The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-07-22

STATE.
nest suitable, intermediate stationary
or portable transformers being used
to step the voltage down 10 that dc.
sired Oh the motors OF the plows.
thrashiny machines, etc.
trail stations and public utility compa-
MES arc the best sources of supply
from which to draw electricity, owing
to their reliability, cheapncss and con-
venience.
When the user, however, is located
beyond the reach Of the distributing
lines of central station companies it
is necessary to install an isolated plant
to supply light. heat and power, and
such plant is q much more profitable
Investment than the installation of
other kili;:i of power, such as indivitl-
uul gas. oil or steam engines, to op-
crate the different farm machines.
For the purpose of generating cleo
tricity in isolated plants various forms
OF power ale utilized. depending OH tlc
locality and the source of fuel OF, water
supply.
y practice much adopted abroad, par
ticulariy in Germany, where the gov
ernmcnt encourages electrically ope-
rated farms, is to install rural central
stations for the purpose of supplying
number Of farms. rural industries,
country residences and estates with
electric current. By establishing such
a station, with either steam, water,
oil or gas plant, Il great saving in the
production Of electric energy may be
readily secured. Today in Germany
often rs high as 100 to $50 consumers
are supplied with electric energy from
single rural central station such as
have been installed in great numbers
within the last fifteen years.
In northern Italy and throughout
Switzerland also there is considerable
use Of the electric energy in agricul-
ture and by small rural communities.
A network of distributing lines has
been formed, drawing energy from nu-
merous and scattered sources of n.y.
dro-electric power, which are. however,
1nterconnected. The Swiss and Italian
land proprietors and small farmers
throughout western Europe have ia
ken In large numbers to the use of
electric light and electric power.
Many of the German farmers carry
ON industries i'll connection with their
farms, whereby they utilize their by
products, and this is the secret of the
success of many we'll to do men. For
instance, one rural central station sys-
TEN may serve four grist mills with
five motors having total capacity of
Jos horsepower. one tile works with a
Az horsepower motor, one sawmill with
q ~ horsepower motor, four wheel
Wrights with motors consuming 1G
horsepower and many other industries,
such as cabinet making, distilling.
blacksmithing, bottlng works, ETC..
which use motors of various capacities
There are also served by the system
some twenty consumers for light only,
having a total of 243 incandescent
lamps and five arc lamps, one rail-
way and freight station with 100 in
candescent lamps, one clubhouse with
seventy-two lamps and six arc lights,
and, in addition to this, two towns are
supplied, having total of 1862 lamps.
From the above facts and figures it
Is obvious that electricity can give a
new stimulus to agriculture and farm
ing, and at the same time open new
way by which the rural population can
be induced to remain on the farm in
stead Of docking to the cities.