El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-07-30
RENE BACHE'S BUDGET
ELECTRICITY IN THE HOME
NEW CONTRIBUTIONS THE FLUID IS MAKING
TO HUMAN COMFORT
We Are Only Beginning to Live the Electric Life But
Fresh Marvels Are Soon to Arrive-How and Why
the Farm Folks Will Enjoy the Best of It's Ad-
vantages- Cheap Electricity For Use
in Rural Districts.

Washington, D. c., July 3O.-People
in this country are beginning to live
what might be called the electric life
"a life for, with and by electricity,
| farmers hardly less than city folks. are
| enjoying its manifold advantages.
On some of the irrigated areas re-
Gently developed by the governeent
reclamation -service-for example. in the
Salt River valley (Utah)t where the
huge Roosevelt dam is ,located-elec-
power. for the farmers use, at a cost
so small that it is cheaper than gas or
| oil for Illuminating purposes, as wei
as for cooking.
Along the electric railroads which
gridiron parts of the country Gas IN
Ohio and some sections of Pennsylva-
MAJ, the farmhouses and even barns
are lighted by incandescent lamps, the
requisite current being supplied by
side wires from the trolleys.
But the farmer in these days is learn
ing to make his own electricity, by the
help Of the small internal combustion
engine and the storage battery for
stationary service, both of which have
been greatly improved and simplified
within the last few years. Such appa-
ratus is extremely simple, and economi-
cal in fuel consumption, so that the
operating cost is very low.
Provided with cheap electricity, the
farmers wife viii be able to dispense
with the cumbrous and worriSome cU-
linary outfit she has hitherto employed,
and for il will substitute a table
range" with switch control. Such an
electric range complete, with oven,
broiler. chatting dish, double boiler, ket-
tie, and all other necessary appurtenan-
ces, costs about 500. No more fuel to
handle; no more ashes to be carried
out; no more of the dirt inseparable
from these processes; and last, but not
least, no hot kitchen to make discom-
for for the housewife. Think of the
blessing of it.
Cooking With Electricity.
While the advantages OF cooking by
for a long time past, the cost of the
requisite current up to now has been
so high as to be prohibitive. except
for wealthy people. That no other Gull
mary method compares with ii every
body admits. Expense is the only OBJ
stacle to its universal adoption. But,
oddly enough, ii is the farmers, and
not the city people, who are first OBJ
tanning the advantage of really cheap
electricity. through means which the
government, on various irrigation pro-
jecfs, in Utah and elsewhere, is placing
a. their Disposal.
Water power. for the farmers at all
events, represents an immediate solu-
ton Of the problem Such power is
obtainable in almost any neighbOrhood
by damming a nearby creek-the plant
(once established at no great original
expense) being made 10 supply group
Of uses, on cooperative plan, at a
cost per kilowatt hour that is almost
nil. Unquestionably, within FEW
wears from the present time. small
streams ali over the United States will
be turned to account IL this way, ana
ii will be the exceptional farmhouse that /
is not heated and Illuminated by cleo
tricity.
The most important use the uptodate
farmer has for electricity, however. IS
to operate labor saving machinery The
feed grinder, the root cutter. the 1od-
der cutter. the tanning mill. the grind
stone, the circular saw, the corn shelter, /
the horse clipper-all can be driven
from one cOuntershaft, which in turn !
is belt driven by three horse power
motor This is plenty of power, because /
no two of the larger machines are like |
" to be needed at the same time /
Such a mechanical equipment is prac- /
ticalIy automatic and requires no |
skilled attention.
Many Practical Uses. !
Meanwhile, when it comes to practi- |
cal uses for electricity, the housewife 1
is able to find a good many Of them /
herself, whether she lives in the coun- !
try or in the city. In the morning, !
when she gets up, she turns on" the |
electric range, which is so controlled by |
a switch that it may be set for half /
a dozen different intensities of heat. |
it is not possible to govern |
a coal range in any such way as that.
Thus it is possible to determine the
of the oven with absolute
exactness.
An electric motor in the kitchen
beats the griddle cakes. If desired it
grinds the coffee. chops meat or vege-
tables. beats eggs, or even freezes ice
cream. But for breakfast, of course.
he all important thing is coffee. and
his is furnished in double quick tine
Dy an electrically heated "percolator."
It is entirely possible, and even con-
renient. to cook the breakfast on the
able, if electricity Is available. The