The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-01-17

least by the magnitude Of the business
transacted. Postmaster General
Burleson in his last annual report
estimates that the postal service Is
now handling one billion pieces OF
parcel post matter annually and
points out the remarkable growth by
stating that not more. than one'
fourth of this number of pieces was
handled annually under the old law
Undoubtedly the parcel post offers
a practical means Of reducing the cost
Of living in our great cities. Its use
as a means of direct exchange be-
tween the producer on the farm and
the consumer in the city has already
tended to bring about this desirable
result.
ITO show the extent of the rural
delivery service, it might be Of inter-
est to mention. that there are f2,927
rural routes in the United States,
serving a population Of 26,S07,686. The
number of miles travelled are 1,09l,S 52,
which would be an average OF about
twenty flve miles per route. The rural
delivery service cost the government
for the last fiscal year $51,715,6l6. The
average cost Of carrying mail matter
and equipment Is about cents per
pound.
The effect of the law has been to
give the people cheap and convent
ent method of transporting parcels
and to furnish partial express facili-
ties at least to hundred OF thousands
Of our citizens formerly deprived OF
these conveniences. incidentally 1t
has brought about reduction in ex-
press rates and has forced the express
companies to provide superior serv-
ice than heretofore"
Other Talks Interesting.
Among the other speakers at the
meeting were Mrs. Oliver Gray of
Sanborn, who gave a most interesting
talk on butter making in which she
went into the details of the manufac-
ture Of dairy butter on the farm. Miss
Ida Ratsliff Of the extension depart
ment of the A. c.. also gave a most
interesting talk to the farm women on
farm home work that brought out
many valuable points.
Another Of the most interesting adj
dresses Of the afternoon was one by
Miss Julia Manikowski of Wyndmere,
sister of George Manikowski, inventor
OF the wind power electric generator
for farms and small towns which is
proving such a success and is attract
ing such wide attention all over the
United States. Miss Manikowski spoke
on the subject of Electricity on the
Farm.
In this address the speaker went
into the history of the windmill, which
is the power converting machine that
operates the generator in the ma
chimes manufactured by the Wind
Electric Co.
Miss Manikowskd said in part after
going into the history of labor saving
machines OF various kinds:
I'VE have on our farm a windmill
electric lighting plant which is the
result Of twelve years work. Some
of you no doubt, have heard of 1t be-
fore. The agricultural college here
has thought so much Of it that it pub
lished bulletin No. los on this identi-
cal plant. 1t was my brothers senior
thesis.
'aThe wheel is sixteen feet in
diameter apd is placed where there is
a good wind exposure. Perhaps a
quarter of a mile away from all build
ings. This windmill Is mounted on a
19-foot tower and is entirely operat-
ed and controlled from the kitchen OF
the house. Wires run from the wind
mill to the kitchen where the switch
board is situated and this switchboard
regulates the current which goes into
the battery and comes out Of the bait
terry.
.aThe storage battery Is placed In
the attic Of the house, il may also be
placed in the cellar. Here the elec-