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Village Of Brocton

34 West Main Street
716-792-4160


The new village required officials to oversee its growth. At that time, there was no road where the Fays settled, only a trail and, what is now the center of Brocton, was described by early settlers as a dismal swamp of black ash. Brocton also had a railroad which began in the village and ran over the hill through Portland connecting to Corry, PA. The Buffalo, Corry & Pittsburgh Railroad was completed in 1866 with the assistance of bonding and sale of stock with local monies. The B.C. & P R.R. carried close to 90,000 passengers and over 96 tons of freight during one of its early years of operation. It later went into bankruptcy and was purchased by the Allegheny Valley Railroad during the 1870s.

The village became modern when, after a petition was received by the Board of Trustees in 1903 requesting it, a municipal electric lighting plant was constructed bringing electricity to Brocton. Municipal bonds were issued in the amount of $10,000 for 20 years at a semi-annual interest rate not to exceed four percent per annum. Mr. C.P. Lawson deeded some of his property on Highland Avenue for the plant. The following rates were adopted by the board in August, 1903: incandescent lights, 16 candle power, 45 cents per month; meter rates, 10 cents per watt; minimum rate for a meter of $2 per month; places using five lights or less will be furnished at a flat rate of 45 cents per month per 16 candle power light; and places using 6 lights or more will be furnished with current on meter basis. The salaries of the first and second electricians were increased $5 per month on November, 1905 which produced salaries of $65 and $45 per month "with promise of another raise next year".


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