The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1942-01-15

margin rer"csents unused capa-
city which is available to carry
additional loads and capacity held
in reserve against breakdowns
and other emergency conditions,
including periods of low water.
Construction Budgets-Electric
Utility Companies
In 1871 the electric utility COM
panies of the United States spent
in round numbers $600,O00,000
on new construction. This sub
s,cnttally equalled the construc-
tien budget reported at the Begin
ning of the year. The construction
c,.1Ccditures were: SO per cent for
9 eating capacity, 81 per cent
fer transmission lines and SUBJ
,st-t.ons; 8. per cent for distribu-
ton lines; and per cent for
miscellaneous structures.
The reported 1912 budgets are
10 per cent greater than 1941
budgets. 1912 expenditures, how
ever, will depend upon the avail
ability of materials and equip
ment. Extensions of service into
new areas are prohibited under
existing OPM orders except to
serve defense projects, but govern
ment announcements indicate that
these projects are to be greatly
expanded. In view of OPM orders,
distribution expenditures are ex-
pected to be sharply curtailed but
expenditures for generating sta
tons should be Is per cent heav-
Ter than in 1871.
Output
Output Of electricity in 1871 BY
all agencies contributing to the
public supply totaled about 1857
000,00O,000 kilowatthours, an in
crease of 16 per cent over that for
the previous year. Fuels produced
115,6OO,OOO,OO0 kilowatthours, an
increase Of nearly 10 per cent,
and water power produced 81.
400,000,000 kilowatthours, an In
crease of 10 per cent over the
previous year.
The record breaking drouth
throughout the territory east OF
the Mississippi reduced output of
hydro electric plants in New Eng
land about per cent below nor
NAL and in the Middle Atlantic
states about per cent below nor
NAL. In the Southeastern states
stream flow was seriously reduced
but because more hydro generat-
ing capacity was in operation than
during the previous year the net
effect was only a 4 per cent reduce
ton below the previous years hy-
dro electric output. In all other
sections of the country the output
of hydro electric plants was above
their 1910 output.
Industrial and mining plants In
1941 are estimated to have pro-
duced about 40,000,0O0,000 kil0-
watthours, making the grand total
power output from all sources
2O8, 00O,OO0,O0 kilowatth u : ..
This compares with 143.000,0O0,-
900 kilowatthours in 1888 when
the United States produced one
half as much electricity as all the
rest of the world combined.
Largest Number of New
Customers in Is Years
The grand total of electric Gus
toners of all classes was 1885,
600 at the close of 1941. This rep
resents An acquisition Of 1,362,OO0
customers during the year and
constitutes the greatest gain since
1927. Housing for defense work
ers caused much of this expansion.
At the end of the year there were
2,S5O,O00 farm customers, about
two-thirds of whom are served by
electric utility companies. OF the
estimated 35,4OO.O00 families In
the United States, 100000 or
76 per cent are now taking electric
service.
Demand for Appliances Breaks
All Records
The year 1941 broke all records
in demand for electric appliances.
More ranges, refrigeratOrs, vac
.uum cleaners and other appliances
were sold than ever before. Sales
of refrigerators exceeded $780,
900 units, or 100000 more than
were sold in 1910, the previous
high figure. Sales OF electric
ranges reached 100000 compared
with 436,000 in the previous year.
While these large purchases OF
electric appliances are not likely
to be repeated In 1912 because Of
priorities and lack of stocks, those
already installed constitute . sub
stantial backlog for sustaining the
level Of domestic electric use for
some years ID come.
Rates
New low records were made In
electric rates in 1871. At . time
OF rising price levels, the average
price Of electricity for domestic
service lowered to 3.73 cents per
kilowatthour a. compared with
3.84 cents the year before and
5.7S cents ten years ago. The
average residential customer used
$50 kilowatthours during the year
as compared with 952 kilowatt-
hours in 1910. In ten years the
use of electricity per customer for
household purposes has increased
by 400 kilOwatthours, while the
average price has dropped until
it is but "a per cent of the former
figure.
Taxation 1914
Taxes, applicable to electric
operations, increased by almost
100000, 900 from $413,000,000
in 1910 to $4,000, zoe in 1941.
This represents an increase OF
23h per cent, and taxes now con-
sumo 2O1a cents of every dollar
collected from all consumers OF
electricity. Taxes are greater than
payrolls. They now exceed by 40
ner cent the combined total of re-