REFLECTIONS ON OUR HERITAGE

Electricity brought a better way of life

History of local light and power

The first lighting plant was set up in Stein-
bach in 1903 at the Steinhach Flour Mills and
A. A. Reimer, now 83 years of age and a rash
dent of the Beethoven Home was the town's
first electrician.

At first only the flour mill and the homes of
the mill owners were connected but later some
other businesses were electrified and some
street lamps put up.

The plant, using the direct current system,
was not big enough to extend power further
than Reimer Avenue but another plant began
looking after that area a few years later. In
1909, Friesen Machine Shop purchased a
dynamo for their own use and also supplied
power to the J. R. Friesen implement shop and
John D. Goossen’s general store.

At first the light plant consisted of a six
horsepower motor and a set of batteries but
then, in 1911, the plant was moved to a Main
Street location and a larger, eight horsepower
engine installed with batteries and a switch-
board. Shares in this venture were sold to other
businessmen at this time,

Around 1916, Friesen‘s found that the small
engine was inadequate so they bought a 15
horsepower diesel plus a small auxiliary engine
which helped to bear the load during the
evenings. At this time the electricity cost 32
cents per KWH. The people had to come
across with a small fortune for the light bill at
the end of every month and didn‘t like it,

In 1924, Steinbach Flour Mills took over again
They had a 35 hp. high-Speed steam engine by
then and provided electricity and even street
lights at about 25 cents per K.W.H.

As time went on, this plant again proved to
be too small to supply the amount of electric-
ity required by the growing town. Lines were
also proving to be too long for DC. current
and While the lights were right. close to the
generator, they became redder and dimmer as
the distance from the power plant increased.
Not. that this was a fault of the plant, but dire
ect current simply would not carry for any dis-
tance.

By 1935 the inadequacy of the system became
so apparent that the town board decided to
take the matter in hand. The Steinbach Flour :7
Mills hesitated to guarantee the building of a
plant such as would be required by the town he

 

 

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’ Bringing a hit end miss gas engine to Friesen's light plant, probably in 1911. Th
engine proved to be inadequate within five years and was replaced by a 15 hp. diesel.

«photo by J, U. Barkm