Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-03-04
UP-TO-DATE FARMERS NEAR
ROCKWELL ESTABLISH OWN
ELECTRIC PLANTS. !
POWER COST LESSENED
By USE OF ELEcTRlclTY
Garner Man InstaIIs Own Plant at
Cost OF s2,oo0-Fuei Expense 500
Per Annum-Ancther Lights Build.
inss With Own Outft-C. e. vii.
sons Rural Observations.
Special to Times Republican.


| Rockwell, March AIR. Ed Quintus,
who lives on a farm near Garner is
not only up-to date but is ahead of
the times, III one respect, that being
the possessor of power house fully
equipped and in constant operation.
One evening no; long ago he was found
in his cooking room preparing sup
per" for his hogs. This. was a mixture
of corn ana potatoes cooked by steam
ana looking and smelling good enough
| for anybody to eat.
In his power house is :, twelve horse
power boiler and a 700 gallon pressure
tank and in a nearby building connec-
tion is made with an eight horsepower
steam engine. With this outfit grain is
elevated into crib and granarE, feed is
cooked. laundry work done, cream sep
arator run, milk cans washed, water
furnished in all buildings where water
is needed, and power afforded where
and when desired. a dynamo is to be
installed soon and that viii mean cleo
trio lighting in the house and barns.
Mt. Quintus being something OF Z
mechanical genius, did all the planning
as Wei as nearly all the putting in
OF the plant When all is complete the
cost of the outfit viii be little more
than $1,000. The fuel expense Tor q year
is less than 500.
;. a. Stivers lives on a twenty five
acre farm adjoining the town of Rock
Well. He has Il power plant OF a diff
ferent kind. \ four horsepower Oil en-
CINE runs a fifty light plant and fur
nishes power TO pump water, Wnen ana
where the owner wants Z. There are
nineteen electric lights in the house,
one in the power house, one in the COW
barn, one in the horse barn. one in the
hay NOW, and one in the hog house.
They are good lights, 700, as good APP
Iarently as those furnished by large
plants in cities and towns. Later Mr.
Stivers expects to Shell and grind corn,
separate milk. etc. His fuel bill for the
month Of February was a little more
than s.. and the cost Of the plant as
TAR as completed. is about $1,000.
\ visit to either one OF these fine
little. plants is enough TO convince one
of the practicability OF such farm
equipment. Some day. and that not tar
in the future, perhaps, farm power
plants viii be found on most OF the
farms in this part OF the country.
1t WAS just a PLAIN ordinary farm
nome. No. Air- Blank VAS not at home.
We don't keep much money around
the house. but call ~ the bank any
time and they will pay the subscription
there Later on in answer TO the
question. Does Mr.. Bians; do his bank
ing here" the cashier smilingly re-
marked: Yes, he is a patron Of the
institution. or rather its vice president"
The subscription was paid, every cent
Of it.
George Ficken, a prosperous ana
meiihuuIvu local farmer, recently re-
turned from trip TO his old home IN
German. He tells the same story OF
advancement in land prices and i'm
provement in buildings and conditions
that others who visit the old homes in
other European countries do. He says
that the young man Of that country
has Il chance TO save enough as he
goes along TO keep MIN in comfort III
his old age but that az a usual thing
he spends TOO many 'ptennigs" for en-
tertainment and amusement 10 have
much lsft when the evening os life ar
rives. Many OF The more thrifty are
taking advantage Of the opportunity
to borrow money from the government
at a cheap interest rate and buy small
farms on which they are paying out.
Mr.. ficken believes that this measure,
a form Of which is being advocated in
this country, offers the best solution
TO the problem OF future farm posses
sion by men Of limited means. There
were three Of the Darty on the Gllt-
ward journey and seven on the return,
four young German women having DC
cided to live hereafter in the land OF
the free"
a farmer near Steamboat Rock has
been experimenting with the tops Of
sugar beets as a ration for mich COWS.
He mas MIXED three COWS since Dec
l and made butter at home. using the
old fashioned. shallow pans instead Of
a separator. His output for the three
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