Banner image above: Then and Now: Loyd Jones worked at First Electric Cooperative from 1966 to 2006.
Left: In 1966, construction crews manually set transformers without the aid of additional equipment.
Righ: As construction supervisor, Loyd Jones oversaw the setting up of many power poles.

Loyd Jones served First Electric’s members from 1966 to 2006.

Loyd Jones started at First Electric Cooperative in 1966 among 100 other cooperative employees. He retired in 2006 as Jacksonville’s construction supervisor. Today, First Electric serves our membership with 273 employees.

What inspired you to get into linework?

Jones stated that he got into linework by accident in 1966 when he heard the co-op had an opening after lineman Bobby Taylor had been drafted. He said, “I applied, was hired, and the rest is history. I have never regretted my decision.”

What was a typical workday like in 1966 in comparison to 2006?

At the start of Jones’ career, the construction crew operated with nine employees, a couple of pipe boom trucks and one hydraulic a-frame truck. The crew did not have any bucket trucks or digger trucks like we do today, so holes were dug by hand and poles were set using boom trucks.

What do you think about the reliability of power from 1966 to now?

Jones said, “Oh, it is several hundred times better now than it was then.” He recalled how minor windstorms could cause a limb to fall on a line, creating most outages because the right-of-way wasn’t maintained like it is today.

How were outages communicated to linemen after hours?

The members relied on the local telephone directory that listed the contact numbers for the office, managers, servicemen and the construction supervisor, Jones said. Everyone knew who worked for First Electric, so it was not unusual for a member to pull into your driveway to report a power outage.

Memories?

Jones said, “I tried to make each employee feel he was always necessary and would not ask them to do anything I wouldn’t do. I believed that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of each other, creating the makings of a great company.”