LIOLA W. CHASE, president of the Cleburne Water, Ice & Lighting Company, is a man of marked enterprise and keen discernment in business affairs. He has seemed to realize at any one point of progress in his business career the possibilities for successful accomplishment at that point. He was born at Canaan, Somerset county, Maine, his parents being Benjamin and Lavina (Connor) Chase. The father is a representative of the Chase family that has furnished so many distinguished and prominent people to New England and the nation, men who have figured in events which have formed the history of the country. During his active business career Benjamin Chase devoted his attention to farming, in which work he prospered, so that he is now enabled to live retired in the enjoyment of well earned ease at his home in Pittsfield, Maine. His wife died in the year 1880.
Liola W. Chase spent his youth in the usual manner of farm lands of his locality and period and divided his time between the work of the fields and the duties of the school room, remaining upon the home farm until twenty years of age, when he went to Wisconsin, living at Sheboygan for a number of years, and during the greater part of that time was connected with the Sheboygan Manufacturing Company. In 1878 he came to Texas and established a sheep ranch in Bosque county, where he continued in business for thirteen years, finding it a profitable industry. In 1891 he came to Cleburne and soon thereafter began the construction of a water works system for the city, realizing the great need here for an enterprise of that character, for the supply at that time was too limited. The plant was originally established by Mr. Chase and a partner, who conducted it for about four years. The business grew rapidly and extensively with the growth of the town, so it was necessary to enlarge the plant and for this purpose Mr. Chase organized and promoted the Cleburne Water, Ice & Lighting Company, procuring the assistance of eastern and local capital. He retained, however, the greater part of the stock and was made president of the company. The growth of its operation is shown by the fact that when Mr. Chase established the water works system there were about three hundred and fifty water taps, while now twenty-four hundred are in use. The company supplies water to the city and to the residences, and give general satisfaction to its many patrons, as is evidenced by the kindly commendation expressed by the citizens in general. In fact the business has added greatly to the growth and reputation of Cleburne as an enterprising, up-to-date city. The plant is thoroughly modern in every respect and improvements are constantly being made to keep pace with the growth of the city, and with new developments in methods of building and conducting water works. Mr. Chase has been signally successful in the conduct of this business and he has an able superintendent in R. J. Corson, who is also secretary and treasurer of the company. Since establishing the local water works Mr. Chase has also organized and is one of the large stockholders in three other extensive plants of this character in Texas, including the Taylor (Texas Water Company), the Clarendon Water, Light & Power Company, and the Amarillo Water, Light & Power Company.
Mr. Chase was married in Wisconsin to Miss Effa S. Goodwin, a native of Maine, and they have one son, Arthur L. Chase, who is manager of the water works plant at Amarillo. Keen discernment that has enabled him to recognize and utilize a business opportunity, combined with laudable ambition and sound judgment have been the strong and forceful factors in the successful career of Mr. Chase, now numbered with the representative citizens of Cleburne, where he is also held in high esteem because of his personal worth.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas, Vol. II (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), p. 455.