The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-12
ELECTRICITY ON THE FARM.
Agricultural Possibilities of the New
MOtive-POwer.

In the current number of the Engineering
Magazine a. F. McKssick describes the
success of the experiment In practical
Farming by Electricity" at the Alabama
Agricultural Station. at Auburn. %hd from
it draws the following conclusions as to the
future of farming:
In some localities there is no reason why a
central station could not supply power to
several farms. For example. let US assume
that we are in a neighborhood where farms
are so located that we could find one occu-
pying a central position and four others
in radius of one mile. One central farm
occupies the center OF our circle, and the
four others at the ends of two diameters in
tersecting at right angles. This assumed
location Of these farms Is a good average
Assuming that the maximum requirement
for any one farm at any time Of the year Is
eight horse power, our central station
would then need for the use OF the i've
farms, say, 40-horse-power boiler, a 40
horse-p power engine and a 40-borse-power
generator. Work will be arranged on these
farms so that every Saturday or every other
Saturday to suit the season will be power
day." or oftener when the years cotton
crop must be gnned or the grain crop
tbrashed.
We will use the standard voltage now In
vogue 800 volts for transmission of power
by electricity. The S-horse-power motor at
each farm will cost about $3.50 at the factory.
Two miles of insulated wire Zone mile for
the outgoing and one for the returh) OF suffi-
cient size to carry the maximum current
with loss of 10 per cent will cost about
S175. Say the freight and poles viii swell
the first cost Of the plant for each farm TO
total of S625 This amount would hardly
pay for an S-hoTse-power boiler, an S-horSe-
power engine. the pump. the settings of
boiler and engine, well, smokestack and
the erection of building. In our electric
motor system this building Is unnecessary.
for we could place our motor In the same
building in which we have located our
different machines.
For the central station a 40-horse-power
boiler will cost $500. a 40-horse-power en-
CINE the same. and the generator about $3.50.
or say the whole plant, set up ready TO
start, would cost $3.50. This. divided out
among the five farms would swell up the
first cost OF the farm plants 10 500. We
would have to make our central station far
mer pay the cost of erection OF the station
building, for he has no line TO pay for
With system so arranged power could be
delivered to these different farms on certain
days agreed on beforehand.
AT one time we might see on farm No. l
the winters supply of wood being sawed;
at No. cotton gnned and pressed; at No.
3 the sorghum-cane crushed or cider pressed;
at No. planer or a lathe at work; and at
No. 3 n feed-cutter and corn-sheller. or per-
haps the ensilage-cutter. With this system
the farmer could saw up his own wood. gin
and press his own cotton, grind up his feed
stuff and sorghum-cane, aud cut up his en-
silage, etc. A corn or -four mill could be
added, and his toll for grinding saved.
Look at the advantages. The hrst cost
of the electric system Is about $3.50 or $500
more than the private steam plant. The
interest on this amounts to, say, S25 per
year He saves four-fifths OF the wages of
a fireman and assuming wear and tear to
be the same on all engnes) four-fifths of the
wear aud tear; he saves in the hauling OF
fuel, he saves water, he gets rid OF the ele-
ment of danger from fires. Too much stress
cannot be laid on this last point. III there
should be q waterfall In the community, by
means of turbine we could use this natural
kinetlc energy and save fuel, wear and tear
ON boiler ana engine. and other repairs. Ii
this should be the case, there would be no
comparisons between the two systems as to
economy.
Ii this motor system were in vogue see
how rainy days could be utilized. Corn
could be ground up into feedstuff for cattle
or into meal for broad, cotton-Seed crushed,
gram thrashed, cotton eiDned, wood sawed
into lumber, ana In a variety OF WAYS could
something useful be done that requires
power for its operation. How many pretty
country homes are allowed to 60 into ruins
for the lack of a board here and q plank
there. The fences could be repaired but
for the lack of boards. with saw and
planer run from this electric system there
would be no excuse for such neglect.