San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-23
ELECTRIC POWER TO
FARMS NEXT STEP IN
PUBLIC UTILITIES
J. F. Queens of Oklahoma
City Tells Of Expert
ments Being Made.

Extension of electric power to farm
ers and residents of rural sections
will result as the next new step taken
in the development of the public util-
ity industry Of the United States, &C.
cording to j. +. Owens, vice president
of the Gas and Electric Company of
Oklahoma City, Okla, who is a visitor
in San Antonio. Mr.. Owens stated Sat
urday that farmers in Oklahoma are
milking their COWS and cutting their
feed crops by electricity now.
Experiments that are being conduct
ed at present in Minnesota are sched
uled to serve as the basis for further
work by public utility companies in
this line, Mr.. Owens stated. A com
mittee consisting of two public utility
men, three farmers and a dean of the
University of Minnesota have been APP
pointed by the national organization
Of public service men, to experiment
with a trial line in rural sections in
Minnesota. The two questions that
will be considered include the prac-
ticability of the project from the cleo
trio company's point of view. and the
economic results that would follow for
the farmer with the acquisition Of
electric power.
"In one case, a farmer who had
been given electric service was able
to discharge two of his men because
of the added electrical equipment that
served as a labor saver" Mr.. Owens
stated. Experiments conducted this
far have proved that in thickly set
tied districts, electrical extensions are
both practical and successful for the
company and the farmer"
Mr., Owens, who represents the larg-
est public utility company in Okla
homa, came to San Antonio for a
short visit as one of the judges ap-
pointed by the southwest geographic
division to decide upon the winning
essay submitted by women employees
in the division. The topic Of these es-
says is, Our Contact With the
Home"
Expressing his surprise at the COM
prehension displayed by women EN-
ployes in the southwest division of
public utility companies, Mr.. Owens
stated that woman's entrance into pub
lie service work is scheduled to play
an important part in the policies and
plans of these companies in the fu-
ture.
I'm Oklahoma, our women employees
have not only interested themselves in
public utility problems, but they have
carried the interest to civic and PROM
inent women's clubs, thus bringing
the service company and the public
closer together than it has ever been
before" Mr.. Owens stated. Women
are taking a serious interest in this
new line of work and this has opened
field to the weaker sex that was
once closed except for men. 1 consider
the movement among women one of
the most important developments oc-
curing in public service history for
many years"
The essays submitted in the contest
are so splendid, according to Mr..
Owens, that there will be some diff
ficulty in deciding the winners. As
there are no names, nothing but merit
will decide the prizes. w. b. futile.
president of the San Antonio Public
Service Company, is the other judge
whose decision will award the five
prizes offered in the contest.
Oklahoma has no gas problems, &C
cording TO Mr.. Owens. but it employs
one feature OF electrical work that is
not used in Texas. at least not in the
neighborhOod of San Antonio. More
than 1000 new wells are being drilled
in Oklahomas oil fields, with elec-
trical power supplied through the Ok
lahoma Gas and Electric Company of
Oklahoma City and several hundred
additional wells are being pumped
with electrical power.