Let there be light!

Reprint of this story from the March 18, 1898 issue of The Grand Encampment Herald brought to you courtesy of Grandma’s Cabin, Encampment, Wyoming. Preserving History Serving the Community.

And There Will Be Light In Grand Encampment Next Monday Night

After April 6th there will be no more darkness in Grand Encampment. The Emerson Electric Light Co. will on the above date turn on their current and the town will have made one more stride in public Improvements which have already astonished the world and the doubting Thomases. Supt. Dobbins has had a force at work the past ten days wiring residences, stores and warehouses, and there are comparatively few who will not avail themselves of this modern convenience.

The rates established by the Electric Light Co. put it within the power of everyone to use the lights and, as compared with surrounding towns the rates are cheap. The following schedule has been adopted:

Residences: 1-16 Candle power lamp, $1.00 per month. 2-16 Candle power lamp, $1.00 per month. Each additional, 75 cents.

Stores: 1-16 Candle-power lamps $1.00 per month till midnight. All night lights $2.00, 32 candle power lamp double rate.

Arc Lights: 2000 candle power arc lights $10.00 per month till midnight. All night, $16.00.

The incandescent lamps will be the property of the consumer, and can be bought at the rate of three for $1.00 or $350 per dozen. The cost of wiring will be $2.25 per lamp for concealed work and $1.50 for open work.

Meters will be used in halls, churches and kindred places and a charge made of twenty cents per thousand watts or about one cent per hour per 16 candle power lamp.

On April 1st the company will also place eight or ten arc lights on the streets and our town will astonish by its brilliancy, and the knockers will have to take a back seat. Next week the Herald will contain a full description of this fine electric light plant, than which there is none better in the country, every piece of machinery being of the latest improved pattern.

CHILDREN

KIDNAPPED!

Divorced Mother Captures Two Little Girls. Officers In Pursuit.

Encampment is experiencing the excitement of a kidnapping sensation. The victims are the little daughters of Thoms. Pearce, aged about ten and twelve years respectively. Deputy Sheriff Robt. Deal is on the track of the brigands and will doubtless capture them.

It appears that Thos. Pearce was divorced from his first wife some time ago and the court which granted the separation gave him legal custody of the two children. Later he was married to his present wife and came to Encampment to live. A few weeks ago the mother of the children appeared at Riverside in company with a man named Snyder and they registered as man and wife. Snyder secured work at the smelter and boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Pearce until his disappearance.

Yesterday the two girls started home from school for their dinner and nothing farther has been seen of them. There is good evidence to indicate that they were taken in a carriage by their mother and Snyder and driven rapidly to a point beyond Cow Creek where they were met by another rig and from there they went toward Saratoga.

Later: Deputy Sheriff Deal returned with the kidnappers and children at noon today. He found them near the Charter Oak mine.