--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Lyman, Richard R. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 29 number: 5 published: 1926-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Lyman, Richard R., “The Pioneer Use of Electricity in Utah,” *Improvement Era* 29, no. 5 (March 1926): 410–412." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2905unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2905unse start_page: 410 end_page: 412 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2905unse publication_year: 1926 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1926, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Pioneer Use of Electricity in Utah THE PIONEER USE OF ELECTRICITY IN UTAH* By Dr. Richard R. Lyman, Consulting Civil Engineer, And Member of the Council of Twelve Apostles Benjamin Franklin, the beginning of things electrical in the United States, has been dead but one hundred and thirty-five years. It was eighty-nine years after the death of Franklin, or forty-six years ago tonight, that with the invention by Edison of the first successful incandescent lamp, modern electrical development began. Swift has- been the progress. Electric lights have dispelled darkness, and by use of the electric motor man is able to take on the strength of a giant. He goes by submarine into the depths of the ocean, and by aeroplane into the skies. By the use of electricity, moving pictures bring us information from every part of the world. The electric motor, with lightning-like speed, takes us underground, through the subways of great cities. By means of x-rays, electricity enables us to explore the human body, while by radio and telephone it carries our voices thousands of miles. The telegraph, the telephone, electric lights, electric railways, automobiles, flying machines, and the radio, all came to Utah early. In 1 844 the world was stirred by the miracle of the telegraph. The first message was sent between Baltimore and Washington by Morse himself. During the Civil War, on Oct. 18, 1861, when the telegraph line across the continent to Salt Lake City was completed, President Brigham Young wired: "Utah has not seceded, but is firm for the Constitution and laws of our once happy country." The charge for messages of ten words to New York then was $7.50, as against 90c today. In December, 1866, the line was opened for business with Ogden, and soon afterward with Brigham City and Logan. As early as 1878, but two years after the invention of the telephone, there were two instruments in Utah, one in Salt Lake City, the other at Fort Douglas. Our first exchange was opened in Ogden in the fall of 1880, four years after the first telephone was made. In the spring of 1881 an exchange was built in Salt Lake City. In the early 90's, a woman, still in the employ of the Telephone Company, put up between Logan and Nephi jthe first through connection, over which a successful conversation was held. Our Telephone Company has had the vision and the material forces to keep pace with the growth of this inland empire. Advancing, building *An address delivered by radio on "Electric Night," October 21, 1925, at a national celebration, sponsored by General Electric, in honor of Thomas A. Edison, for his greatest contribution to mankind — the incandescent lamp, 46th anniversary. PIONEER USE OF ELECTRICITY IN UTAH 411 improving, it has anticipated the demand for its service. Today it is the ally of every enterprise, the connecting link in all our business and social life. In Utah there is one telephone for every five people; elsewhere in the United States, one for every seven. There is hardly a settlement here that cannot be reached by telephone. The history of street-car, of lighting, and of power companies in Salt Lake City dates back to 1872, when the Salt Lake City Railroad Company was organized. In 1888, when electricity was substituted for mule power, the company employed thirty men. Fourteen cars were in operation, using eighty-four mules. While electric street cars were first used in Richmond, Virginia, and in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1888, Salt Lake City followed very quickly, changing to the electric system in 1890. Located in the tops of the mountains, with many canyon streams, Utah has been a leader in the development of electrical energy from water power. In 1893 the Pioneer Electric Plant, located in Ogden Canyon, was world-famous. Its power line of 38 miles to Salt Lake City was the longest, and its voltage, 16,000, the greatest of any power line in the world. Utah was the first to run alternating current power plants widely separated, as Cottonwood and Ogden, '"in parallel;" that is, to connect them so as to feed power into the same line. As early as 1897 the first commercial transmission line in the country to operate at so high a voltage — 40,000 — was used to distribute energy from the Provo Canyon plant. Since that time an adequate supply of hydro-electric energy has been available over wide areas for lighting cities and towns, operating irrigation pumping plants, and developing industries. Electrical service has been made available to a greater percentage of the farms of Utah than to those of any other state. According to the census of 1920, over thirty-four per cent of the Utah farms received electrical service, while seven per cent is the average for the country. It is said further that Utah has a higher percentage of farm homes served with electricity than has any other State. Consider for a moment how large is the part, yes, how indispen- sable is the part that electricity plays in modern civilization. This will appear especially remarkable if you remember that the first central district lighting station which Edison himself built began operating in New York City as recently as Sept 4, 1882. That plant started with but fifty-nine customers, and these were so skeptical that they had to be furnished with free service for a period of five months. The electric light, a curiosity a generation ago, was looked upon with wonder and awe. While electricity is used in practically all the mining operations of Utah, all coal in this State is mined by its power. Electrical machines drive small pick points into the coal. The shots are fired by means of electricity. The coal is loaded into small cars which are 412 IMPROVEMENT ERA brought together by electric locomotives and hauled to the surface by electric hoists. Electric loading machines are displacing hand shoveling. Every underground worker carries on his cap an electric battery lamp. Under modern electric processes, explosive gases in coal mines can be ignited only if mine regulations are disregarded. Telephones are in daily use, and electric signals control the movement of cars, hoists, and locomotives. Mines are lighted by electricity, and electric motors drive screens which prepare the coal for market. Special electric machines load the coal into box cars without hand labor. Utah is recognized as one of the leaders in the manufacture of radio loud speaking units. The demand for these products has de- veloped here a four million dollar business which employs five hundred men. At night the principal streets of our city are a flood of light. Our "Great White Way" has transformed the darkness of night into the light of day. It looks as if the time had come when all people must have faith as a grain of mustard seed, for the miraculous develop- ments of the electrical industry are such that nothing seems impossible. My Boy Who is it makes me wait and wait For letters that are always late? It's my boy, my boy! I know he loves me, always did, But under a bushel he keeps it hid, Does my boy, my boy ! So when in hand his pen he takes, A memory, surprising, wakes In my boy, my boy! He scribbles off a page or two Of why he didn't — then he's through, Is my boy, my boy! He doesn't run a single bluff, He states his case, and that's enough For my boy, my boy! The tender words with which to cope Are useless stuff for me to hope From my boy, my boy! I know he isn't built that way — To say the things he'd like to say, That boy, my boy! But in my heart the springs of joy Are filled with love for that dear boy ; And, while I'd like to have him write A letter oft when out of sight, I'll take for granted all he'd say, And never doubt, but always pray For my boy, dear boy! Salt Lake City. HATTIE JENSEN.