Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1914-12-10
POWER MEN INTERESTED.

Probably about as important
matter as the Public Utilities Com
mission will have to do with in this
state is the hearing that will come
teiore them on January llth. re-
garding rules to govern the construc-
ton OF overhead lines for the trans
mission aud distribution OF electric
current
Il must be admitted at the outset
that We must look to electricity TO
very large extent in building up and
Developing the resources OF this See
ton OF the state. and the one great
current al as reasonable a price AS Is
consistent with the safety OF the pub
lie. that all may enjoy the benefits OF
IT, We look for the time to come
when every farm house on the North
Side tract will be SO situated that
electric power will be available for
both light and heat and for power
purposes
The facilities afforded along the
SNAKE river for developing power OF
thls kind are so numerous that
plants for the development OF cleo
trlc energy can be established al
a nominal sum. But this Is not all.
The transmission lines are another
source OF expense that must be care
fully looked after In the coming
hearing before the Utilities Commits
sion 1t Is proposed by the railroads
and telephone lines to establish rules
OF such character as TO add largely
TO the cost of construction. Should
rules OF such a nature be adopted as
10 entail too great cost. 1t can read
fly be seen that the result of this
would be to bar out power and light
companies from the rural districts.
The forthcoming hearing before
the Public Utilities Commission re-
garding the PRONUNCIATION of set OF
rules governing overhead construc-
ton OF power lines is matter or VT
al importance TO the citizens of Idaho
as well as TO the different utilities af-
fected.
once n set of rules are passed upon
they become law and If hurriedly
passed without due consideration OF
the rights OF all parties concerned
may work an unnecessary hardship
and expense upon the utilities ana
eventually upon the consumer
Rules that will adequately protect
the public and employees should be
insisted upon. but the enormous de-
velopment of the country in the
farming communities by the use oil
electricity should not be lost sight oil
and the cost OF construction Kept a'
low as possible
Where electricity Is feasible II II
far better than either gasoline o.
steam. In this section OF the stat'
where electric power can be gene
rated so cheaply there is no goo'
reason why every farm should no
be equipped with electricity. Chie
among the problems to be solved
the construction of transmission ihe
to the rural districts. and the COS
OF these lines will at once determih
whether or not the power compahie
can take the electric light to the uoo
of the farmers home. The hearih
before the Commission next mont
and their PRONUNCIATION OF the RUE
to govern this will solve this pro-
lem to a great extent. WINE u
public demands safety first III u
construction OF these lines, 1t Is TO
hoped that the commission VIII II
cripple the development of the eie
trio power in this section by adoptii
rules that will make the further co
struction OF transmission lines pre
tically prohibitory.
Erad NJ CoIaman former Qppu