When George bought the Friendship Light and Power Co. in May of 1914, the Adams County Press prophesied that the investment would "undoubtedly prove a satisfactory and lucrative investment for the new owner." The prophecy turned out to be true, but there were troubles and challenges along the way.
     George had owned a farm in Richfield Township for only five years when his interest in electricity prompted him to sell the farm and buy the water powered grsitmill on LIttle
Roche-A-Cri-Creek of Friendship.
     Over the next two years, he removed the grinding stones, installed an electric generator and enlarged the dam on the creek. The local newspaper, commenting on the much larger body of water advised that it should henceforth be referrd to as "Friendship Lake" as it was no longer a pond. (Locals still call it "Friendship Pond")

     At the same time George went around to the homes and businesses in Friendship and the village of Adams getting subscriptions for electrical service. Using the knowledge he gained from reading a few books on the subject, he installed all the utility poles and wires himself and wired the homes that subscribed to service from the Friendship Electric Light and Power Co. With the electric company up and running, George built a large icehouse and began harvesting ice. He later sold the ice business to Ashworth Brothers.
     While his ice business grew to be quite successful, ice in another form proved to be one of George's big challenges. On Feb. 22, 1922, the worst ice storm in history struck Adams Country. The thick, heavy coating of ice on everything paralyzed transportation, tore down power lines and snapped utility poles. Newspapers predicted that many people might be without services until spring. George, however, restored electrical service to the majority of his customers within 24 hours of the storm's end.

     In 1922 George bought property adjacent to the power plant, but facing Lake Street and the north end of Main Street in Friendship. On this property he built a fine brick house where he and his wife Mary lived and where he operated an electrical parts store in the basement for a number of years.