Hydro-Electric Power on the Farm

Library and Archives Canada: 28mm, 35mm, VHS, digibeta.
"First part of a three-reel film which shows the application of electricity to life and work on the farm. Niagara Falls with water rushing down to a large generating station below the falls. Transmission lines lead out from the station. Exterior shot of Kitchener Hydro Distributing station. Field with grazing cattle with hydro power lines leading from a steel tower in the foreground and telephone lines. Hydro lines radiating from the town of Waterloo to rural districts showing lines, houses, and fields in the background. Rural road with two cars passing a horse drawn buggy. Hydro poles stand at the side of the road. A farmer is shown walking towards the main buildings of a farm with a car parked beside the barn. Hydro wires are shown on the side of the farm building. Shot of hydro pole with transformer and power lines leading to the farm. Lines inside the farm building are shown leading to a fuse box. Belts are shown turning under electric power. A woman is shown turning on a switch. An electric motor with revolving belts is shown leading to a cream extracting machine, the woman pour milk into containers on the top of the machine. The milk is shown coming out of one nozzle of this machine and cream coming out of the other into pails. A woman is shown ironing with a flat iron, putting the iron on the stove to reheat; this is compared to a woman ironing with an electric iron, plugging it into an electric socket and ironing. The use of film to inform the public of new technology and advancements, and to convince the public of its merits, was embraced by both provincial and federal governments. This film shows a simple overview of how hydro-electric power works, with scenic shots of Niagara Falls and a generating station below the falls. Transmission lines lead out from the station, through fields with grazing cattle, to a farm. An interior shot of the barn shows an electric creamery machine performing a task traditionally done by a farmer. The film features other benefits of hydro-electric power, such as an electric iron that doesn't need to be re-heated on the stove. During the 1920s, the Ontario government contracted film companies to produce films relating to the province's agriculture endeavors and other industries. Private companies such as Filmcraft and Pathéscope often competed for these lucrative government film contracts."