The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1918-12-26
ELE CTRIC HEATING PROBLEM.
Attracted Nationwide tAtention; Lit
lie Information from Burns.

Boise, Dec. 2.-Ine electrical neat
ing before the Idaho public utilities
commission has attracted nationwide
attention and there have been requests
| from all over the country for sections
of the evidence.
During the last days of the hearing,
Joseph Burns, power lecturer for the
Nonpa rtisan league, appeared under
subpoena by the commission. He
agreed that open air (radiation) heat
ing by electricity was impractical and
impossible both physically and tinan-
cially, but favored heating of water by
electricity and using the water i'll ra
diatoTs.
Had Little Information.
Burns had no data on the subject.
however. In fact he was deficient on
specific information on all branches of
the subject, although having posed in
public as an expert. He admitted his
lack OF knowledge on the stand.
Burns said about the only informa-
ton he had of power conditions was
from reports Of companies. He quoted
the government Minidoka electric
pumping plant, which furnishes power
for lighting and heating to several
towns, and the Ontario, Canada. gov
eminent power system,
Facts as to Minidoka.
1t was brought out, however. that the
Miniduka plant was installed for pump
ing purposes and had no use whatever
for the power for that purpose during
the heating season and could operate
as chehply then as to close down the
plant. Therefore, the juice cost prac-
tically nothing to produce as the pump
ing receipts covered the years cost. 1t
was also brought out that there was no
charge against the Minidoka plant for
interest on the investment or for taxes.
In the case of the Idaho Power COM
pany il was shown from official figures
that the taxes alone paid by the COM
pany IN Idaho represented Il cost of Il
quarter Of Il cent kilowatt hour Of
juice delivered to the consumers. 1t
had been claimed in political campaigns
that the total cost of production should
not he more than a quarter of a cent
per kilbwatt hour
Situation i'm Canada.
In Canada ii was shown from the re-
ports If the Ontario commission that
the juice was purchased by the COM
mission from a plant at Niagara Falls
and sold by ii to cities. which in turn
sold 1t to the citizens.
Burns had declared on the witness
stand that the average rate in Canada.
: IL CENTS Il kilowatt hour. was fair.
IL was shown at the hearing that the
average price charged by the Idaho
Power company was less than | II
cents Il kilowatt hour.
1t was Also brought out that il had
been represented in Idaho as political
propaganda that the cost to consumers
III canada WAS the cost paid by the
comlnlSFio at the power plant. whereas
IL was on AN average four times the
cost at the plant and higher per horse
power On the average than charged in
Idaho.
Evidence was ad0uced showing that
me LOWEST rate granted by the Idaho
Power company FOR 4 service represent.
ing more thaA 10 per cent of its total
production OF juice was given to the
farmers Tor pumping purposes in irri-
cation systems. The average rate was
10 or a cent per kilowatt hour. while
IN the Gem district only 80 of a cent
kilowatt hour was charged