The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1938-08-11
Owners Must
Metalicize
Rural Lines
Parallel Electric Wires
Cause Induction Noises
On Country Phones
MATTER OF PROGRESS
Three Lines of Local
Companies Are Metal
icized-Others Plan

Telephone service to 1876 rural
subscribers on eleven of the twen-
ty-six farm lines out of this ex-
change has been impaired by power
induction noises as REA energized
the first of their power lines, North
western Bells manager, H. S. For
syth, said this week.
Although they're not entirely
crippled" he said, referring to the
subscriber-owned and maintained
lines that go out over the country
side. he pointed out that many of
the instruments on farms far out
on the lines have been rendered
virtually useless with the further
noises set up by the power paral-
lels."
The problem briefly is: only
grounded, or single wire lines that
utilize the earth to complete the
circuit are affected, he pointed out.
Since there is no break in these
single wire systems, induction noise
is built up as the lines proceed. On
ly when the power line runs par
allel to the telephone service does
this condition exist, but it may exist
when the parallels are as much as
a mile apart. Lessening the distance
Of the parallels by half heightens
the induction noise not twice, but
four times, he said.
The remedy is to metalicize the
present grounded lines. Engineers
have found, Mr.. Forsyth said. that
by criss crossing two telephone
wires, break Is setup that breaks
down the power induction. In these
cases no build up can be attained,
he pointed out.
TITS q matter OF progress" Mr..
Forsyth said. 1.-THE time will come
when the whole country will be
electrified. It's surprising it hasn't
come before"
Affected in this energizing are
lines to the south and west Of this
city, he said. Directly to the north
they don't expect trouble since no
power lines have been erected, he
said, nor to the east since the pro-
ject hasn't extended that far.
Now there are three lines Of the
local companies that are metaliciz-
ed. At present two others are in
vestigating costs of the change to
the system, indicative of the fact
they plan the change, two other
lines are in the process of making
the change.
Some of the companies, with no
provisions over a long time finan-
cial setup, are financially unable to
meet the cost of changing without
levying special assessments. Insight
to cost to be assumed is the esti-
mate on materials alone for a two
line company, of 80 miles, that runs
to five hundred dollars. The i'm
mediate problem can be met by
metalicizing only the distance of the
power parallels, but the permanent
setup calls for a complete change
over the course Of the line.
It's not a problem that reared its
head unnoticed until the current
went surging through the REA
lines. Though at the very begin
ming the REA did plan some COM
pensation to farmers companies at
fected by their induction, they an
nounced year ago that since their
job was mainly to furnish the pow
er at as little cost as possible, they
would forego any such arrange
ments.
It is argued by these Independent
phone companies that since private
power lines are required to assume
the responsibility Of costs to change
over, in cases where telephone SER
vice was in first, the REA should
be no exception. The problem Is
now in a test case before the courts.
Not all of the trouble can be laid
to the power parallels, Mr.. Forsyth
indicated, since rural service has
not kept pace with urban. The
grounded system loses transmission
in long distances. Some Of the lines
are as old as Is or 30 years and
without substantial technical inn
CONTINUED on Page 8. Col. IL