The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-09-27
HOUSEHOLD ELECTRIC DEVICES
NOT CLASSES AS LUXURIES

| iuAuFy, -TeSdfuleSS OF us ecOnOml
values. This was strikingly tru,
when the first electric heating AMI
cooking devices were offered to thu
public. They only smiled when the
enthusiastic inventors told of Tho
convenience, economy and safety Of
| the electrical devices-and bought
them for wedding presents. Christ
mas gifts and graduation remem
brances, just as they would purchase
a diamond ring or string of pearls
1t takes time to educate people to
the true values of anything new. The
old way is always the best-until
time has proven to the contrary
Some years ago the first electric fiat
iron was offered to the public by the
General Electric Company and the
house wives refused to buy it, pre-
ferring to stand sweltering over the
hot stove, running back and forth
after hot irons and burning up ex-
pensiye coal and gas. They would
not believe that the iron was very
cheap, that it cost less to operate
and that the ironing could be done
quicker and better by electricity. To-
day the electric iron is a household
necessity and they are sold by the
hundreds of thousands every year.
This is also true of the electric toast
er, the electric percolator, the chat
ing dish and everything else electri-
cal from the motor-driven ice cream
freezer to the electric fan
The first cost of an electric fiat
iron is but little more than for a
set of six old fashioned irons. The
electric iron is fully guaranteed and
will last life time For five cents
an hour it will do the family ironing
and it is always hot and always ready
for work. The electric iron is a
necessity now.
A few years ago when the electr
cal engineers began to talk about
electric cooking the skeptical public
answered that it was too costly-it
was a luxury suitable only for the
rich. In vain did the salesman talk
of the great convenience of cooking,
of having the electric range ready at
the pressure of a finger, Of cooking
wasting heat, without ashes,
scot, or carrying fuel, of the great
safety of electricity-the public
would not beliye.
To-day electric cooking is common
enough. 1t is a fact. when the first
kitchen ranges were made, house
wives laughed and stuck to the fire.
place and the Dutch oven. They ar
gued that the way of their grand
mothers was best and cheapest But
a few years served to convince them
that the kitchen range was hum
bred times better than the open fire
and brick oven. 1t was quicker and
more economical. The gas stove had
80 pass through this same stage of
evolution and now the electric range
is coming into its own.
Housewives are convinced that 1t
is better to have the fire ready at the
touch of the finger, that it is clean
er to cook without fuel, without dirt
and ashes, without an open flame.
They are adopting modern methods
in the kitchen, saving time, steps
md money.
An electric range costs about the
same as a good coal range and 1t
costs no more to operate them when
the question of dirt and convenience
IS considered.
Twenty years ago electric lights
we're installed only in the homes OF
the well-to-do, now there is no cot
zoo humble to be lighted by electri-
city, because we all know that it
gives better light, that it really
costs no more, that it is more health
full and vastly more convenient.
The old fashioned way of cooking
a light breakfast, or luncheon in the
kitchen and carrying it into the din
ing room is rapidly passing away. The
new way it to install small electric
cooking device right on the dining
room table and cook the food as
needed without waste of fuel and,
vastly more important in these days
of costly living, without wasting our
precious food supplies. The coffee
is made in an electric percolator, the
heat turned on only as required with
out waste, the toast is made in an
electric toaster and the bacon and
eggs are easily and quickly prepared
in the electric radiant grill. This
is the new way and now nearly every
one recognizes that it is the best