Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-03-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
A Congressman's Electric Farm Plant.
Farming by Electricity Abroad.
Wonderful, Yet Simple.
Especial Correspondence

establishment of an electric plant or
his farm near Egg Harbor City, n. J.,
renders doubly interesting the descrip-
ton of q similar plant in use at Neck
1enburg which was given to me recent
~. It may serve as the model for farm
ers in the United States
The motive power on the farm in
Mecklenburg is furnished by a small
brook, which passes the farm at dis
lance of about $50 feet and drives a
turbine wheel. About 1, $50 feet above
the wheelhouse dam has been erected
in the brook for the purpose of obtain
ing the necessary fall and forcing the
water into q canal leading to the tur-
bine. This canal is kartly cut into the
ground and partly banked, SO that at
the turbine a fall Of 534 feet is obtain
ed The volume Of water changes from
IS cubic feet second in very dry sea-
sons TO LOG to III cubic feet second
in very wet seasons. With an average
of 35, cubic feet the turbine is guaran-
teed to furnish Is Horsepower, while in
reality it furnishes 19, and at high wa
ter 81 to 90 horsepower.
Distributing the Electricity.
The turbine drives small dynamo
machine, which develops all the cleo
tricity needed. From this dynamo the
current goes to the SO called switch
board, whence it is distributed to the
various stations Wires of different
sizes, strung on poles, conduct light and
power currents to the yard, thence to
the dwelling and main building, sta
bles, barns, other farm buildings and
garden. There are in the dwelling and
main building 100 incandescent lights,
in the other buildings 70, and in the
yard and garden H. besides arc lamps.
In the turbine house there is also an ac-
cumulator--a battery consisting of &c
large glass cells, with plates of lead in
diffused sulphuric acid-which serves to
accumulate electricity. During the day,
when the machines are not in operation
on the yard, this accumulation is loaded
and contains then sufficient electricity
to feed the lights from evening, after
working hours, till the next morning.
A small machine can also be attached
to the accumulation and worked from its
power. By careful handling the accu-
mulator has furnished sufficient cleo
tricity to last five days without being
reloaded. To operate the machinery
there are two electric motors, one of 10
horsepower and the other of 1-2 horse
power.
Wort Of the Motors.
The email motor is fixed and drives
the pumps fer the stables, straw cut
Ter, a turning lathe, grindstone and a
large band saw, which. can cut logs of
thickness up TO 1724 inches, the latter,
however, only with the aid of the larger
motor. The larger motor is mounted on
iron wheels, and, together with the
thrashing machine, can be put into any
barn, to be connected there with the
electric current by a small cable. The
silos are built in semicircle around
the last barn and can be reached, to
distance Of 500 feet, by cable attach
ments The distance Of the motor from
the turbine is then about 1, 500 feet.
The system Of handling the motors is
SO simple that any farmland can readi-
ly understand it. The turning of lever
admits the electric current, which i'm
mediately puts the motor in operation
to its full power. One machinist, who
is stationed at the turbine house, super
intends the entire plant, handles the
turbine and dynamo, and from time to
time inspects the motors when in oper-
alton. One farmland can attend the
thrashing machine and the large motor.
Low Tension Currents.
The cost of the works was $12, 376,
of the electrical plant 81, 40. The
working expenses, including interest,
wear and tear and 1885. so salary for
were 81, 428 a year.
Therefore the "a, 900 horsepower used
during the year cost 81, 428, or 4 1-5
cents per horsepower per hour. And as
ten incandescent lamps represent one
horsepower, the burning hour per lamp
costs about four tenths of cent. AS,
with an average working time of 9 1-2
hours, TO- horsepower could easily
be developed during the year, if there
were any use therefor, the cost per
could be reduced one-half.
Formerly $500 hundredweight of
grain was thrashed by steam, requiring
dredweight by a Goepel machine, re-
curing s horses and 600 hours, or 20
days The time occupied for pumping
and straw cutting was about the same.
For saving logs into boards and kim
ding wood $238 year was paid on an
The total, including light,
was $1,713. so. This shows difference
of $685.. 60 year in favor of the cleo
trio plant. Another advantage is that
now four horses can be dispensed with,
and the remaining horses are always
ready for use. How great this advan-
tage is, especially during the harvest,
or while the fields are being MANFRED
and prepared for the winter, need hard
ly be mentioned Other advantages are
that the electric light is cleaner, safer
and more agreeable. The fact that pow
er is always ready enables the farmer
L - L l. l. 49, IL