Tobacco; 29 Ibid. Avenue, Md., SMECO fles. Lee Milstead, Ironsides; James Milstead, 30 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Nov. 30, 1934. 52 Te Washington Post, June 30, 1932, Ironsides; Walter Mills, Grayton; John Tomas, Nanjemoy; V. Joseph Donat, 31 January 1993 report of the Energy announcing the retirement of Wendell M. Reed, Te Washington Post, Sept. 3, 1953, Nanjemoy; Walter Shives, Marbury; Otis Information Agency, Ofce of the De Lozier, Rison; W.P. Bragunier, Pisgah; Administrator, U.S. Department of Energy. obituary of Wendell M. Reed. He died in September 1953 at the age of 88 and is Allison Bowie, Pisgah; Berkley Bowie, 32 Te Washington Post, Aug. 1, 1935. buried at Durham Church, Ironsides, Md. Pisgah; John Brady Hupp, Bryans Road; 33 Harry Lehman, Bryans Road; Pete Farmer, Te Washington Post, Aug. 8, 1935. 53 Letter dated Dec. 10, 1936, from Louis Bryans Road; Jim Burroughs, Bryans Road; 34 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Oct. 18, 1935. C. Stephens, Developmental Division of Tom Slater, Bryans Road; Wesley Key, REA, to Wendell M. Reed, Welcome, Md., 35 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Sept. 18, 1936; Bryans Road; James Clark, Bryans Road; SMECO fles. Initial Opinion Memorandum, REA Legal Will Tomas, Pomonkey. Prince George’s Division, dated July, 31, 1936, SMECO 54 Letter dated Jan. 12, 1937, from Louis C. County: Xander, Coleman and Dyer, fles. Stephens to Wendell M. Reed, SMECO Accokeek. fles. 9 36 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Sept. 11, 1936. Letter dated March 2, 1937, from Wendell 55 M. Reed to W.H. Mattingly, Abell, Md.; 37 Ibid. Saint Mary’s Beacon , July 3, 1936. SMECO fles. 56 38 Letter dated Feb, 2, 1937, from Morris Saint Mary’s Beacon, Sept. 4, 1936; 10 L. Cook, REA administrator to the Hon. Saint Mary’s Beacon, April 9, 1937, “Ernest Information on Father S. John Rudtke, M.E. Tydings, United States Senate, Workers Seeking Light.” S.J., provided by the Rev. Francis Burch, Washington, D.C., SMECO fles. 11 S.J. Father Burch currently (2009) teaches Letter dated May 7, 1937, from Wendell at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, 57 Minutes of meetings held Feb. 3, 1937, M. Reed to George Quirk of Pearson; Pa. Feb. 5, 1937, and Feb. 8, 1937, SMECO SMECO fles. fles. 12 39 Initial Opinion Memorandum, REA Legal Te Washington Post, June 3, 1937, “Private Division, dated July 31, 1936, SMECO 58 Saint Mary’s Beacon, April 30, 1937. Power, Md. REA Group Arrange Truce.” fles. 13 Te Washington Post, June 8, 1937, “Power Chapter four 40 REA memorandum dated July 27, 1936, Assured For 600 Farms In Maryland.” SMECO fles. 1 Te History of Charles County, Maryland, 14 Tri-County Cooperative Association board 41 Ibid. Margaret Brown Klapthor and Paul Dennis minutes, Feb. 14, 1938. Brown, published 1958 by the Charles 15 42 Letter from Col. P.M. Anderson of Te Washington Post, Aug. 10, 1936. County Tercentenary Inc., La Plata, Md, Washington, D.C., to Mr. John H. Hupp, 43 p. 112. Saint Mary’s Beacon, Sept. 4, 1936. Tri-County Cooperative Association, La 2 44 Letter dated July 12, 1933, from Frank Ibid., p. 43 and p. 125. Plata, Md., dated Feb. 16, 1938; SMECO Harper, executive secretary and member of 3 Tomas A. Jones, Chief Agent of the fles. the Public Service Commission, to L.M. Confederate Secret Service in Maryland 16 Letter dated April 8, 1938, from Boyd Hopkins, superintendent of lighthouses, by John M. and Roberta J. Wearmouth. Fisher, director, Division of Operations Department of Commerce; National Copyright 1995, Stones Trow Publishing, Supervision, REA, to Wendell M. Reed, Archives Record Group 26, Entry 50. Port Tobacco, MD. president, Southern Maryland Tri-County A windmill generator was in use at the 4 Saint Mary’s Beacon, March 6, 1879, Cooperative Association; SMECO fles. lighthouse from 1928 until the early reprinted from the Port Tobacco Times. 17 1930s; in addition, generators were used. Te Washington Post, July 24, 1938, “REA Information provided by Robert Hall, 5 Old Maryland Landmarks, Robert E.T. Power Flows To Maryland Farms.” president of the Point Lookout Lighthouse Pogue, Copyrighted 1972, p. 211. 18 http://xroads.virginia.edu/~1930s/ Preservation Society. 6 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Dec. 24, 1943. RADIO/WOTW/frames.html. 45 Saint Mary’s Beacon 19 , July 31, 1936. 7 http://www.mdta.maryland.gov/ Te Baltimore Sun, April 9, 1939, Sunday 46 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Feb. 28, 1936. TollFacilities/HWN.html Magazine section, “All Eyes on Potomac Span In Southern Maryland.” 47 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Sept. 18, 1936. 8 St. Mary’s County: R.P. Blackistone, River 20 Forrest Coakley, project manager, report 48 Springs; Adam Butterfeld, Colton Point; Letter dated June 11, 1936, from Boyd to the board of directors of Southern Fisher, chief of the REA Development John F. Dent, Oakley; Lettie M. Dent, Oakley; S.M. Bailey, Milestown; Stanton Maryland Tri-County Cooperative Section, to E. Morgan Pryse of Association for the calendar year of 1939 Washington, D.C., SMECO fles. Guy, Clements; Foxwell Burch, Milestown; Dr. A.C. Welch, Chaptico; W.H. dated April 1, 1940; SMECO fles. 49 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Sept. 18, 1936. Mattingly, Abell; Rev. S.J. Rudtke, Avenue. 21 Letter dated Aug. 10, 1938, from Ward 50 Letter dated Nov. 7, 1936, from Louis C. Peninsula, Charles County: Brother W.E. Freeman, coordinator of engineering, Stephens, Development Division of the Carley, Bel Alton; Omar Jones, Newburg; REA, to W.M. Reed, president, Southern REA, to Wendell M. Reed of Welcome, Michael Shea, Tompkinsville; Dr. T.L. Maryland Tri-County Cooperative Md., SMECO fles. Higdon, Wayside; Wallace Bowling, Association; SMECO fles. Newport; J.T. Bowling, Wicomico; A.J. Norris, Cobb Island; Otho Wise, Wayside;

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 183 22 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Jan. 20, 1939, 40 Letter from Pinky to everybody, Co C., 26 McCullough, David. Truman, N.Y: Simon “Southern Md. Acts to Extend Power 130 3rd Service Unit, Camp Lee, Va., & Schuster, 1992, p. 481. Lines, REA Head’s Address Spurs Eforts dated Dec. 15, 1941; SMECO fles. 27 Ibid., p. 493. To Start Preliminary Work.” 28 Saint Mary’s Beacon, March 15, 1946, 23 Te Times-Crescent Chapter five , March 10, 1939, “Material Shortages Delay Power Line “R.E.A. Notes.” 1 President’s report, annual members’ Construction.” 24 Te Times-Crescent meeting, April 10, 1944; SMECO fles. , June 23, 1939, 29 SMECO board minutes, April 17, 1946. “Tri-County To Expand Lines.” 2 SMECO board minutes, Dec. 14, 1942. 30 Te Washington Post, May 3, 1946, 25 Te Times-Crescent, Nov. 3, 1939, 3 SMECO board minutes, Jan. 10, 1944. “Materials Lack Delays Rural Electric “Tri-County To Expand Lines.” 4 SMECO board minutes, Dec. 14, 1942. Lines.” 26 Te Washington Post, Dec. 29, 1939, “Rural 5 http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/ 31 SMECO board minutes, May 27 and June Power Lines 55% Completed.” United_States._ofce_of_Scientifc_ 10, 1946; Co-Op News of the Southern 27 Te Times-Crescent, Dec. 29, 1939, “REA Research_and_Development.aspx. Maryland Electric Cooperative Inc., News.” Waldorf, Md., December 1946. 6 SMECO board minutes, Feb. 8, March 8 28 Forrest Coakley, project manager, report and June 14, 1943. 32 SMECO board minutes, May 13, 1946. to the board of directors of the Southern 7 Ibid. 33 SMECO board minutes, May 27, 1946. Maryland Tri-County Cooperative Association for calendar year 1939, dated 8 SMECO board minutes, Sept. 13, 1943. 34 SMECO board minutes, July 8 and 23, 1946. April 1, 1940; SMECO fles. 9 Handwritten press release in cooperative’s 29 Maryland Independent, March 22, 1940, fle for 1944 annual meeting. 35 SMECO board minutes, Oct. 14, 1946. “New Generating Units And Lines in 10 Minutes of annual meeting of Southern 36 Co-op News of the Southern Maryland Operation.” Maryland Electric Cooperative held at Electric Cooperative Inc., Waldorf, Md., 30 Forest Coakley, project manager, report Helen, St. Mary’s County, Md., at 8 p.m. December 1946. to the board of directors of the Southern on April 10, 1944; SMECO fles. Chapter six Maryland Tri-County Cooperative 11 President’s report, annual members’ Association for calendar year 1939, dated meeting, April 10, 1944; SMECO fles. 1 “Te Great Black-eyed Pea Hoax,” Charley April 1, 1940; SMECO fles. Eckhardt’s Texas 12 Treasurer’s report as of Dec. 31, 1943, , Jan. 1, 2007; http://www. 31 Te Washington Post, April 10, 1940, annual members’ meeting, April 10, 1944; texasescapes.com/CFEckhardt/Te-Great- “Southern Maryland Cooperative SMECO fles. Blackeyed-Pea-Hoax.htm Members hear Radclife”; Cumberland 2 Saint Mary’s Beacon, 13 SMECO board minutes, May 8, 1944. April 11, 1947; Evening Times, April 10, 1940, “Radclife SMECO board minutes, June 9 and 18, Urges Electricity for More Farm Homes”; 14 Story recounted to the author by 1944 1947. Maryland Independent, April 12, 1940, graduating class members Ethelbert Abell, 3 SMECO board minutes, Sept. 8, 1947. “Radclife Speaks To R.E.A. Members.” Walter Blair and Lou Briscoe nee Gardner. 4 32 Te Washington Post, March 15, 1940, 15 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Oct. 20, 1944. Ibid. “Southern Maryland Dust Pall Laid To 5 16 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Oct. 13, 1944. SMECO board minutes, December 1947. REA Contest”; May 7, 1940, “REA Circus 6 SMECO board minutes, Jan. 12, 1948. Shows Marvels of Electricity in Labor 17 SMECO board minutes, Nov. 17, 1944. 7 Saving Devices for Farms.” 18 SMECO board minutes, Dec. 19, 1944. SMECO board minutes, May 10, 1948. 33 Saint Mary’s Beacon 8 , September 1940, 19 http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/ www.spiritofreedom.org/airlift.html. “Jarboesville Gets Electric Current.” VJ-Day_Celebrations_1945_New_York_ 9 SMECO board minutes, July 12, 1948. 34 Te Washington Post , Nov. 16, 1940, City_pdf 10 SMECO board minutes, Aug. 9, 1948. “Southern Maryland Power Firm to Extend 20 Te Washington Post , March 23, 1945, 11 SMECO board minutes, Nov. 8, 1948. Lines.” “PSC Approves Southern Md. Utility Sale.” 35 Maryland Independent 12 SMECO board minutes, Dec. 13, 1948. , Jan. 17, 1941, 21 SMECO board minutes, March 21, 1945. “Tri-County Asso. Group Meets For 13 SMECO board minutes, June 6, 1949. Annual Reports.” 22 Saint Mary’s Beacon, April 6, 1945, “S.M.E. Co-Op To Meet April 9th At La Plata.” 14 SMECO board minutes, Sept. 12, 1949. 36 Forrest Coakley, project manager, report 15 to the board of directors of the Southern 23 Letter with no date addressed to the board Te Washington Post, Nov. 4, 1949, Maryland Tri County Cooperative of directors of Southern Maryland Electric “Electric Coop Now Willing To Arbitrate.” Association for calendar year 1940, dated Cooperative and presented at the board 16 SMECO board minutes, July 10, 1950. Jan. 13, 1941; SMECO fles. meeting of June 8, 1945. 17 SMECO board minutes, Dec. 12, 1949. 37 24 Letter from George R. Quirk, president, Ibid. 18 SMECO, to Sen. Millard E. Tydings SMECO board minutes, April 10, 1950, 38 Maryland Independent, Jan. 16, 1942, “170 dated Nov. 7, 1945, and letter from James and May 8, 1950. Attend Annual Tri County Meeting.” Forrestal, secretary of the Navy, to Sen. 19 SMECO board minutes, Aug. 7, 1950, 39 http://www.indiana.edu/~league/1941. Millard E. Tydings dated Nov. 26, 1945. and Oct. 9, 1950. htm. 25 SMECO board minutes, Nov. 5, 1945.

Notes 20 SMECO board minutes, Oct. 9, 1950 and 53 Co-op Review, Vol. 7, No. 6, August 1957. 15 Te Washington Post/Times Herald, Sept. 5, April 16, 1951. 54 Ibid. 1962, pg. B4, “Cooperative Electric Plant 21 Backed.” SMECO board minutes, Dec. 11, 1950. 55 Co-op Review, Vol. 8, No. 7, August 1958. 16 Te Washington Post/Times Herald 22 Co-op Review, Vol. 1, No. 4, March 1951. , Dec. 56 Co-op Review, Vol. 7, No. 4, May and June 16, 1962, pg. B15, “Power Co-op Faces 23 What’s My Name, Vol. 1, No. 2, January 1957. Decision.” 1951. 57 Co-op Review, Vol. 7, No. 5, July 1957. 17 Ibid. 24 What’s My Name, Vol. 1, No. 3, February 58 Co-op Review, Vol. 7, No. 6, 1957. 18 Co-op Review, Vol. 13, No. 1, January– 1951. 59 Ibid. February 1963; Te Washington Post/ 25 SMECO board minutes, March 12, 1951. Times Herald, Jan. 12, 1963, pg. D22, 60 Co-op Review, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1958. 26 Co-op Review, Vol. 1, No. 4, March 1951. “Co-op Asks Generator Rehearing. 61 Co-op Review, Vol. 8, No. 4, April 1958. 19 27 Co-op Review, Vol. 5, No. 11, December Te Saint Mary’s Enterprise, Centennial 1955. 62 Co-op Review, Vol. 9, No. 5, August 1959. Issue, March 30, 1983, pg.45. 20 28 Saint Mary’s Beacon, April 13, 1951; 63 Co-op Review, Vol. 8, No. 7, August 1958. Ibid, pg. 47. SMECO board minutes, April 16, 1951. 64 Co-op Review, Vol. 10, No. 5, August and 21 Te Washington Post/Times Herald, July 29 Co-op Review, Vol. 1, No. 7, June 1951. September 1960. 13, 1963, pg. B28, “Co-op Kills Patuxent Plant Plan.” 30 Co-op Review, Vol. 1, No. 12, December 65 Co-op Review, Vol. 9, No. 5, August 1959. 22 Co-op Review, Vol. 13, No. 5, September– 1951. 66 Ibid. October 1963. 31 Co-op Review, Vol. 2, No. 1, January– 67 http://www.census.gov/population/ 23 Co-op Review, Vol. 14 No. 1, January– February 1952. cencounts/md190090.txt. February 1964. 32 Saint Mary’s Beacon, Dec. 7, 1951. 68 “Consumers By County–Year Ending 24 Ibid. 33 Te Times-Crescent, Jan. 18, 1929; Stephen 1945–1952; SMECO fles. 25 Co-op Review, Vol. 14 No. 2, March–April W. Gambrill, 1873–1938; member of 69 Co-op Review, Vol. 10, No. 1, January and 1964. Congress, 1924–1938. February 1960. 26 34 Co-op Review, Vol. 6, No. 6, July 1956. Te Washington Post/Times Herald, Aug. 9, 1957, pg. B2, “Patuxent to Get Pepco 35 Chapter seven Co-op Review, Vol. 1, No. 11, November Plant.” 1951. 1 www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ 27 Co-op Review, Vol. 14, No. 1, January– 36 md190090.txt. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1952_in_ February 1964. television. 2 Consumers by County—Year Ending 28 Co-op Review, Vol. 14, No. 4, July–August 37 1945–1992, SMECO fles. Saint Mary’s Beacon, Sept. 26, 1952, and 1964. Oct. 31, 1952. 3 Co-op Review, Vol. 11, No. 1, January– 29 Co-op Review, Vol. 14, No. 5, September– 38 February 1961. Agreement of Sale dated April 3, 1952, October 1964. between SMECO, Arthur Marshall and 4 Co-op Review, Vol. 11, No. 4, August– 30 George Goodwin; SMECO fles. September 1961. Ibid. 31 39 Co-op Review, Vol. 2, No. 5, June–July 5 Co-op Review, Vol. 10, No. 5, August– Co-op Review, Vol. 15, No. 2, March– 1952. September 1960. April 1965. 32 40 Ibid. 6 Ibid. http://timelines.com/1965/gateway-arch- in-st-louis-completed 41 Co-op Review, Vol. 2, No. 6, August 1952. 7 Enterprise, April 12, 1962. 33 Co-op Review, Vol. 16, No. 2, March– 42 8 Co-op Review, Vol. 3, No. 7, August– Ibid. April 1966. September–October 1953. 9 Co-op Review , Vol. 12, No. 1, January– 34 http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4002/p3a.htm 43 Co-op Review, Vol. 4, No. 5, May 1954. February 1962; Vol. 19, No. 6, November– 35 Co-op Review, Vol. 16, No. 1, January– 44 December 1969. Ibid. and Co-op Review, Vol. 3, No. 6, July February 1966. 1953. 10 Co-op Review, Vol. 11, No. 4, August– September 1961. 36 http://timelines.com/1967 45 Co-op Review, Vol. 4, No. 8, August 1954. 11 Co-op Review, Vol. 12, No. 3, July– 37 Co-op Review, Vol. 18, No. 3, May–June 46 Co-op Review, Vol. 5, No. 5, August 1955. August, 1962. 1968. 47 Enterprise, Oct. 22, 1954. 38 12 Co-op Review, Vol. 13, No. 5, September– Ibid. 48 Co-op Review, Vol. 4, No. 10, October October 1963. 39 Co-op Review, Vol. 10, No. 1, January– 1954. 13 Co-op Review, Vol. 12, No. 2, March– February 1969. 49 Ibid. April 1962. 40 Ibid. 50 14 Co-op Review, Vol. 5, No. 9, September Co-op Review, Vol. 12, No. 3, July–August 41 Ibid. 1955. 1962. 42 SMECO Railroad ROW fles. 51 Co-op Review, Vol. 6, No. 7, August 1956. 52 Co-op Review, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 1955.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 185 Chapter eight 12 Co-op Review, Vol. 32, No. 5, 1982. 51 1989 Annual Report, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. 1 Te First Fifty Years, A History of Southern 13 “Bringing Power to Southern Maryland,” Maryland Electric Cooperative, Jan Penn, SMECO publication, 1981. 52 Watts News, Vol. 13, Issue 1, January 1990. p. 17. 14 Co-op Review, Vol. 33, No. 5, 1983. 2 Chapter ten www.mdp.state.md.us/msdc/popproj/ 15 Ibid. TOTPOP_PROJ08.pdf 1 Co-op Review, Vol. 40, No. 3, 1990. 16 Watts News, Vol. 6, Issue 2, 1983. 3 Co-op Review, Vol. 20, No. 3, May–June 2 Co-op Review, Vol. 40, No. 6, 1990. 17 Co-op Review, Vol. 33, No. 5, 1983. 1970. 3 Co-op Review, Vol. 40, No. 5, 1990; 18 4 Co-op Review, Vol. 20, No. 4, July–August Co-op Review, Vol. 34, No. 5, 1984. interview with John Wearmouth, a 1970. 19 Co-op Review, Vol. 33, No. 6, 1983. local historian, who in preparation for SMECO’s 50th anniversary interviewed 5 Co-op Review, Vol. 23, No. 2, March–April 20 Co-op Review, Vol. 35, No. 5, 1985. a number of employees involved with the 1973. 21 Ibid. cooperative when it frst began; Watts 6 Co-op Review, Vol. 24, No. 2, April–May– News Vol. 10, Issue 3, 1987. 22 Co-op Review, Vol. 36, No. 5, 1986. June 1974. 4 Co-op Review 23 Ibid. , Vol. 41, No. 5, 1991; 7 Co-op Review, Vol. 24, No. 3, 1974. 1990 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 24 Ibid. 8 Co-op Review, Vol. 25, Nos. 2 and 4, 1975. Electric Cooperative. 25 Co-op Review, Vol. 35, No. 8, 1985. 5 9 Co-op Review, Vol. 25, No. 3, 1975. Co-op Review, Vol. 40, No. 8, 1990. 26 Co-op Review, Vol. 36, No. 5, 1986. 6 10 Co-op Review, Vol. 26, No. 3, 1976. Co-op Review, Vol. 41, No. 5, 1991. 27 Co-op Review, Vol. 37, No. 5, 1987. 7 11 Co-op Review, Vol. 27, No. 1, 1977. Watts News, Vol. 13, Issue 11, November 28 Ibid. 1990. 12 Co-op Review, Vol. 27, No. 3, 1977. 8 29 Co-op Review, Vol. 36, No. 6, 1986. Watts News, Vol. 16, Issue 5, May 1991. 13 Co-op Review, Vol. 28, No. 3, 1978. 9 30 1991 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 14 Co-op Review, Vol. 35, No. 8, 1985. Ibid. Electric Cooperative. 31 15 Watts News, Vol. 9, Issue 5, May 1986. Co-op Review, Vol. 28, No. 6, 1978. 10 Watts News, Vol. 14, Issue 5, May 1991. 32 16 Co-op Review, Vol. 37, No. 5, 1987. Co-op Review, Vol. 28, No. 4, 1978. 11 Co-op Review, Vol. 41, No. 8, 1991. 33 17 Co-op Review, Vols. 37 and 38, Nos. 5, Ibid. 12 1987 and 1988. Co-op Review, Vol. 41, No. 11, 1991; 18 Ibid. Watts News, Vol. 14, Issue 11, November 34 Co-op Review, Vol. 38, No. 5, 1988. 19 1991. Co-op Review, Vol. 29, No. 1, 1979. 35 Co-op Review, Vol. 37, No. 3, 1987. 13 1991 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 20 Co-op Review, Vol. 29, No. 3, 1979. 36 Co-op Review, Vol. 37, No. 6, 1987. Electric Cooperative. 21 Co-op Review, Vol. 29, No. 2, 1979. 37 Co-op Review, Vol. 37, No. 7, 1987. 14 1992 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 22 Weather information from the author’s Electric Cooperative. 38 Co-op Review, Vol. 37, No. 6, 1987. 1979 daybook. 15 Co-op Review, Vol. 42, No. 4, April 1992. 39 Watts News, Vol. 10, Issue 8, August 1987. 23 Watts News, Vol. 2, No. 2, March/April 16 Co-op Review, Vol. 43, No. 1, January 1979. 40 Co-op Review, Vol. 39, No. 5, 1989. 1993. 24 Co-op Review, Vol. 29, No. 4, 1979. 41 1988 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 17 Co-op Review, Vol. 43, No. 4, April 1993. Electric Cooperative. 25 Co-op Review, Vol. 29, Nos. 5 and 6, 1979. 18 1993 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 42 Co-op Review, Vol. 38, No. 7, 1988. 26 Co-op Review, Vol. 30, No. 4, 1980. Electric Cooperative. 43 Co-op Review, Vol. 39, No. 5, 1989. 19 Ibid. Chapter nine 44 1988 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 20 Co-op Review, Vol. 43, No. 8, August Electric Cooperative. 1 Co-op Review, Vol. 31, No. 5, 1981. 1993. 45 Watts News, Vol. 11, Issue 3, March, 1988; 2 Ibid. 21 Co-op Review, Vol. 43, No. 9, September “Information Exchange to Follow a New 1993. 3 Watts News, Vol. 3, Issues 1 and 4, 1980. Path at SMECO,” Ken Capps, distribution 22 1993 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 4 Co-op Review, Vol. 30, No. 6, 1980. and communications engineer. 46 Electric Cooperative; Co-op Review, Vol. 5 Co-op Review, Vol. 39, No. 1, 1989. Ibid. 43, No.10, October 1993; Watts News, 47 6 Ibid. 1989 Annual Report, Southern Maryland Vol. 16, Issue 5, May 1993. Electric Cooperative. 23 7 Watts News, Vol. 3, Issue 5, 1980. 1993 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 48 Co-op Review, Vol. 39, No. 7, 1989. Electric Cooperative. 8 Co-op Review, Vol. 30, No. 6, 1980. 49 Watts News, Vol. 12, Issue 8, August, 1989. 24 Co-op Review, Vol. 44, No. 1, January 9 Co-op Review, Vol. 31, Nos. 8 and 9, 1981. 50 Watts News, Vol. 12, Issue 11, November 1994. 10 Co-op Review, Vol. 31, No. 12, 1981. 1989. 25 Co-op Review, Vol. 44, No. 3, March 1994. 11 Co-op Review, Vol. 32, No. 6, 1982. 26 Watts News, Vol. 18, Issue 1, January 1995.

Notes 27 Watts News, Vol. 23, Issue 4, April 2000 58 Watts News, Vol. 21, Issue 2, February 3 2003 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 28 Co-op Review, Vol. 44, No. 3, March 1994; 1998. Electric Cooperative; Co-op Review, Vol. 1994 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 59 Ibid. 53, Issue 9, September 2003. 4 Co-op Review Electric Cooperative. 60 Ibid. , Vol. 53, Issue 10, October 29 Enterprise 2003; Issue 11, November 2003. , Feb. 18, 1994. 61 1992 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 5 Watts News, Vol. 26, Issue 11, November 30 1994 Annual Report, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. 2003. Electric Cooperative. 62 Co-op Review, Vol. 48, Issue 8, August 6 2003 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 31 Watts News, Vol. 17, Issue 5, May 1994. 1998. Electric Cooperative. 32 Co-op Review, Vol. 44, No. 8, August 63 Watts News, Vol. 21, Issue 9, September 7 Watts News, Vol. 27, Issue 1, January 2004. 1994. 1998. 8 Watts News 33 Watts News, Vol. 17, Issue 9, September 64 Co-op Review, Vol. 48, Issue 10, October , Vol. 28, Issue 1, January 2005. 1994. 1998. 9 2005 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 34 Watts News, Vol. 17, Issue 12, December 65 Co-op Review, Vol. 48, Issue 8, August Electric Cooperative. 1994. 1998. 10 Watts News, Vol. 28, Issue 11, November 35 Co-op Review, Vol. 46, No. 5, May 1996. 66 1999 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 2005. 11 2006 Annual Report 36 Co-op Review, Vol. 45, No. 12, December Electric Cooperative; Watts News, Vol. 22, , Southern Maryland 1995. Issue 3, March 1999; Co-op Review, Vol. Electric Cooperative. 50, Issue 5, May 2000. 12 Co-op Review 37 1995 Annual Report, Southern Maryland , Vol. 57, Issue 12, December 67 http://mdenergyresource.wordpress. Electric Cooperative. 2007. com/2011/01/08/maryland-electric- 13 2007 Annual Report 38 Co-op Review, Vol. 45, No. 7, July 1995 , Southern Maryland deregulation/ Electric Cooperative. 39 Watts News, Vol. 18, Issue 12, December 68 Ibid. 14 2008 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 1995. 69 T.S. Eliot, “Te Hollow Men,” 1925. Electric Cooperative. 40 Ibid. 70 1999 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 15 Watts News, Vol. 31, Issue 10, October 41 1996 Annual Report, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. 2008. Electric Cooperative. 71 Watts News, Vol. 22, Issue 10, October 16 Watts News, Vol. 32, Issue 4, April 2009. 42 www.ferc.gov/legal/maj-ord-reg/land-docs/ 1999. 17 2009 Annual Report, Southern Maryland rm95-8-00w.txt 72 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, Annual Reports, Electric Cooperative. 43 Co-op Review, Vol. 46, No. 4, April 1996. Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. 18 Watts News, Vol. 32, Issue 6, June 2009. 44 Co-op Review, Vol. 46, No. 3, March 1996. 73 Co-op Review , Vol. 50 Issue 3, March 2000. 19 Watts News, Vol. 33, Issue 12, December 45 Co-op Review, Vol. 46, No. 8, August 74 Co-op Review, Vol. 51, Issue 5, 2001. 2010. 1996. 75 Co-op Review, Vol. 51, Issue 4, 2001. 20 2010 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 46 Co-op Review, Vol. 46, No. 10, October 76 www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Reta Electric Cooperative. 1996. il+Electric+Markets+and+Finance/ 21 Ibid. 47 Co-op Review, Vol. 46, No. 11, November PGE+Bankruptcy/ 22 Watts News, Vol. 34, Issue 5, May 2011. 1996. 77 1992 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 23 Co-op Review 48 Co-op Review, Vol. 47, No. 8, August , Vol. 61, Issue 8, August Electric Cooperative; Watts News, Vol. 24, 2011 1997; 1997 Annual Report, Southern Issue 10, October 2001. Maryland Electric Cooperative. 24 2011 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 78 1992 Annual Report, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 49 http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-07- Electric Cooperative. 21/business/1997202004_1_electricity- 25 Co-op, Vol. 61, Issue 9, September 2011 79 Watts News, Vol. 24, Issue 11, November competition-task-force 2001. 26 Co-op Review, Vol. 61, Issue 11, November 50 Watts News, Vol. 20, Issue 6, June 1997. 2011 80 2002 Annual Report, Southern Maryland 51 Co-op Review, Vol. 48, No. 5, May 1998. Electric Cooperative. 27 2011 Annual Report, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 52 Watts News, Vol. 21, Issue 12, December 81 Watts News, Vol. 25, Issue 6, June 2002. 1998 28 A Clean Slate, October 1, 2009. 82 Watts News, Vol. 25, Issue 8, August 2002. 53 Watts News, Vol. 21, Issue 5, May 1998 29 Co-op Review, Vol. 62, Issue 4, April 2012 83 Watts News, Vol. 25, Issue 2, February 54 Ibid. 2002; Issue 6, June 2002; Issue 8, August 55 Watts News, Vol. 21, Issue 12, December 2002; Issue 11, November 2002. 1998 Chapter eleven 56 Ibid. 1 Watts News, Vol. 26, Issue 4, April 2003. 57 1998 Annual Report, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. 2 Ibid.

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 187 Brawner, Joe 151 Cooksey, Tommy 169 INDEX Braxton, Willie 127 Cooksey, T. Randolph 92, 93, 181 Brice, Arthur H. 56 Cooper, Robert 120, 124, 138, 139, 140 A Brier, William 167 Cornelius, Brian 127 Abell, Benedict I. 104 Briscoe, John Hanson 102, 106 Cox, Sonja 163 Abell, Francis E. 111 Brown, Fern G. 158, 181 Crain, Robert 14 Abell, Joseph A. “Slim” 28, 61, 69, 93, 111, 122 Brown, Frances 47 Cross, Ralph 120, 162 Abell’s Wharf 37 Brown, Paul D. 33, 35, 117 Crossroads Post Ofce 21 Adams Electric Cooperative 152 Brown, Talley 124 Culbertson, Tim 85 Adams, Johnny 150 Buckeye Light and Power Co. 28 Cullins III, William R. 181 Aero Energy 152 Buckler, M. Kenneth 80, 81, 103, 116, 181 Cullins, Tim 127 Ager, David 127 Burch, Carl 147 Cullins, William 171 Aldridge Sr., Lewie 101, 113, 117, 121, 126, 136, Burch, Christine 151 Cusic, Charles 164 150, 181 Burroughs, Donald Reeves 124 Allen, Aris T. 113 Burroughs, J. Edward 53, 91, 92, 97, 181 Alliance for Cooperative Energy Services Power D Burroughs, Phil 104 Davis Corp. 114 Marketing 158 Burroughs, Richard 80 Davis, Liza 120 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 172 Burroughs Sr., Benjamin H. 84, 101, 181 Davis, President Jeferson 65 Anderson, Col. Peter M. 40, 41 Bushell, Curt 117 D-Day 55 Arbaugh, C.R. 14 Bushell, Jay 137, 140 Dean, Barbara 86 Austin, Steve 127, 164 Bush, President George H.W. 124 Dean, Gary 116 Auth, Jim 116 Bush, President George W. 161 Dean, Jimmy 72 Butler, Jim 147 Dean, Mervell M. 34, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 181 B Dell, Richard A. 86 Baden, Buck 117 C DeMarr, Martha 139 Bailey Jr., Samuel M. “Bo” 105, 171, 181 Cairns, Dr. Gordon M. 91 Densford, Joseph R. 34, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 163, Baltimore and Virginia Steamboat Co. 29 Calvert Memorial Hospital 139 181 Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. 18, 20 Camfeld, T.J. 30 Dent, Fannie Jo 117 Barbara Dean 82 Canter, L. Johnson 21 Dent, Gilbert 32, 117 Barnes, Amy 117 Capps, Ken 154, 156 Dent, Lettie Marshall 53 Barnes, Beverly H. 70, 181 Captain Billy 38 Depression, the 30 Battaglia, Gregg 121 Card, William G. “Bill” 101, 103 Dewey, Tomas E. 68 Battaglia, Jim 160 Carlson Helicopter Service 120 Dickey, Ernest 81 Batts, Phil 164 Carmody, John M. 44 Dick, George W. 17 Batzel, John Roy 90 Carpenter, Rosalie 147 Digges, Edward S. 181 Beamish, Richard J. 51 Cecil, William F. 11, 12, 14, 22, 23, 27, 42, 182 Diggs, John Dudley 69 Beavers, Mike 127 Central Louisiana Electric Co. 140 Dillon, Joy 82, 86 Bechtel Corp. 130 Century 21 142 Dixon, Ralph 115 Beck, Albert L. 21, 30, 52, 60, 90, 93, 94, 95, Century Trust Co. 14 Donat, Vlad J. 35, 41, 175, 181 111, 122, 131, 178 Certifcate of Public Convenience and Necessity Dowell Jr., Arthur W. 101, 103, 116, 150, 181 Beck, Harry E. 52, 115, 122 86, 100, 120, 127, 130, 167, 168, 171 Drinks, Captain John 37, 38 Beck, Harry L. 52 Charlotte Hall Military Academy 59 Drum Point Lighthouse 26 Beck, Joe 39, 95, 179 Chesapeake Beach Railway Station 20, 96 Drury Sr., John R. 59, 102, 181 Becmer, Raymond J. 106, 139, 157 Chesser, Floyd 122 Duckett, George 9 Bell, J. Ernest “Ernie” 132, 150 Choptank Electric Cooperative 145 Dudley, Judy 144 Bell, Webster 38 Churchill, Winston 48 Duke, Kenneth 56 Bell, William 177 Citizens Bank and Trust Co. 143 Duke, Roland B. 32, 59, 68, 70, 181 Benton, Fred 137 Civil War 37 Dyer, Daniel W. “Danny” 34, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, Bergen, Edgar 43 Civista Medical Center 13 113, 173, 181 Berry, Richard 9 Claggett, Sauls Berry 9 Dyer, D. Leonard 91, 101, 113, 181 Black River Electric Cooperative 126 Clarke, Bernard 135, 168 Dyson, Charles “Reggie” 118 Blair Family Limited Partnership 150 Clark, Kevin 125 Dyson, Eddie 118 Blair III, Walter Rayner 150, 181 Clark, William B. 90 Dyson, Kenneth L. 103, 181 Blair’s Jewelry and Gifts 150 Coad, Allan 32 Dyson, Roy 116 Bloom, John H. 147, 173, 181 Coakley, Forrest 43, 44, 46, 48, 51, 52, 53, 56, Booth, John Wilkes 37 61, 180 Bosley, Charles B. 56 E Cold War 65 Earthquake 172 Bowen, George 139 College of Agriculture 91 Eastern Shore Public Service Co. 25, 40, 56, 85, Bowen, Joseph L. 90 Compton, Calvin 47 101, 111. See also ESPSC Bowen, Lloyd 106 Connick, W.R.C. 58, 59, 61, 70, 71, 77, 181 Eastern Shore Trust Co. 13, 14, 23, 27 Bowen Sr., Perry G. 59, 101, 129, 132, 181 Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Co. Edelen, Edward 57 Bowen, Superintendent W.A. 45 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 28, 53 EEH 124. See also Energy Efcient Home Bowling, George W. 121, 130 Convenience, Certifcate of Public 86 Ehrlich, Gov. Robert 160 Bowling, Gilbert O. 158, 181 Cooke, James D. 42, 43, 44 Eisenhower, President Dwight D. 74 Bowling, James P. 91, 92, 97, 181 Cook, Lorraine 147 Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act of Bowling, James Tomas 44, 78, 181 Cook, Morris L. 31 1999 149 Bowling, J. Hayden 59, 70, 80, 181 Cooksey, Floyd 71 Electric Deregulation Act of 1999 74 Bowling, Jim 168 Cooksey, Jeanette 132 Electric Management Engineering Corp. 27 Bowling, Joyce Greenfeld 118 Cooksey, Joe 132 Elliot, H. Leroy 103, 113, 139, 140 Bowling, Muriel 144 Cooksey, Mildred 52 Ellis, Danny 169 Bowling Sr., Walter W. 79, 100, 101, 181 Cooksey, Pam 171 Ellis, Joe 139 Bowling, Wilson 52, 114, 115, 122 Cooksey, Robert Vernon (R.V.) 44, 181 eMeter Corporation 172 Brandywine Companies Group 142

Index Empire Public Service Corp. 23, 25, 45 Groves, J.L. 20 I Employers Mutual Insurance Company 87, 90, Grow, Jim “J.R.” 147 IBEW 68. See also International Brotherhood of 137 Guyther, Dr. Roy 18 Electrical Workers EmPOWER Maryland 165 G. Walter Trovell Inc. 30 Ice storm 136, 138, 149 Energy Efcient Home 124. See also EEH Indian Head Naval Works 34 Energy Policy Act of 1992 141 H Insull, Samuel 25, 27 Esperanza Farm 67 Hak, Larry 171 Intellisource 145 ESPSC 25, 26, 27, 28, 40, 57, 85, 101, 104, 106, Hale Electric Co. 59 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 111, 118, 125. See also Eastern Shore Public Hall, Dorman 113 68, 104, 135. See also IBEW Service Co. Hall, Irma 113 Irrigation Service of the Bureau of Indian Afairs Estep, Mike 163 Hamil, David A. 80 34 Evans Jr., John G. “Jack” 135, 142, 181 Hamilton, Susan 157, 168 Irving Trust Co. 27 Executive Order No. 7037 29, 34 Hammett Building Services 129 Ivey, Glenn 145 Hammett, Samuel John “Jack” 129, 181 F Hampton, Paul M. 71 J Fairfax, Tom 127 Hance, Ray K. 88, 101, 181 Jackson, Harold 134 Farrall, L.K. 107 Hann, T.C. 17 Jacobs, Alvin 73 Farrell, David 155 Hanson, William “Squeaky” 160 Jameson, Mary Pat 67, 152 Federal Emergency Management Agency 139, 164 Hardesty, Berkley 103 Jameson, William P. 44, 70, 78, 85, 95, 181 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Hardesty, Bill 141 Jarboe, E.T. 38 141 Harkness, David 30 Jarboe, Rich 166 Federal Power Commission 88, 104 Harris, Joseph G. “Joe” 80, 104, 107 J.C. Lore oyster house 35 Fenwick, William G. 32 Harrison, Lester 71 J.D. Power and Associates 164, 171, 172 Ferrall, William S. “Sandy” 28, 69, 106, 114 Harrison, Mary 113 Jefrey, Nancy 123 Fisher, Boyd 41 Harrison, Tommy 127 Jenkins Sr., Louis P. 92, 108, 163, 181 Flerlage, August H. 90 Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge 17, 38, 43 John R. Drury & Son Inc. 102 Florida Power & Light Co. 18 Hatem, Tomas J. 115 Johnson, David 153 Foggo, Dave 171 Hayden, Dr. Charles 32 Johnson, Dorothy 115 Foot, Archie 139 Hayden, Francis “Luke” 139 Johnson, J. Wilmer 59, 70, 72, 80, 181 Forrestal, James 58 Hayden, Frank 38 Johnson, President Lyndon B. 93 Fowler, C. Bernard “Bernie” 103, 113 Hayden, George K. “Kenny” 135, 140 Johnson, Wallace 28, 111 Frederick, Joseph Douglas 165, 181 Hayes, Emmett J. 71 Johnston, Joe 164 Frederick Sr., George Purnell 105, 164, 181 Hays, U.S. Rep. Brooks 77 Jones, Melvin 35 Freeman, Ward B. 43 Heidelbach, Dave 140 Jones, Ray Winfeld 121 Friendship Farm 32 Henderson, Diana 139 Jones, Tomas A. 37, 38 Fujikura America Inc. 135 Henderson, Jean 155 Joy, Beulah “Nenie” 131 Fuller, Ida May 46 Henderson, Joe 91 Fulton Lewis Jr. Choir 74 Henry G. Ferguson Hard Bargain Farm 89 Furio, Joe 130, 135 Herbert, Charles 139 K Herron, Robert 140 Kaminetz, Ida 163 G Hewitt, Francis E. 106, 169, 170, 181 Kandel, Tomas 142 Hewitt, Irving G. 94, 101, 106, 181 Keech, Roland 113, 124 Gambrill, Rep. Stephen W. 72 Keller, Ernest 48, 70, 100, 103, 181 Gardiner, Glen 124 Higdon, Joseph 57 Highby, William E. 95, 101, 103, 147, 181 Kerr, Frank 16 Gardiner, Lena 160 Kerr, Ida M. 16 Gardiner, Tami 123 Hill, Jim 171 Hill, Kelly 134 Kersey, James T. “Jimmy” 104, 115 Gardner, Bing 91 King, Aloysius 38 Garner, Francis 71 Hilwig, Joseph 160 Hilwig, Joyce 160 King, David M. 113 Garner, Harold Brent 124 Knott, L. Spencer 80, 92, 181 Gehring, H. Herman 71, 90, 135 Hogan, Larry 168 Gehring, John J. 21 Hogge, David 144 Gibson, Dorothy 139 Holland, Al 109, 139, 153 L Gibson, Ellis 127 Holyoak, Francis 139 Lane Jr., Gov. William Preston 72 Gilroy, Reginald P. 101 Howard Implement Co. 19 Larsen, Jack 17 Glazeman, A.R. 85 Howard, Joseph H. 20 Latimer, E. Burton 90 Glendening, Gov. Parris 143, 148 Howard, Mike 151 Laundry School 74 Goble, Lloyd A. 80, 114, 141, 164, 173, 180 Hoyer, Steny 134 Lawrence, Eddie 91 Goeshy, Captain William 26 Hughes, Gov. Harry 113 Ledogar, Edward 14 Goldsmith, Dallas 155 Hupp, John B. 34, 35, 44, 175, 181 Lee, Gov. Blair 105 Goldsmith, Kenneth 73 Hurricane Floyd 150 Leonardtown Barber Shop Quartet 91 Goldstein, Sen. Louis L. 72, 74, 95 Hurricane Gloria 117 Leonardtown Ice Co. 25 Goodwin, George 73 Hurricane Hazel 76 Leonardtown Wharf 26, 37, 68 Gough Jr., Alfred F. “Al” i, iv, 129, 139, 153, 164 Hurricane Irene 172, 173 LeVieux, Richard S. 93, 95, 181 Gough, Merrill I. 111, 122 Hurricane Isabel 156, 159 Lewis Electrical Co 41 Gough, Oscar 28 Hurricane Juan 117 Lewis, Fred 144 Gov. Tomas Johnson Bridge 105 Hurricane Katrina 149, 162 Lewis, John L. 59 Graham, Mary 47 Hurricane Rita 149 Lewis Jr., Fulton 53, 54, 75 Gray, Charles 139 Huseman, Al 127 Lincoln, President Abraham 37 Gray Jr., John B. 21, 69, 86, 177 Hutchins, Elsie Mae 82, 86 Lindsey, Bill 137 Great Black-eyed Pea Hoax of 1947 65 Hutchins, Kenneth 160 Loker, Aleck 32 Greenfeld, Joyce 95, 103 Hyde, Louis M. 24 Loker, George P. 32 Greenwell, Dr. F.F. 32 Hymes, Donald L. 89 Long, Linda 139 Grover, Garner “Pete” 113 Lore, G.I. Rupert (Dick) 35, 59, 70, 75, 80, 85, 88, 181

Lighting up our lives: The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 189 Lore, Gus 35 Montgomery, Grover C. 104, 122 Patuxent River iv, 17, 38, 51, 58, 60, 62, 66, 67, Lore Jr., J.C. 35 Montgomery, Linda 95 68, 71, 72, 73, 79, 81, 84, 85, 86, 90, 93, 97, Lore Sr., J.C. 35 Montgomery, Steve 137 100, 105, 114, 135, 149, 154, 157, 160, 161, Lundstrom, Joyce 163 Montgomery, Wallace J. 104, 115 169, 170, 172, 173 Lusby, Maurice T. 13 Mooradian, Charles 139 Patuxent River Naval Air Station 38, 58 Lybrook, Robert C. “Bud” 101 Moore, Mary Berry 117 Pembrook, R.H. 21 Lyon, William 57 Morris & Wells Construction Co 40 Penn, Bill 161 Mrs. Co-op Homemaker 1955 77 Penn, Janice S. “Jan” 102, 134, 139, 153, 161 M Mudd, F. DeSales 59, 70, 170, 181 Pennsylvania Central Light and Power Co. 27 MacDougall, Mark A. 147, 153 Mudd, John F. 20 Pennsylvania Railroad 37 Mann, Lt. R.L. 51 Mudd Jr., Frank D. 135, 139, 161 Pepco 14, 15, 53, 58, 66, 67, 74, 84, 86, 87, 88, Marbury, Charles C. 69 Mudd, Samuel A. 101, 103 89, 90, 99, 100, 104, 105, 106, 109, 112, 115, Marshall, Columbus 139 Munday, Elizabeth 136 118, 120, 123, 125, 127, 131, 133, 136, 138, Maryland Electric Cooperative Act 48, 145 Murphy’s Store 21 140, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, 158, 172, 175, Maryland Electric Customer Choice and Competi- 185. See also Potomac Electric Power Co. tion Act of 1999 165 N Phillips, Emerson C. 60, 69 Maryland Electricity Service Quality and Reli- Nathanson, Louis 47 Phipps, W. Michael 146, 181 ability Act 172 National Electric Power Co. 25, 27, 28 Physicians Memorial Hospital 91 Maryland General Assembly 48 National Electric Reliability Council 161 Pilkerton, James Teodore “Ted” 52, 114, 130 Maryland Light and Power Co. 23, 25, 26, 27, 31, National Labor Relations Board 69. See also NLRB Pirelli Jacobson 135 33, 35, 47, 53, 55, 182. See also Eastern Shore National Public Service Corp. 25, 27 Pleger, Bruce 168 Power Supply Co.; See also ESPSC National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Pogue, Robert E.T. 37 Maryland Ofce of the People’s Counsel (OPC) 109, 135, 137, 163. See also NRECA Point Lookout Lighthouse 26, 32 141 National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp. Pope, Francis 37 Maryland Tercentenary Commission 30 96, 120 Popes Creek Power Plant 41, 174 Matthews, Connie 164 Naval Mine Warfare Test Station 66 Posey, John 151 Matthews, John W. 73, 85, 90, 133 New England Public Service Co. 27 Potomac Electric Power Co. 14, 53, 58, 66, 84, Mattingly, Charles “Pete” 120 Newman, Mary R. 108, 158, 181 99, 112. See also Pepco Mattingly, Edith 132 Newtown Neck Proving Ground 51 Potomac River 17, 37, 38, 42, 43, 90, 140 Mattingly, Elaine 103, 162 New York Power Authority 31 Potts, Nick 127 Mattingly, Hilda 77 Nimmerrichter, Francis J. 111, 181 Price, J.M. 14, 17 Mattingly III, James F. 160 NLRB 69. See also National Labor Relations Board Prince George’s Federal Savings and Loan 143 Mattingly, William H. 27, 34, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, Noel, Elizabeth A. 149 Prince William Cooperative 52 89, 181 Norris, Charlene 151 Prohibition 30 Mattingly, William “Repete” 144 Norris, Francis W. “Doc” 85, 111 PSC 12, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 29, 31, Mauk, R.D. 16, 17 Norris, J. Francis “Frank” 80, 104, 114, 120, 122 32, 33, 40, 67, 73, 85, 86, 87, 89, 100, 115, Mayer, Danny 119 Norris, Jim 81 117, 120, 123, 127, 141, 145, 147, 148, 149, McCarthy, Charlie 43 Norris, Lillian 82, 86 166, 168, 172, 175, 184. See also Public Service McConchie Grange Hall 34 Norris, Sen. George W. 47 Commission McConkey, Elaine 161 Northeastern Utilities Co. 27 Public Service Commission 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, McConkey, Warren 30 Northern Neck Electric Cooperative 79 39, 40, 41, 47, 56, 60, 67, 69, 85, 89, 95, 100, McCoy, Richard J. “Dick” 93, 100, 176 Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative 144 104, 105, 115, 138, 143, 144, 148, 165, 167, McGill, Mary 106 NRECA 97, 109, 135, 137, 140, 155, 162, 163, 171, 175, 182, 183. See also PSC McKeldin, Gov. 72 181. See also National Rural Electric Coopera- Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 29, McLane, Governor R.M. 30 tive Association 53 McLean, Captain N.T. 38 Nygaard, Mike 162 Purcell, Steuart 56 McWilliams, Myrtle 147 McWilliams, Sharon 164 O Q Meade, Roy M. 14 Obama, President Barack 166 Quade, Barbara 139 Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative of Chase City O’Conor, Gov. Herbert R. 48 Quade, Horace 28, 111 79 Ofce of Price Administration 52, 68. See Quade, J.O. 27 Meinhardt Sr., Walter M. 142, 153, 181 also OPA Quade, S.I. 27 Menk, Teodore F. 90 Ofce of Scientifc Research and Development 51. Queen, Pat 162 Meyer, Lawrence C. 90, 137 See also OSRD Quigley, John 30 Michigan Electric Power Co. 27 Old Capital Prison 37 Quirk, George R. 34, 35, 39, 44, 45, 55, 59, 68, Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Services 148 Oldham, Bob 160 83, 84, 85, 175, 181, 184 Middle West Utilities Co. 25 Oliver, Faye 88, 106, 115, 140 Midkif, Raleigh 166 O’Malley, Gov. Martin 164, 165 R Miles, Clarence M. 14 OPA 52, 68. See also Ofce of Price Administra- Rappahannock Electric Cooperative 144 Miles, Joe “Chubby” 160 tion Rausch Funeral Home 146 Millar, Edna L. 34, 35, 175, 181 Orem, J.L. 20 REA 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, Miller, Bob 73, 106, 114, 122, 132 OSRD 51. See also Ofce of Scientifc Research 45, 46, 47, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 59, 61, 62, 63, Miller, Tomas V. “Mike” 143, 144 and Development 66, 67, 70, 71, 73, 84, 86, 89, 96, 117, 120, Millison, H. 38 Otto, Charles 73 123, 175, 183, 184. See also Rural Electrifca- Mister, Billy 108, 151 Owings, Claude I. 70, 80, 181 tion Administration Mister, Jack 71 Readmond, Robert “Tootie” 139 Mitchell, Joan 144 Reagan, President Ronald 93 Mitchell, Robert E. “Bob” 71, 93, 101, 121 P Pacifc Gas and Electric 152 Reed, Alonzo 25 Mitchell, Walter J. 13, 14, 18, 72 Parran, Douglas 30 Reed, Wendell M. 33, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, Modrzakowski, Henry “Whitey” 160 Parran Jr., John Tomas 14, 108, 115, 117, 121, 44, 175, 176, 181, 183 Monroe, James B. 72 133, 135, 139, 142, 144, 146 Reeves, Max 69 Montgomery, Alex 124 Parrott, Cody 109, 112 Reeves, S. Sprigg 70, 101

Index Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative 165 Stine, Frank “Gene” 127, 160 U Richards, Benjamin E. 95, 101, 142, 153, 161, Stine, Frank “Kaiser” 28, 69, 104, 111, 122 United Mine Workers 59 181 St. John’s School Hall 32 University of Maryland 91 Richards, James A. 153, 181 St. Mary’s County Cooperative Light and Power U.S. Agency for International Development 135 Riley, Sonny 127, 171 Co. 31, 32 U.S. Geological Survey 34 Ritchie, Gov. Albert 21, 30 Stone & Associates 142 U.S. Navy Sea Chanters 78 Roach, Elizabeth 90 Stone Jr., Joseph V. v, 142, 181 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 29, 53. Roberts, Dave 164 Stony Creek 172 See also SEC Roe, Dudley G. 14 Strickland, T.G. 38 Roosevelt, President Franklin D. 8, 26, 27, 29, 31, Suburban Electric Power Co. 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 51, 56 21, 22, 23. See also Suburban Light & Power V Rubala, Mike 134 Company Vannort, B.O. 67 Rudtke S.J., Rev. S. John 31, 32, 33, 57 Suburban Light & Power Company 13, 14, 15, Vietnam War 84 Rural Electrifcation Act 29 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. See also Sur- Violett, Ralph 139, 169 Rural Electrifcation Administration 29, 31, 33, buban Electric Power Co. Virginia Electric Cooperative 79, 92 39, 47, 51, 52, 66, 80, 84, 86, 117, 175. See Suit, Harold O. 107 Virginia Public Service Co. 28 also REA SunEdison 172 Russell, Merrill 135 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition 119. W Rutt, John 171 See also SCADA Wallace, Henry A. 47 Rymer, Tomas A. 113, 116, 126 Swales, Philip 127 War Production Board 55 Ryon, James P. 20 Swann, Evelyn 160 Washington, Diane 101 Swann, I. Wayne 91, 92, 109, 113, 118, 126, 129, Washington Gas 171 S 130, 136, 139, 140, 143, 144, 150, 152, 153, Washington’s Birthday Blizzard of ’79 107 Sampson, Rev. Paul J. 38 155, 157, 158, 160, 169, 179, 180 Weems, George J. 30 SCADA 119. See also Supervisory Control and Swann, Robert L. 113 Weems Jr., Tomas I. 30 Data Acquisition S.W. Central Rural Electric Cooperative 79 Welch, Dusty 115 Schindler, Francis J. 85, 90 Welch, Lena R. 8 Schroeder, Peter 20 T Welch, Phil 134 SEC 29, 53. See also U.S. Securities and Exchange Teche Electric Cooperative 140 West, Harold E. 18 Commission Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 47 Wheatley, Millie 67, 124 Shenton, Jimmy 114, 122, 132 Tettimer Jr., William A. “Billy” 109, 112 Wheeler, Peter 47 Shepherd, Norris 134 Terres, Eddie 133 White, John 47 Sherbow, Joseph 87 Te Wanderers 92 White, Peter Scott 170, 181 Shlagel, Charles 91 Tomas, Glenn 116 Whitman, Ezra 15, 21 Shorter, Mary Lou 139 Tomas Jr., Henry B. 14 W.H. Stevens 137 Siemens 172 Tompson, George 139 Wible, Charles A. 93, 95, 104 Simms, T. William “Willie” 51, 52, 91, 93, 103, Tompson, Jay 127 Wickard, Claude R. 66 118 Tompson, Jo Ann 71 Wicomico River 78 Simpson, James C. 103, 113, 114 Tompson, Mark 108, 176 Wigginton, Robert E. 92, 106, 108, 181 Skone, Harold J. 42, 52, 130 Tompson, Richard 93 Williams Jr, John W. “Jack” 91, 92, 101, 163, 181 Slade, John F. 123 Tideland Electric Membership Cooperative 155 Williams Marine Construction 135 Slater Jr., Austin J. (Joe) iv, 108, 123, 135, 139, Tippity Witchety 81 Wilson, Abby 91 142, 155, 156, 157, 158, 167, 169, 176, 180 Tongue, Frank 35 Wilson, Albert 90 Slattery, Harry A. 47 Tornados 10, 13, 154, 155, 157, 159 Wilson, Barbara 152, 160 Small, Pete 160 Transpower Corp. 120 Wilson, Kenneth G. 181 Small, Richard 160 Trentacosta, Joseph 157 Winkler, Richard A. 163, 181 Smith Construction Co. 66 Tribbet, Frank 120 Wise, Harry P. 47 Smith, Herbie 158, 169 Tri-County Cooperative Association 38, 120 Wise, William C. “Bill” 73 Smith, Lorrie 82 Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland 151 Woodburn, John Dwight 124 Smith, Walter Hagan 92, 93, 103, 104, 112, 125, Tropical Storm David 109 Wood, Carlton 155 180 Tropical Storm Fran 142, 157 Wood, Charles “Ronnie” 160 Smoot, Rutherford B. 11, 13, 14, 21, 22, 29, 30, Tropical Storm Lee 172 Wood, Christina A. 104 31, 33, 56, 58, 59, 66, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, Trossbach, Joe 127 Wood, Gloria 151 75, 77, 80, 81, 85, 86, 91, 92, 100, 101, 102, Trott, Bob 168 Wood, James 139 103, 106, 109, 113, 115, 116, 125, 126, 129, Trotter, Howard “Pinky” 28, 49, 111, 122 Woolford, George W. 13, 14, 23, 182 132, 133, 135, 136, 138, 146, 147, 150, 154, Trueman, John 9 World War II 63 163, 168, 173, 177, 181, 182 Trueman, Joshua 9 W.R. Burch General Store 27 Sober, Jim 124 Truman, H. Gordon 113 Somerville, Joseph Lee 103, 105, 181 Truman, President Harry S. 56, 59, 63 X Sothoron, Norwood S. 102, 163, 181 Tucker, Charles “Junior” 144 Xander, Henry A. 34, 35, 70, 80, 89, 91, 117, Southern California Edison 152 Turner, Charlotte M. 52 175, 181 Southern Maryland Reliability Project (230-kV) Turner, George D. 11, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 29, 30, Xie, Jingshong 140 133, 173 31, 33, 56, 58, 59, 66, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, Southern Maryland Tri-County Cooperative As- 75, 77, 80, 81, 85, 86, 91, 92, 100, 101, 102, Y sociation 35 103, 106, 109, 113, 115, 116, 125, 126, 129, Yeatman, Captain William 26 Sovran Bank of Maryland 143 132, 133, 135, 136, 138, 146, 147, 150, 154, Young, George 168 Sparling Sr., George 91 163, 168, 173, 177, 181, 182 Young, Mrs. C.L. 47 State Highway Administration 88 Turner, Vera E. 52 Young, Robert 153 Steeves, James 80 Tydings, U.S. Sen. Millard 34, 58 Stephens, Louis 33 Tyler, Robert 139 Z Stevens, T.F. 31 Zinn, Nancy W. 163, 173, 181 Stewart, Janice 166

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