Other utilitymen did not point to it with pride. Utility-baiters called it an octopus. Roly-poly Utilitycoon Howard Colwell Hopson and his partner, John I. Mange, called it Associated Gas & Electric Co.
The assets of the system were listed at about $7,000,000 in 1922, when they bought control of it. Flashing an ear-to-ear grin, but keeping his own counsel, close-mouthed Howard Hopson reached far & wide. By 1938, Associated had bought or formed some 500 corporations. The top of the pyramid had been jacked far into the sky as Builder Hopson shoved more...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
