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| 1927 Map Showing the Lewis Jones Heating Plant |
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Chronological List of District Heating
Systems in the United States |
Lewis Jones began steam service in 1908. He died in 1917 and his son, Lewis Jones, Jr. formed Lewis Jones, Inc. on May 22, 1918 to take over the system, which provided steam heat to Penn Wynne in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County and portions of Overbrook, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania.
References
1908 An
ordinance to permit Lewis Jones and his successors to lay and maintain
and repair, when necessary, steam pipes under across Nassau street,
Lebanon avenue, Malvern avenue and Sixty-third streets, to connect
certain houses with one source heat. March 16, 1908
1917 Lewis Jones (6 May 1835 - 13 Dec 1917) grave
1918 Lewis
Jones Incorporated May 16, 1918
LEWIS JONES, INCORPORATED-Philadelphia, Pa., May 16, 1918. Capital $5,000.
Treasurer, Lewis Jones, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa. The supply of heat 5.000 by
means of steam to the public, to wit: To persons occupying premises in
that part of the Thirty-fourth Ward of the city of Philadelphia, described
as follows: East and west sides of 64th street from Jefferson street to
Lebanon avenue; east side of Wynnewood road from Jefferson street to about
150 feet south of Woodbine avenue; west side of 63rd street from Jefferson
street to about 138 feet south of Lancaster avenue: north and south sides
of Oxford street from 63rd street to a point about 750 feet east of 63rd
street; north and south sides of Nassau street from 63rd street to a point
about 750 feet east of 63rd street; and north side of Jefferson street
from 64th street to a point 550 feet east of 63rd street.
1918 Philadelphia
Inquirer, June 14, 1918, Page 2
The Lewis Jones Estate asked permission to transfer the Jones Steam
heating business in Philadelphia to Lewis Jones. Inc.. and contracts for
lighting Downingtown and Tonton were submitted for action. The commission
will meet Monday.
1945 "LEWIS JONES JR.; Engineer, Inventor of an Early Electric Automobile, 76," The New York Times, October 2, 1945, Page 23
1946 "Owner
of District Heating System Dies," Bulletin of the National
District Heating Association 31(3):143 (April 1946)
Lewis Jones, Jr., aged 76, owner of Lewis Jones, Inc., a district heating
utility,, serving part of Overbrook, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, died
Saturday, September 29th, 1945, at the homie of a daughter in Amsterdam,
N. Y., after he was taken ill while driving home from his summer camp in
the Adirondacks. (Word of Mr. Jones death was not received at NDHA
Headquarters until recently.
Mr. Jones was a descendant of David Jones, who received an original ground
grant in 1682 from William Penn for what comprises a considerable part of
Overbrook.
He graduated from Friends Central School and Haverford College, from which
he received a degree in engineering. He was an inventor and pioneer in
automobiling. He designed and built electrically-driven oars, in one of
which he toured New England 50 years ago. Later, in a gasoline operated
automobile of his own design, Mr. Jones made frequent transcontinental
trips.
With his father, Lewis Jones, 3rd, he supervised division of the family
estate in Overbrook into a residential district. As a part of this
project, he installed a district heating system and was active in its
operation for many years.
Mr. Jones bequeathed his half million dollar estate to his family. The old
family homestead of 1825 Wynnewood Road is to be kept in the family from
generation to generation.
He is survived by his wife, Bertha F. Jones, two daughters and three
grandchildren.
1952 The Lewis Jones Management Co. was incorporated on August 7, 1952.
1952 Commercial
and Financial Chronicle 176(5147):5 (September 1, 1952)
Lewis Jones Management Co., Philadelphia, Pa.—Files
The company on Aug. 13 filed a letter of notification with the SEC
covering 5,000 shares of capital stock (par $1) and $100,000 of 15-year 6%
debentures, due Sept. 1, 1967, to be offered at $24.75 per share for the
stock and at par(in units of $100 each) for the debentures. The proceeds
will be used to acquire the outstanding stock of Lewis Jones, Inc. No
underwriting is involved
1953 Wilkes-Barre Dec 18,
1953 acquired by Pennsylvania Utilities Investment Corporation
Sold to Lewis Jones Management Company, April 7, 1954
1953 The Wilkes-Barre Steam Heat System was sold to the Pennsylvania Utilities Investment Corporation on December 18, 1953. The Public Utility Commission approved this sale in April 1954.
1954 The Lewis Jones Management Co. on July 6, 1954 changed its name to Pennsylvania Utilities Investment Corp (PUIC)
1955 PUIC buys Overbrook Steam Heating Company, December 1955
1956 Scranton acquired by PUIC September 1956
1964 "Every Steam Heat Customer in Lucky Miles," The Times-Tribune, July 21, 1964, Page 4
1966 The
Philadelphia Inquirer, February 12, 1966, Page 12 | Part
2 |
Management of Pennsylvania Utilities Investment Corp. announced it is
"discussing" with General Waterworks Corp. the purchase of PUIC stock at
$20 a share from shareholders, provided 80 percent of the outstanding
shares are tendered for purchase. PUIC had 93,051 shares outstanding March
31, 1964. It is a holding company which owns Overbrook Steam Heat Co.,
Wilkes-Barre Steam Heat Co. and Scranton Steam Heat Co.
1968 "Heat
Firms Seek Rate Increase," Simpsons Daily Leader Times, July
17, 1968, Page 31.
Lewis Jones, $52,100 for 1,917 customers in a section of Overbrook and the
Merion - Penn Wynne areas in Montgomery County.
Overbrook Steam Heat, $39,000 for 1,769 customers in Overbrook area.
Longacre Park Heating, $29,200 for 1,329 customers in Yeadon area of
Delaware County.
1972 "International
Buys Steam Heat Plants," Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, May 13,
1972, Page 2.
Wilkes-Barre
Scranton
Overbrook
Lewis Jones, Inc.
Longacre Park Heating Company of Yeadon
1972 "Steam Heat Firms File Bankruptcy Petitions in Phila.," Times-Leader, November 9, 1972, Page 1 | Part 3 |
1972 "Heatless Families Face Boost in Rate After Repair is Made," The Evening News, December 21, 1972, Page 16.
1972 "1,500 Families May Get Steam Heat by Christmas," The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 22, 1972, Page 23
1973 "Many
Steam-Heat Companies Bemoan Loss of Customers, New Air Standards," The
Wall Street Journal, January 10, 1973
© 2026 Morris A. Pierce