The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-10-17
HEATING BY ELECTRICITY
IMPRACTICAbLE IN IDAHO
After Exhaustive Investigation
Public Utilities Commission
Officially Declares That Cost
To Consumer must be Pro-
hibited.

BOISE-H Heating by electricity has
been officially declared to be imprac.
ticable in Idaho within the range o.
reasonable cost of production or rea
sonable price to the consumer.
The decision was made by the Idaho
public utilities commission and fol
lows the testimony given about a yea,
ago at the heart hearing in which .
number OF electrical experts testified
including some who were interested in
electrical heating propositions. The
decision recites that uniformly the
testimony showed that open air heat
ing by electricity was not feasible O,
possible within a reasonable expense
to the user.
Two Commissioners Decide.
The decision was formulated by
Commissioners Freehafer and Erb
Commissioner Sweeley was not q
member OF the commission when the
hearing was held. He read the evi-
dence, however. and filed supple.
mental report in which he said the
cost of construction of lams, installing
turbines and other. electrical equip
ment, including the transmission lines
was so high, however cheap the source
of power, as to make electricity for
any purpose expensive. He also de-
clared that any reduced rates allowed
by the commission for heating would
be discriminatory because the burden
of heating houses would have to be
borne largely by those who used cleo
tricity for other purposes.
Both Democrats.
There is, OF course, nothing politi-
cal In this decision, but it so happens
that both Commissioners Erb and
Freehafer are Democrats. This fact
is only interesting because in the last
political campaign in this state the
leaders of the Nonpartisan league,
then in control of the Democratic or
ganization through capture of the
Democratic primaries, made their
leading issue and had men going over
the state making all sorts of wild
statements. Reference is made to this
in the commissions findings as fol-
lows:
"The question of electric develop
ment was injected into political cam
paigns, and stump speakers INDUCED
in such broad and general assertions
relative to the possibilities of develop
ment and use of hydro-electric power
in Idaho that the public was liable to
be nlisled and hopes raised that could
not be realized,
Cost Prohibitiye.
The commission found from the evil
dence that:
|. Electricity is never cheap.
2. That coal, comparatively speak
ing, is reasonably inexpensive for heat
uses and the best use to which it can
be put. leaving electricity for power
purposes, lighting, etc.
5. That electricity per unit of heat
costs 6 to 9 times as much as coal.
The conclusion of the commission
shows that the most economical use OF
coal is for fuel and of electricity Tor
mechanical and industrial purposes
The electrical current necessary to
heat the 15,o00 homes in the territory
Of the Idaho Power company, it is
stated. would be sufficient to electrify
the Oregon Short Line and thereby
save millioH tons of coal a year for
domestic and industrial purposes.
No Increase in Rates.
This decision comes at a time when
a statewide investigation is in pro-
gress as to prices paid by the public
for a variety of service. including the
Supplying Of food stuffs.
This investigation shows heavy in
creases in the price of food lumber,
fuel and wearing apparel. So unreal
sonable are some of these increases, in
view of the investigators. that they
are to be put up to the federal au-
thorities under the profiteering act.
1t is interesting to note, in connec-
ton with all these facts, and of the
findings of the commission in the
heat hearing, that the only thing that
has not been raised in price is electric
energy.
Next to it stands the telephone serv.
zee. There has been a small increase
N the charge, made by the govern
fnent on the order of Postmaster Gen.
cfal Burleson in order to meet the
marked deficits Of the Mountain States
and other telephone companies.
With the exception of electric
energy and telephones the increase in
cost prices to the public have been
very heavy, ranging from 100 to 1870
and even 200 per cent as compared
with pre-war prices.
Cost of Coal.
The recent raise In the cost OF coal
at the Wyoming and Utah mines
comes in for consideration In the cost
inquiry aud Is said to be arbitrary on
the part Of coal operators for the
reason that there has been no increase
Of wages to the miners and no in
crease In freight rates.
The action Of the coal operators has
stimulated public interest in the CO.
operative efforts to secure coal at cost
n least for those who are joining IN
the development OF their own coal in
Utah.
A large number Of idaho people,
members of the Mutual Coal company,
are interested In a property in Spring
Canyon containing so million tons Of
coal. Half Of this coal is for Idaho
people and Is being rapidly absorbed.
The output will be 1000 tons day
under the capacity OF the plant as or
Aared