The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-04
FReM ARTEsGAN WELLS.

CCopy1dght. 1886. The S. S. Mcclure Coz
1t is a fact, openly commented upon
by the patent office officials in Wash
ington, thar much of the attention Of
inventors Of late has been turned to the
adaptation of electricity TO farming.
The field is broad one, and judging
the probable advance in this line by
what has been done on other lines it
enables rs to catch a feeang glimpse
OF KAT much helaided institution-lhe
complete electrical farm. The number
of electrical farming patents applied
Tor during the last year shows that an
electrical farm, pure and simple, may
be possessed by any one in position
70 gather the scattered devices together
and put them in operation on one plan
tation.
Several electrical farms exist at the
present time, but they are merely in
stances of special application; the
broader application remains 10 be ac-
complished. There is, however, no reas-
on why we should not possess a COM
prehensive electric farm at once. Not
only have we a host of mechanical de-
vices, such as electric ploWS, harrowS
and ether soil diSturberS, but the fact
that the current can be used in lieu
of the regulation forcing frame is a
possibility in itself of vast Importance.
Nearly every department of the farm
has suggested an idea TO the electrical
inventor The fact that the transport
tation of garden produce to market by
trolley cars has been the means of dis
posing of otl' arwIse unsaleable stuff,
IS an argument OF long range, but a
forcible one for all that. The POSSIBLE
titles ahead of long distance transmits
sion, The procuring of power from ar
lesian wells, The electrical utilization
of wind mills and the now possible
method OF using the currents of tides
OF rivers, are all arguments for the de-
spairtng ones who can see no way OF
procuring electric power at first hand.
The procuring of power is, after all,
the principal obstacle in the way of
electrical farming. Remove it and all
the minor applications are easy enough.
There are several methods of obtaining
this power within easy reach of every
husbandman. The physical aspect of
the country will, generally speaking,
decide the method TO be used in each
locality. Long distance transmission
OF power as pursued now in several
mining and lighting plants in the Unit
ed States is the most feasible method
Of obtaining an electric current at
-
munities are supplied, the cheapest.
The process Of obtaining the power is
simple enough. A central power plant
is located in some spot where coal is
easily procUrable and the current is
sent across country by wire in all di-
rectiOns. or waterfall is used TO oper-
ate turbines or water wheels which in
turn operate dynamos from which a
current is sent through transformers
1.a- 1re.t-.
already been sent one hundred miles
we can anticipate the spectacle of the
future by suppOsing an immense power
pant to exist in the center of farm
aas community, supplying current for
every possible farm use and transmit
tlng II 10 every plantation within
radius Of this length. Under such a
system q whole state could be supplied
with current from a half dozen plants
Another element of compensation to
be found herein is the electric lighting
OF country highways which would sure
y follow on Z large scale. At Engui-
band. France, less than thirty horse
power is transmitted from a waterfall
to neighboring farm for the purpose
OF operating an electric pillow. The lat
ter is drawn back and forth across the
neld by cables The whole installation
cost five thousand dollars and it is UNI
defStooQ that some OF the power Will
be rented out to nearby farmers. At
Rostock, Germany, an alternating cur
rent of two thousand volts is transmit
ted SO kilo metres across country where
IL is transformed to two hundred volts
and used TO work two electric plows.
The plows require from twenty-five to
twenfyeight horse power for their oper-
alton and are very successful
In fact, 1t has been stated that the
time is not far distant when farmers
of neighborhood will club together
and harness the nearest available wat
effall and use it at a minimum cost to
supply them with electric light for their
homes and power for their farms. The
beauty of the system consists in thai
the first cost is almost the whole cost.
for with the modern fiume system of
installation the plant can be operated
as easily in winter as in summer. No
coal is required, very little attendance
is needed and in many cases small mu-
inequalities nearby are glad TO grant a
franchise for electric village and town
lighting, the profit from which will
more than amount to the current run