Old time scenic view of a row of electric lighting service poles along snowy North Street looking west from Thaxter in Hingham, MA in 1907. This pole line is of course long gone but all of the homes in this photo are still there.

In his 1907 annual report, the general manager of the forementioned municipal utility stated: "The year now has been one of the most successful since the town purchased the plant fourteen years ago. The number of consumers has continued to increase in a very satisfactory manner...and the service has been such that no criticism has been made."

Daytime lighting service was implemented on May 1, 1907. Prior, electricity was provided to customers only during nighttime hours. Soon thereafter, the Light Plant began to sell appliances. "During the first three months after day service was instituted, the department sold to its customers, over one hundred flat-irons, together with coffee percolators, chafing dishes, water heaters, and other cooking utensils, beside curling irons, electric fans and motors..." as Mr. Corthell commented in his report.

He added: "During the past year the department has been subjected to more than usual injury to lines. Breakage of some street lamps continued to a degree but more of a serious loss has been effected by wire thieves, who paid a visit to this town three times during the past twelve months. These circumstances took place in the northern part of town and involved about 800 pounds of stolen wire. Thanks to a keen railroad conductor, several clues were provided and resulted in two arrests. The copper wire was recovered and the guilty parties were sentenced in the House of Correction ranging from eleven to nineteen months."