Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Bergemann, Landry, Dallman, Adler
----Source: Tribune Record Gleaner (Loyal, Clark Co., WI) 4/25/1974
Clark Electric Co-op (Greenwood - 1974)
Mingling with Mary
Within the past year, the country has been faced with several problems, including many shortages such as food, gas, and construction materials. Also, included in the list of shortages should be the “Energy Crisis,” and who should know more about it than Harland Bergemann, general manager of Clark Electric Cooperation of Greenwood.
Coming to the county after being born in Black Creek, Bergemann settled with his parents in the Granton area where he remained until graduation. After graduation, he attended business college in Milwaukee for two years, and finished the LaSalle Accounting course at home.
Going out to seek employment during the depression wasn’t the easiest task to complete, but he found employment in the Farmers State Bank of Granton for the next two years, until the bank closed. With the bank closing, Bergemann began working with the State Banking Department as a Special Deputy “Cleaning up” several banks in the area, including the banks of Loyal, Humbird, Chili, and Granton.
In January of 1938, Clark Electric began organizing itself throughout the county under the leadership of County Agent Wallace Landry. The main reason for the organization was the farmer’s wish for central station electric service. Greenwood, Spencer, and Granton had all incorporated plants of their own, but within six months the three were consolidated into one, being Greenwood. According to Bergemann, the reason for the consolidation was that the members were aware of more effectiveness and beneficial aspect of one large cooperative.
Bergemann stated that the support for the development of the cooperative was perhaps more negative than positive, for farmers were not aware of what power could do for them, and the depression had not left the people with a “rosy” outlook for the future. Many farmers did not see the positive side of the picture, but at an annual meeting a loan was applied for from the Rural Electric Administration in Washington, D.C. and personnel was being sought. In January 1938, under manager William Dallman, Bergemann was hired as bookkeeper for the cooperative for a salary of $95 per month.
According to Bergemann, “I was hired to set up records for the cooperative and seek members into the newly organized electrical outlet.” In the beginning the lines for the cooperative extended for 702 miles which were set up with a loan of $850,000. The loan had been the largest loan up to that point for a beginning plant and included a generating plant which was later set up in Chippewa Falls. Another plant was also constructed in Genoa, and in 1941 the two plants merged forming the Dairyland Power Company, the largest generating cooperative in the world. The plant is run 95 percent by coal with the remainder of the energy being produced by water and atomic fuel.
At the present time, the cooperative employs 28 men and women with Bergemann named as general manager in 1964. Dick Adler of Greenwood is assistant to Bergemann.
According to Bergemann, 5600 meters belonging to Clark Electric are installed within the area with 1,585 miles of lines. The average use by a member is 1,116 kilowatts per month.
“Problems change with the times,” according to Bergemann. “Our investment of $6,000,000 includes lines, trucks, and other essential materials and keeping up with the latest means of power also means different improvements and changes.” Bergemann pointed out, that perhaps the biggest change within the past years is installing underground lines rather than the usual overhead.” The switch has been for better service, and ecology reasons, and included in the switch are more expenditures. Maybe eventually the switch will see a decrease in operation due to the increase cost of crossbars and the weather not affecting the lines calling service men out to work,” reflects Bergemann.
Discussing the “energy crisis,” Bergemann states that a drop of usage was noticed last year. “We usually have an annual increase of eight percent per year, and last year the increase was dropped to two and one-half increase. We tried to conserve energy by asking the members cooperation, and it must have worked with the information that has been compiled. But in respect to suffering, we did not because the only time we do use fuel is when one plant was down for repairs, and it takes 25-30,000 gallons of fuel to start it up again.”
Bergemann also pointed out that the biggest demand for power is during the evening milking.
Other than his dedication to Clark Electric Cooperative, Bergemann is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, holding a third degree in the Knights of Columbus, a charter member of the Rotary Club of which he served as second president, and has held all other offices, an alderman in 1951-53, appointed city clerk in 1953, and held the office until 1962, has been a director of the Clark County Taxpayers Association, and has dedicated much time to the Scouts. Bergemann is also a member of the Financial Structure Committee, appointed by the Dairyland Managers Association, and has been affiliated with several state and national associations and cooperatives. In 1973, Bergemann was honored for 35 years of service to Clark Electric Cooperative.
Residing in Greenwood with his wife, Evelyn, the Bergemann’s have five children, Joan, Richard, Mary, Sally, and James. They also have 11 grandchildren.
For Harland Bergemann, Clark Electric has been his entire life and according to him, “The people that the cooperative serves and the employees, and directors that I work for have made it an enjoyable occupation.” He also added, “Greenwood is the city that no matter where I go I can always come back to and live a life that could be no better.”
The world does have a lot of shortages, but for Clark Electric Cooperative, Mr. Harland Bergemann continues to serve an office where leadership, understanding, and dedication cannot be a shortage, but a necessity.
