Street Lights: Coal Oil to Electricity

The Old Lamp Lighter

From the Oskaloosa Independent, Mar. 29, 1962

Electric lights came to Oskaloosa in 1902 through formation of a local group headed by Jay S. Buck. Prior to that time the only street lighting was a number of oil lamps supported on wooden posts placed around the square. The death last month of Tom Shaw of Topeka recalls to some of us older citizens the fact that Tom’s father, who was also “Tom Shaw,” was the city lamp lighter at the turn of the century. He carried fuel (coal oil), extra globes, cleaning and trimming supplies in a small cart, together with a short ladder upon which he climbed, in late afternoons, to the posts to light the lamps . . .

Electric Lights Planned for Oskaloosa, 1899

From the Oskaloosa Times, Jan. 20, 1899

Mr. Parker, representing the Oskaloosa Light, Power, Heat and Telephone Co., who has been in town for some time, informs us that he is in a fair way to make a success of the enterprise. The company wants him to secure the guarantee of 420 16-candle power incandescent lights before it starts to put in the plant. At present there are about that many promised, but not more than 25 per cent are guaranteed. Mr. Parker assures us that his company has plenty of cash to carry the enterprise to a successful finish, provided the citizens will take the lights. An electric plant would be an excellent thing for our town, as well as for the users of light, and there is no reason why the town should not put in quite a number of street lights.

Jay Buck’s Electric Light Machine, 1902

From the Oskaloosa Times, Aug. 22, 1902

Jay Buck’s electric light machine is doing very good work. He lighted the park Tuesday night for the Methodist ladies who gave an ice cream social there. It was not a fair test, however, because of the fact of the lack of the right kind of wire. Mr. Buck was unable to turn on the full volt power. Jay is receiving much encouragement from the people of Oskaloosa and he says the plant is a sure go. He has received orders for 200 lights with fair prospects of getting 300. The city will take forty 32-candle power lights to be placed where the street lamps are now. Jay also had an electric fan in operation at McCreight’s drugstore this week and it worked to perfection. Saturday night he will try his luck with a 1,000 candle-power arc light. He will place it on the corner of the square.

These stories appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 1981, October 2007, and April 1988.