Mills County, Iowa

Silver City Community History
1879 - 1979

NATURAL GAS TURNED ON AT SILVER CITY

Natural gas service became a reality Tuesday for residents of Mineola and Silver City. Turn-on of the new facilities follows completion of a $50,000 construction program at Silver City and a $35,000 program at Mineola by the Iowa Power and Light Company. Construction work started August 13 at Silver City and on August 25 at Mineola. Nearly 23,500 feet of pipe were installed at Silver City and 10,500 feet at Mineola.

Justus Lillie, local representative for Iowa Power and Light expressed his thanks to citizens of the two communities for their “patience and cooperation during the construction program period” and noted that streets and alleys necessarily involved in the construction work soon will be restored to normal. Lillie also thanked householders and business customers for their cooperation in making an early sign-up for service, according to the plan for such applications set up during the construction period.

Silver City had 114 sign-ups and Mineola 59. A. P. Jones, mayor of Silver City, officiated in turning on the master valve for the system in his city. "Natural gas is another step forward for our community, he said. “We are happy that we now have both a natural gas system and a water system. We are planning some street improvements and hope to have a sewer system in the future.” Reference: Opinion Tribune Sept. 1961

~submitted by Roseanna Zehner & Darlene Jacoby