The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1918-12-19
Nonpartisan Campaign State
ments on Electric Heat,
Not Borne Out.
BEFORE STATEBOARD
Showing Made of insufficient
Developed Power in State
for Heating.

Boise. ldaEc. Dec. 1.-THE first
hearing in the northwest on the sub
ject of general heating by use Of cleo
trical energy is on in this city. 1t was
convened on the initiative of the Idaho
public utilities commission and no
doubt certain startling, and wild state
merits made during the recent cam
p0ign / al something to do with the
actiCn OF the commission. which could
not of course. t&ke UP the matter dur
ing tie campaign. The commission in
vited all power companies and all citi-
zens having any reformation on the
subject to be present.
special invitation was sent to Joe
Burns, who c2mpaigncd the state for
the NonpartiSan league and made SEN
%ItiUnal statements about the avail
ability ana cost Of powc", but he did
not appear. The commission sent n
subpoene for Lim with a statement it
uld pay his expenses. 1t was con-
tended that Burns mas no real knowl-
edge of the subject and that his state
mcntS were without foundation and
made for political purposes as well as
deliberately disseminate false informa-
tion. Ray McK@ig, another Nonpartis-
an league agent. also made statements
that the commission may ask him to
explain. Every tit Of available knowl-
edge is sought and the evidence comes
not only from professors Of leading col
leSeS where they hold chairs Of elec-
trical engineering and physics.
Not Enough Power.
Dr. Merrill, professor of electrical
engineering of the University Of Utah.
testified that if all the power available
in Snake river from American Falls
west and tributaries and springs, were
used exclusively for heating purposes
there would not he enough to supply
the population OF that district. irrcsDec-
tive of cost. He supported his state
ment with detailed and authenticated
figures.
Cost Per KilOwatt
1t was brought out by various euei-
nccrs that the cost per kilowatt of pro-
ducing juice in this territory was oysr
80 AT the present time This was the
cost To the Idaho Power company and
included only operating, maintenance
ana taxes and not interest on The in-
Nestment or depreciation.
The cost of supplying Juice for the
average house of five rooms was given
at '300 to $4l2 year. depending on
winter climatic conditions. Ms against
around $50 for coal
The cosI of installing the necessary
wiring and heaters was generally
agreed To he 5000 to $500 for each
house, depending upon local rcgula-
tions as 10 the use OF conduits. etc
Results From Grace Plant.
H. NJ. Ferguson. electrical pginecr of
the Utah Power x Light company. tes-
titied That if the entire capacity of its
| best plant II Grace. were used for
heating purposes clone. cutting off
lights aud power for industrial purpos-
eS, il would not be sufficient 10 heat
more than 100 of the 1332 houses Of
McC Cammon, Soda Springs Bancroft
Georgetown, Monteplier and Paris.
Would Deprive Industries.
The managers of small electric
plantS all declared il would he imprac-
i'rai 10 furnish electric energy foi.
heating in their territory nj amy cos.
he capacities were NOT sufficient AMI
the available water power L. he devt T.
"ped would not bring them M 10 me,
general demand. So;nc said they hal
surplus power that IL neod uuder cola-
hulSion for heating. Irrespective of
hrice. would dyFttc industry. AMI
especially mining, IF needed power IA.
chsenahle periods .uii their commuu-
tiles nt many thous} }HdS uf dollars.