Black Hills Power and Light, Decade of the 40's
1949
The blizzard of January 1949 cannot go unmentioned because it brings to mind the many encounters with "Mother Nature" that have occurred through the years. The storm rated in severity with blizzards in 1888, 1936, 1946, 1983, and 1988. The climate in the Black Hills is generally ideal with four distinct seasons. However, heavy winds up to 65-70 miles an hour, along with snowfalls from 1 to 60 inches, depending on where you are located, can bring everything to a standstill for several days. The exposure of the electrical system to extreme elements can cause difficulty in maintaining service. Dedicated employees equipped with good equipment and facilities have weathered many such storms with pride and the knowledge that the job was well done.
A local union, affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, was organized in 1949 and some of the employees joined the union. Several conferences were held with the IBEW and the Company took the position that the Union should not be recognized as the bargaining agent except upon vote of the employees at an election to be held for that purpose. The representative of the Union requested that such an election be held and the Company consented, subject to an agreement as to employees eligible to vote, and a tentative date was set for the election. Prior to the election date, the representative of the IBEW withdrew the request for the election "because of lack of enough interest" and no further action was taken.
The Company had always followed the policy of taking a personal interest in the welfare of the employees and was always willing to assist them in times of emergency. The employees appreciated this attitude and that had a great deal to do with the splendid cooperation they gave the Company in rendering satisfactory service to the customer.
Another first by the Company was the unveiling of "Reddy's Roving Electrical Show" in June of 1949. The show was contained in a 35 foot trailer van. A long sign advertising "Reddy's Roving Electrical Show", ran the full length of the van ending with three round speakers turned in three directions. On one side of the trailer was a huge picture of farm buildings being serviced by electrical distribution while on the other side was a huge map of the BHP&L transmission and generating stations and all the REA existing lines. Another proposed Bureau of Reclamation line from the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River to the Black Hills was shown.
As people entered the long, well lighted trailer which was divided into three compartments, they viewed the first display section which had detachable steel shelves and cabinets with a demonstration model of a dishwasher, a disposal unit and an automatic range, and cabinets and an 8 cubic foot refrigerator.
In the second section was a home freezer unit, an automatic washer and dryer, shelves, cabinets, an automatic water heater, and an ironer.
In the third compartment was a public address system, complete with record changer and a "mike"; a pressure pump; a milling machine;a "black light" display; a cream separator; a huge milk cooler; a welder; and a stroke pump. It was a lavish display with everything bright and shiney and all units hooked up and operational.
Robert Asheim and Donald Harris were in charge of the display and they were enthusiastically received by thousands of people in the rural communities throughout the Black Hills. Colorado Public Service sent an employee to get suggestions for a similar display for that Company.
A formal safety program was initiated with the hiring of Mearl Weedman as the first Safety Director in 1949. Harry Peterson was Public Affairs Director and Mearl joined Harry's staff to coordinate and organize a safety program. Mearl had spent many years in safety and first aid instruction work in various industries. Statistics proved that workers trained in first aid were 50 percent less likely to be involved in lost time accidents than untrained people. A first aid program was developed and every operations person completed the 18 hour first aid course. Accidents and fatalities have occurred through the years although the Company continues to do everything possible to eliminate these unfortunate happenings.
In the summer of 1949 the Company tried an experimental Traveling Meter Test Trailer, one of the first in the United States. The trailer was 18 feet long and 8 feet wide and completely equipped with meter testing apparatus. Two people worked inside the trailer, calibrating, inspecting magnets and jewels, and whatever else was needed while the other person took the meters from the homes and brought them to the trailer to be tested. After complete repairs and adjustments, the meter was returned to its original location. The interior of the trailer had built-in cabinets full of small drawers holding metering supplies. It had a water heater, power grinder and buffer, General Electric test-board and standard. It had hot and cold running water and compressed air. The trailer was moved from town to town as scheduled for meter testing.
During the state legislative session in 1949, a proposed public power district bill was submitted. The proponents of the bill claimed it was needed to secure distribution of power to be developed on the Missouri River. The bill was defeated by a narrow margin.
Similar bills had been submitted during previous sessions of the legislature but had no substantial backing. During the 1949 session it was backed by the state Rural Electrification Association and the Farmers' Union.
Black Hills, along with the other South Dakota utilities, began to work with the Rural Electrification Association and the Bureau of Reclamation on a plan to use the transmission systems of the utilities to distribute power generated by the proposed Missouri River generating plants. Negotiations were progressing satisfactorily and since it would be several years before any such power was available, arrangements could be worked out well ahead of the completion of the proposed plants.
For the stated purpose of assuring South Dakota a "fair share" of this power, the Governor in 1949 appointed a committee to study methods used for distribution of government generated power in Arizona and Nebraska. In Arizona the distribution was made by means of a State Authority that acts as a clearing house for all groups distributing government generated power. In Nebraska all distribution is accomplished through public power districts.
The Governor's committee suggested that legislation be enacted in South Dakota that would combine the desirable features of both methods. The legislation was drawn to permit privately owned utilities to continue to operate within the state. The Company and the Black Hills area would not be materially affected because low-cost fuel available to the Osage Plant made it possible to generate power there at costs comparable to the cost of Missouri River power. There was ample evidence that people of the Black Hills area preferred to have privately owned utilities continue to supply the utility needs of the territory and that they were well satisfied with the service they were getting from privately owned companies.
Negotiations with the United States Bureau of Reclamation for the purchase, transmission, and exchange of Missouri River power continued for several years. It was believed that such an arrangement would result in benefits to everyone concerned. Power from the hydro plants was to be available in 1954, but no agreement had been reached. The first power to be transmitted to this area was to be used to satisfy a part of the requirements of Ellsworth Air Force Base, formerly Rapid City Air Force Base, and the cooperatives of Rushmore Generating and Transmission Cooperative. The Company would continue to supply the balance of their requirements.
The Company's negotiations with the Bureau did not result in a satisfactory agreement because the Bureau proposed to supply such power over a highly exposed single 165 mile transmission line. The line would not be dependable.
Mr. French joined with officers of the local REA groups in an appearance before a Senate subcommittee in Washington in support of a Bureau of Reclamation request for advance approval for construction of a system of high voltage transmission lines for the distribution of Missouri River generated power in South Dakota. The subcommittee and, later, the Senate, gave the request favorable consideration; it then appeared that the Bureau would be allowed to begin construction that year.
The local REA groups were advised by Washington REA officials that if the Bureau built a transmission line from Rapid City eastward so the newly organized REA groups in the west-central part of the State could be served from the Company' s system, funds would be advanced to the local groups for the installation of a third 10,000 kW generating unit in the Osage plant. The unit would be leased for 35 years and operated by the Company.
The Ellsworth Air Force Base was being converted for use by B-36 planes and several million dollars were spent on improvements.