The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1935-12-26
REA Project Explained by
County Agent-Many
Favor Plan


an explanation Of the Federal Rur-
al Electrification program at q
meeting held in the Community
Club rooms in this city last Satur-
day night. About seventy-five inter
ested farmers were in attendance
Mr.. Lenzmeier stated that the
meeting was called to ascertain the
reaction of local farmers to this
identification project, that Stearns
County Is at present feeling its
way, and that response at the first
four or five meetings had been ex-
cellent.
Explaining that rural electrified
ton had been inaugurated as a re-
lief measure with huge fund for
construction Of lines, he believed
the proper procedure to take ad-
vantage of the set-up would be q
cooperative association formed
among the farmers of Stearns
County. The government will fur
nish the money for lines and
transformers, which will be assess
ed to the farmers along the line
and which will be paid on the
twenty year amortization plan.
Meeker County farmers are pion-
GERS in the Identification program
and their set-up is being followed
by Stearns County. That county has
formed a cooperative and has set
the shares at SIS, with limit of
five shares. No matter how many
shares one person may own he Is
only entitled to one vote. However,
any one wishing to install electric
ity on his farm must have at least
one share Of stock.
The federal administration in
sists that there must be three US
ers to each mile of line. OF course,
as there will be more users per
mile in some communities and less
in others. Meeker County has an
average Of 4.3 users per mile. Mr..
Lenzmeier did not believe 1t would
be difficult to find three users per
mile in Stearns County. He stated
that the response from absentee
landlords in this matter had been
splendid.
In a cooperative Of this kind
there is no double liability, and no
farmer is asked to sign a mortgage
on the power line or transformers.
The government takes a lien on the
line and transformers, hence, If
there should be a loss all the
stockholders would lose would be
their $500 share.
According to government engin-
GERS the cost per mile Of line will
be about $3.50, and Mr.. Lenzmeier
stated that four users per mile
would reduce the cost per farmer
somewhat, but that an extra trans
former would be needed in that
case. He stated that transformers
cost in the neighborhood Of $85.
Under this government finance
plan the County Cooperative Light
& Power Co., must make rates for
power, with additional charges for
amortization and expense Of up
keep, etc. The association can get
the loan for construction, etc., at
three percent for twenty years,
which would make each users
share somewhere in the neighbor-
hood of $3.50 for the twenty years,
or about 81 per month for their
share Of line. The cost per month in
Meeker County is estimated at $3.50
per person. The cost per kilowat Is
1 "a cents in that county. The gov
ernment will not allow more than
2 cents per XIV.
In case the farmers of Stearns
county went into this plan Mr..
Lenzmeier hoped they would wire
heavy enough to carry good sized
motors, and continued that 600 or
TOO farmers could save consider
able money on contract for wir-
ing. The cost of wiring it Is estimat-
ed would run from $24 on up per
farm, according to the elaborate
ness Of the program decided upon
by the individual user. He also
stated that anyone living beyond
80 rods from the high line would
have to bear the additional cost of
construction.
Mr.. Lenzmeier said that the best
way Of securing rural electrified
ton would be to form an organiza-
ton, with from three to six COM
mitteemen in each township. The
duty of these committeeman would
be to see all prospective electricity
users in their townships. Officers
would be required to sign papers,
but would not be individually res
ponsible, except on their individual
stock.
It will take twenty years for the
lines to belong to the people after
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