Chattanooga and Tennessee Electric Power Company: “
Dlambeck: [[WP:AES|←]]Created page with ‘The ”’Chattanooga and Tennessee Electric Power Company”’ was formed in 1905 by Josephus C. Guild, [[Charles E. James]] and Anthony N. Brady for purposes of produc…’
Josephus Guild was a young engineer from [[Chattanooga]] and became interested in a plan drawn by Major Dan C. Kingman who was in charge of the local office of the Army Engineers. The plan was originally developed to control the turbulent waters below Chattanooga in the [[Tennessee River]] gorge known as the Suck, the Pot and the Skillet. These river features had long been feared by river boat navigators and impeded river boat trade.
Congressman John A. Moon(Democrat 1896)introduced a bill in 1904 that enabled the project. Under the terms of the bill the cost of the construction would be borne by the recipient of the power franchise to be operated for 99 years and the government would hold title to the Dam.
After the city of Chattanooga failed exercise their option on the project, Josephus Guild turned to Charles James help in securing financing. Charles James was a prominent Chattanooga businessman who was always eager to help promote Chattanooga interests. He approached Anthony Brady, a New York financier with large interests in electrical utilities who agreed to participate in the venture.
The [[Hales Bar Dam]] dam was built after Congressional action on January 7, 1905 changed the site from Scott’s Point. The cost of the Dam was over $10,000,000. During the period of construction Josephus Guild died and his son took an active role in the project.
In the 1920’s the company was merged with the Chattanooga Railway and Light Company and Drexel and Company who had a competing project on the [[Occee River]] to form the Tennessee Electric Power Company. The combined enterprise was eventually purchased for $78,425,095 by the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] and other participating municipalities and co-operatives.
== References ==
Govan, Gilbert F. and Livingood, James W. (1952). ‘The Chattanooga County 1540-1951 From Tomahawks to TVA’ E.P. Dutton & Company Inc. New York
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(Via Wikipedia – New pages [en].)