, 1925-10-07
PROGRESS IN RURAL
ELECTRIC ACTIVITIES
Iowa vies With Minnesota in
Thorough Methods Useo-News
From Other States.

~ L III QLutI, III
question of making electric service
available to the American farmer is
being studied, with the aid tof practi-
cal experiments, in a painstaking and
encouraging manner. Steady prog
ress is to be noted, most of the states
investigating the problem in their own
way. but all seeking to devise a prac-
teal economic program which will
meet tho needs of both the farmers
n the power companies.
iowa's Rural Community
A rural community for electrical
development has been established by
Iowa at the town of Garner. This
community is termed a field labora.
tory by the Investigators. Three
rural electric service lines have been
built out of Garner, running in differ
ent directions. These lines cover a
total of SO miles and serve a total of
SO customers.
Already a preliminary survey has
been made covering all of the 80
farms, but a certain twelve farms
have been picked out for special ex.
periments with electricity as applied
to various kinds of farm equipment
and farmhouse appliances. A state
rural electric committee is conduct
ing this whole Investigation.
Practical Work In Illinois
Similar activities have been started
in Illinois. where there is also a field
laboratory, located near Tolono, and
involving ten farms. Several electri-
cal and agricultural interests In ILL
nois are cooperating, with the Col
lege of Agriculture of the University
of Illinois as thet guiding head.
One of the Illinois electric light and
power companies has built a service
line seven miles long in Champaign
county. Farms varying from 10 to
600 acres will be served from this
line, and will represent every type of
farm enterprise. The practical work
ing out of this line will be carefully
studied.
Oklahoma Starts Study
Oklahoma has taken active steps
to grapple with the farm-electric
problem. the sentiment of a recent
meeting of interested parties being
that general rural electrifcation is
an immediate progressive necessity"
A special study committee has been
organized to recommend experiment
tai work in Oklahoma.
Sentiment in New York
The organized electric light and
power companies of New York have
just held a conference at which the
prevailing sentiment was that the
utilities of the state nave an obliga-
ton to develop electric service for
the farm. because the average New
York state farm is both a Home and
an industry"
Although there is no experimental
rural electric line in operation in New
York state, several large electric
utilities are extending lines to serve
the farmer in whatever way it can
profitably be done. It was the opin.
ion that electricity should, first be in
troduced to the farm through the
farm household, followed by the de-
velopment of electric power In farm
work.
Making Survey In Ohio
A survey has been started in Ohio.
having for Its object the electrified
ton of farms and rural communities
In that state. The Ohio state rural
electric committee is conducting this
preliminary Investigation, which will
owe most OF the 100000 farms in the
state. At present about 5000, OF IL
per cent. of the farms of Ohio use
electricity.
Following the survey now being
made. the committee intends to Sc
lect an Ohio community having If
teen or twenty farms. and to make an
intensive study Of how electricity may
be applied to typical farm processes
as operated on those farms. These
farms will then be electrified and the
study OF farm operations by cleo
tricity will be made, thus showing the
situation without electricity and with
electricity.
Minnesota Still Enthusiastic
In Minnesota, where the first ex.
tensive farm electric experiments
were inaugurated at Red Wing. &c.
tivity continues In that community.
A great deal OF valuable data is being
accumulated as to how the farmer
a use electricity, and the farmers
themselves are finding out much
about the economic problem OF the
power companies.
Some OF the electrical appliances
used on the Red Wing farms have
been The occasion OF community gath.
erings. as was the ease when the
electric range was demonstrated. a
huge dinner was cooked In the range.
comprising. among other viands. two
ten-pound hams. two angel cakes.
an omolet. a broiled steak. asparagus
Gad peas. these articles. being served
as buffet luncheon to'the mon and
women who cane from miles to see
the electric range at work. The dem.
aonatrnftou With oua.tfona a,a a.