The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-23
UNDERGROUND TELEoRApn WIRES.
The Western UnIon to Iny Its Lines Beneath
the surface of the city streets

The telegraph wires that make network
In the air around the Western Union Telegraph
company are soon to be taken down. Two
thousand conductors arctic be laid underground
between now and September next in the lower
part OF the city, east OF broadway. The work ia
to be done for tho Western Union by the Eloc-
trio Manufacturing Company. Of which Gen.
Arson Stager is President
The system to be used is tho invention Of
Brooks. "A Philadelphia electrician. The inven-
tors line that was on exhibition ut the phila-
delphla Exhibition could not be made to work.
The reason was. says Gen. Stnger that the set
Ting OF tho ground in which the iron pipe that
surrounded tho wires was laid caused the Pipe
to break and tho insulation was destroyed. Tho
inventor devised u simple remedy. and, expert
ments conducted Tor over year past on telc-
graph lines in operation have proved the prac-
tanco-a mile or more In PhlladelDhia through
n tunnel u mile long. the patent has been used
for year. A line. through the Washington
Brandywino River at Wilmington. bel, and a
third 800 feet long, across the Hackensack
River, near tho Morris and Essex Railroad
bridge, have been found to work satisfactorily.
The underground line may be briefly DO
sSrl1ed as e9PIe OF GOPHER wfts Een9i,ng
driven into oil wells. In fact. the company in
Philadelphia which furnishes the largest num-
Der OF pipes to the oil region IN Pennsylvania
IN constructing the pipes TO bo used in this
city The core OF the cable may be composed OF
any number OF copper wires. Each wiro Is
wound with cotton separately and then tho
wires are bound together with another covering
OF cotton. This core Is boiled in oil and then
bound with hemp to protect tho cotton cover
ing. After boiling In oil again this prepared
core is drawn into the iron pipes. The pipe in
use at the Hackensack River Is an inch and q
quarter in diameter. and twenty wires pass
through IL. On recount OF the low inductiye
capacity OF the insulation. nifty wires can bo
used in pipe only an inch in diameter.
| OIL retains lis Insulating properties. but when
| ever IT. is thought best 1t can be drawn
| from the pipes, aud new oil Infused. 1t
| excludes afr and moisture and constitutes an
! Insulating medium between tho wires them
| selves The failure OF the Centennial expc RI
ment was caused by the oil leaking from tho
| pipe. To guard against a similar failure tho
inventor places Mt long distances on the pipe an
the top that furnishes oil as fast as any OF 1t in
the pipe below may leak out. To provide
| against any possible breakage Of the circuit
| through any means such ms accidental injury
| 70 the wires. malicious tampering, or damage
by lightning. tho cables are divided into short
| sections. the ends OF which. in meeting. turn
aside into some cellar. These ends may DO dis
connected and the, troublesome spot found
| somewhere within the section. Actual examina-
| ton of the section by discovering IL completes
| the work. and, is no more dimcut than taking
up gas ba The arr Of S SrS co
are like tho oil pipes. Repairs may be neces;
on the same route, some OF which can be used
while others may be fixed.
| In the city are 5000 telegraph poles Gen.
Stager believes that whom the projected work
is completed not 800 will rcmnin. Tho trunk
| lines are TO DO up and down the avenues on
| which the elevated roads are butt, II Is under
| discussion whether the pipes will be carried on
| the beds Of the elevated roads or buried in tho
| streets. No legal steps have yet been taken 10
procure the right TO tear up the pavement but
| Gen. Stager believes that the people are SO
| eager TO get rid OF the unsightly and dangerous
| telegraph poles that Il genuine EFFORT to dis
| pense with them will meet every ones approval.
| To test how n long line win work with IN is
system Jersey City and Elizabeth City will be
| next connected with q pine full OF wires.