The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-04-21
What Electricity Means to One Farm Home

The house in which our family Of
six is now living was built by my
father in 1867. 1t WAS substantially
constructed and was conslderen
very fine home in those days. IN leoI'
however. there were very few OF inc
home comforts and convenirnceS
which we know now. Light, for in.
STANCE. was furnished by coal-oll
ilnmns Water came from a we'll with
wooden pump, about seventy'hre
feel from the house: later d windmill
was Installed at this well. SUPPLYING
water for constantly increasing
amount of stock. Later still came
the large round wick. coal-oll lamp
which gave out more and better light.
and the water system was improved
bv the addition of a rainwater clstern
with hand pump AZ the Kitchen SINK
These various improvements were
adopted As rapidly as they proved
practical. =,
extensively used 10 light city homes
| | have been determined 10 nave II on
our farm. There were. however. Cd
stacleS in the way OF getting II. me
lighting companies could not eaSit!
extend their lines very far INTO IN"
country. and the early type OF $50,
| lated electric plant. formed by. Sel,
| ting generator ana running ~
= belt from your farm engine, dldn |
Seem TO me to be thoroughly pracu-
cal and efficient. In addition there
was the trouble Of wiring house and
barns and of getting suitable fixtures.
Bun these obstacles are no longer
in the way. Thanks 10 the electrical
engineer. there are isolated electric
light and power plants on the mar
Eet which can be bought for less than
the cheapns, automobile and which
give the best Of service without much
care and attention. Furthermore.
house wiring has progressed 10 the
point where any house, old or new
can have entirely concealed wiring
at reasonable cost and win yer!
little Tearing up"
These improvements were the nneS
that led me TO put in electricity. we
got our plant about six months ago
and installed it in The pump house.
about half way. between the main
house and tho barn. The enelne ana
generator. which arc assembled IN on"
unit rests on solid concrete base,
ANDY the storage battery, consisting
of sixteen glass jars. is placed on TWO
shelves along the wall. Our plant.
which cost 1915. is q self-cranking one
tha, starts when my 12-ycar-old boy
nresses a switch on the switchboard.
We nut kerosene In the fuel tank
every time We start ii and little OIL
in the crank case about once a week
Occasionally we put little pure wa
Ter in each OF the battery cells. rms
is all the attention We give It. We
run ii about three times a week ana
| figure that the running cost Is about
1875 or $50 per month.
We have lights wherever W" ran
possiblv use them. There is globe
lamp on the front porch. three lamp
cluster in the hallway. four-lamn
chandelier and a table lamp in the Ivy
ing room another four-Iamp rhandH'
Iier in tho dining room. two drop
lights in tho pantry and Two lamps N
the kitchen. one in he center Of the
ceiling and one hanging over tho sink.
There are two drop lights in tho col
lar. Upstairs on the second floor
there IS a bracket light in the hall.
way. This can be turned on and off
from upstairs or. down. as can The low
or hal. light There are TWO strong
lights in tho bath room. end on" In
each OF the four bed roorns. In IN"
attic there. are two drip lights.
There is light on the hack porch.
one in tho pump house. TWO in IN"
garage and len In the barn. These
are located ms follows: Two behind
the horses and three behind IN"
COWS: one in the feed room. one in
the harness room and tire" in tn"
loft. Finally. have large lamp
with reflector on n pole in the MID
die Of tho barnyard. n great cnnve-
niance and protection At light. rms
light can be turned on and off from
either the house or the barn.
In addition 10 light we gel plenty
Of electric power from our plant. In
the house VIZ have IN automatic nler-
iric pump. which draws water from
the cIstnru and forces il into pres
sure tank. From there it is driven
by the air pressure 10 all parts nf the
house. This MAIDS it possible TO in,
stall ha1h room and have hot an!
cold running water at all times. In
the kitchen the old hand pump al