White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-01-29
w. S. C. Grad to Make
Rural Power Survey

thereby extending the benefits and ad-
vantages of electric service to 4,148
new customers, all previous records
for farm identification in the terri
tory served were broken by the Puget
Sound Power & Light Company dur
ing the year 1925.
Pointing GU that practically the en-
tire Olympic Peninsula had been add
ed to the service area of the company
at the close of the year, report is
sued predicted the construction of at
least 500 miles Of rural extensions
during the present year together with
a vastly greater application of cleo
tricity to all farm activities in territory
already served.
This is problem which we have
now taken up in earnest" said Henry
j. Gille sales manager, land not only
are we cooperating in every possible
way with the engineers and experts of
the state college and other institu-
tions in the statewide survey Of this
matter, but have appointed an expert
of our own, John c. Scott, a graduate
Of the department Of animal hus-
bandry of Washington State College
who has had wide experience in this
field, for the sole purpose of confer
ring with farmers, dairymen, poultry
ment, horticulturists and others in
our territory on all problems that in.
yolve the use of electricity AS far as
we know this is the first time that
such an expert has been engaged by
any electric company in the United
States for this purpose. Naturally,
we hope that this service will be of
inestimable value to the agricultural
interests of Western Washington"
An exceedingly interesting talk on
the subject of rural Identification was
made at the same meeting by Profess
sor l.. l.. Smith, of the state college,
who, together with Henry L. Carver,
has devoted the past year to a survey
of this subject in every part of Wash
ington.
Pointing out that, in the main, the
problem of rural electrification was
one of distribution rather than of pro-
duction, Professor Smith recounted
the result survey of rural distribu-
ton lines which had been made both
East and West of the mountains.
In collecting data on this subject"
said Professor Smith, I'VE found 1t
advisable to divide the state into
three main sections since farming con.
ditions In each of them differed very
materially. Thus, we examined rep
resentative lines in the Eastern por-
ton Of the state, the central irrigated
district and in the district west of the
Cascade mountains. In the western
district, lines were examined at Lyn.
den, Bellingham, Mt. Vernon, Belling-
ham, Mt. Vernon, Buckley, Puyallup,
Vancouver and other points, an effort
being made to select lines carrying a
heavy load together with line in
each district carrying light load"
Dealing with the application of cleo
tricity to the poultry industry, Pro
lessor Smith pointed out that so far
the investigation along this line had
indicated four main uses. These were
electric lighting, incubation, brooding
and power although opinion still
differed as to methods by which the
best results were obtained. an any
event." said Professor Smith, "wheth-
err one man can take care OF 1000,
1900 or $500 hens will depend large
ly on his future use Of time and labor
saving devices"
Professor Smith dealt with the cleo
trio factor in dairying, silofilling,
hosting, irrigation, home and yard
lighting as we'll as with It's application
to domestic purposes on the farm.
start had been made, he announced
that during the present year 1t was
the intention to gather data in SO far
as possible on the following subjects
Of special interest of residents of the
west side Of the state:
Irrigation Of berry districts.
Value OF the ultra violet ray in the
poultry business.
Irrigation of summer feed for poul.
try and for home garden stu/.
Development of small power unit
for use on poultry farms.
Extending the use Of carrier devices
to permit the filling of silos with a
smaller motor.
Artificial clring of hay by means
OF circulation of heated air.
Issuance Of a circular on dimming
devices and wiring for same for poul-
try houses.
Capitalization of power require.
ments on dairy and grain farms.
Cost data on water pumping for the
farmstead and Its relation to insur-
ance.
Study OF power requirements for
prune drying.
Preliminary work on development
OF small electric tractor for cultivat-
ing small fields OF irrigated land.