Evening star., 1937-06-20

the lines Is not charged to the In
dvidual farmer, but is borne by the
organization and charged onto the
rate Likewise the poles and lines
being constructed with Federal funds
are built for permanency. They are
designed to last. at the minimum, 20
years. and in the words of an R. E. A.
official, certainly at the end Of 20
years they should be in as good shape
as now, with a minimum of mainte-
nance"
The poles differ from old unsightly
structures We are accustomed to as
sociate with the rural landscape
where electrification has been pre-
viously enjoyed. They are smooth,
painted black, and without crossarms.
The cables are OF aluminium, although
orders for aluminium wire have been
placed 50 far in advance that present
orders are using q combination of
"copperweld" and aluminium and
some are using steel. The aluminium
cable Is said to be highly satisfactory,
however, for its qualities Of endur-
ance and efflcient service, and will be
installed generally when the present
orders have been filled.
Something Of its suitability to the
purpose may be judged from the fact
that the first aluminium cable ever
used-erected by the Hartford Light
&, Power Co.-was first put into serv-
ice in 1899. and when Henry Ford, de-
string it for his museum, made the
request in 1888. the president of the
company said to Mr. Ford, I'VE will
be glad to supply you with it If you
will replace it, for 1t is still In service"
A T THE beginning Of 1896, estimates
indicated that less than II
farms in every hundred, In this coun-
try as a whole, have central-station
electric service. Also, the proportion
Of farms electrified varies widely
among the States. New Hampshire,
TOR instance, has the highest percent
age OF farm electrification, with SIS
per cent. California. where much
power Is used for irrigation pumping,
Is second. with 81 per cent. But In
IA other States Of the Union, less than
one farm In 25 enjoyed electric serv-
Ice. There are today about 5000 900
American farms without electric pow
er, out OF total Of $500, 900. That is,
about II per cent Of the farms In the
United States are electrified.
Many foreign countries are far
ahead Of the United States in the ex-
tent to which electricity is made avail
able to the farmers. In Germany 8
out OF 10 farms are served with elec-
tr1city, as compared with l in 10 in
this country. More than half of the
farms OF Scandinavia receive electric
service, while there is alm.st uniyer-
sal rural electriflcation in Belgium.
Holland and Switzerland. Nearly
every rural community in France and
Italy Is electrified, and in Japan,
where 80 per cent Of the households
are connected for service, electricity
is widely used for lighting, irrigation
pumping and rice threshing. Well
over half Of the rural population Of
New Zealand enjoys electric service.
Despite these facts, the standards of
living in the United States are higher
generally than those abroad, and it Is
the aim Of the Government to bring
other standards up to 1t.
President Roosevelt recognized the
urgent need and present opportunity
for farm electrification, and stated,
Electricity can relieve the drudgery
OF the housewife and lift the great
burden OH the shoulders Of the hard
working farmers" With the aid OF
the r. Z. A. this Is rapidly being done,
to the end that We may become q mod
ern and progressive Nation In our ru-
raj o well - our urban ceuterA