New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-07
THE PROBLEM OF THE WIRES.


HLUMINATION.
To tn EditOr Of The Trtbuns
SIR; In an editorial in THE SUNDAY TRIB-
UNE Of yesterday, the subject OF overhead versus o
dergr lud telegraph wires there was given expression 10
truth so scarcely TO need other than the sg
gestion involved the title VIZ zone Lesson OF tne
Storm" Every New-Yorker would promptly make the
application There is one point. however which have
"a yet failed to see any auson In the columns OF the
daily Journals It is this Is II practicable 10 put the
wires undergrOundl have observed that In the os-
cls>On the subject no Wise discrimination between
the practicable and the mpractcdble Is had' Before
anything can he accomplished toward en'ctng so
great an innovation the general introduction
OF an underground system IN this country
won be- account be taken OF the difference oil con-
dnons existing in Europe and America, anu whethef III
the present of the art 1t IS al al feasOc 10 operate
all modern electrical app lraus upon buried wires
In Wow of the Importance OF this question: IL mas oc
cur,.d TO me that TIE TRIBUNE coul at the moment
confer no grader benefit upon panc than by invlt
in an expression or opinion from the scientific ana
practical men the profession as to what extent under
Ground may he substituted FOR overhead wires without
the aid ct further Invention and without detrment 10
their efficiency In or Ter to give form to sucn DIS
CUSTOM venture herein 10 give my views a. To where
the DISTINGUISHING lue should be drawn aud nv
r,a.on therefor II IL shall appear that they
are no. gansyed 10y compel ut authority or reIutcu Ny
superior argument the public VIII then have pHss on
which effectively the reluctant mooPoleS OF
the Obstructive lawmakers Un tlis question has
been exhausted any agitation OF the matter will simply
be met by The general romder that to place the wires
underground would result serious reduction OF their
Elective carrying capacity.
TWO CLASSES OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.
Among the electrical circuits which may without
drtrlment Dr nm dlatcly placed underground are the
following: Fire and police; private burglar-alarn
gold aud stock quotations; commercial news; short
railroad and private lines district messenger service;
time service; electric hght and any and all CIR
ruits the confines OF which are within radius OF
nuy miles Of the CITY Hal, excepting only through or
long circuits Of the telegraph companies ana Telephone
lines. These lat the only circuits when wOulu
sr by change being subject 10 the EVIL en'cts OF
static induction etwcen themselves and the EARTH
the practical eff ct OF winch is TO lim their eff ctlve
TO carry messages. In the case OF tnr tee'
graphic e. it appears in the shape or reardation
of he signals and a consequent limiting OF the capacity
Of duplex. qualrupex automatic ana Othef multiple or
hign speed apparatus. In the case or the
Telephone circuits 1t appears in the form OF In
dI,tn. ness aud a reproduction Of The conversation
had p1n one wire on the wires In close proximity
thereto; this being in matter OF current
escape the relative degree OF insulation 10y te inter-
position OF Jnducting mategaD - not FACTOR Ill
the case This evil OF static induction reaches its
maximum when tho wires are brought INTO close
proximity to each other, AMI placed on or under,
tLcy are place AZ the greatest d'tn'e ion eich other
mi ~ tho highest altitude Tie serlOns loss OF
efficiency which would BE- sun red By the Geographic
circuits and greater evil Of Lick OF privacy winch
would result thc telephone circuits constitute III my
in gment sufficient reason way they should De con-
tnued in their overhead privileges. AProlos OF this,
and IN respect the ncrcnt con ltOns existing III
America and Europe, the fact may be cited
that teIegraphy tel pIony have rot In Europe
attained the degree of lh'iency Known TO u- The
circuits are not 50 Ong, Il modern improvements
ynrh ruand rhpldy of erc real signaling are not in
Silch general use AMI the telephone NseH II as Jct
,nte the records of few su al European systems Of
underground resat least aS app lcaOe 10 THESE Two
sn tpowlcde mat VERY rGprt to operate telephones
uunn the rcround wires of the British POSTAL Iee:
Irapn system failed. Many INVENTIONS or
,;uit have been mad bur zone ~ ye,. In practical
o. cOmurIc d sense. have entirely solved the prODem
IL may hr az glcl that since Low the vat teephune
tvstrin 10 remain overhead, accomplish but little.
reply that "A beg must DE had iii all things. ami
since have named u numerous class when may, Win
on lenmrn' Do once piac Il IL dr. ground, ana since
no thurOu ghy ,h'ent 1ntilniucHc underground cable
mas a. set Invented, cOac,nic That sufficiently
We dtnu ii line Of separation OF the TWO cases over
mead uud IgrOuid Ia drawn 10 wdrrdrt cOerciVe
a.ntc' IN respect one ana turher s.ntrahee Oh
the par, ~ the done WIN r,S"'t To tne 3tIc A.,
Mucl TIL Ia .rrHIs amt IA sgtly character OF the
accdcnt~ OF iorttI"n ana Er"wth am 10 Wla hlsuI u
crtucd the IrreSponsbiity OF divided propIie ary.
rntrror 10 the dom nd Tor them nave
grown and -prrad VITA IA degree OF vitality
FOUND other than tlry originally int nded 10
o,cupy 80 numerous are these applications mat the
formation OF new corporation To work soma new
channel scarcely Httrtct' eLtOn, the only rght OF
way permit required by them being hat ~ the owners
of real estate occupy their house tops; and such
having long since como 10 look upon the roofs OF
their houses ~ the properly OF the teeGl aph people
rather than Their they had only 10 put out their
lines III aud most iircct way Tue couse
ou.orr IL >, Network Of such lutuci tie pattern and
wuulrr.nl design never bclUt seen IN eartn.
thrI ~ his uet on the right owner thereof il task
N moon Tie
Will exp nd wrath only In gOwl and then FORGET II.
II The I,mrro, list OF circuit, enum rated above az I'M
der gruund wires withdrawn from TINS network.
should have only the telegraph anu trevh"ne com
pAni's zeal with. Let us what would result from
sucn welding out Fr.t-rhr telegraph wires allowed
To remain being solry through" ar trunk Lines, would
head rr,ctl f.On the central telegraph station 10 the
principal railroad points of egres rom he city not
Tapping any city stations IN ioule To accomno,
them would therefore only require few pole Ines
which might l:averse unmportant thorougtif'rts No
huusrtop would b. occupied b. the trleGraph company
AMI exceeding !onr or I'VE OF tne norn aug Soath
streets. Srcond-Iho telephone company "Oud De-
degree ~ order ana system could aud should
be introduced INTO the construction OF Mrir lines
not now II Ianabe With only one interest. ana That
RESPONSE on deal with, the city authorities could
rfrctuay compel tue adoption or a sys"maflc method
OF construction which would render them comp ratlVely
unohconabe. II Is II course Sitnn the rng' OF prob
aDlntles that the impetus to invention watch would 0e
gwen By the Inauguration OF the underground move
menr would speedily result In the perfection OF prac
teal telephone cable No saving ~ truer than that ne
cessity Is the mother OF Invention
NEW DANGER IN HE WIRES.
In respect to the dangers resultant upon perpetuaton
OF the present system of overhead wires sufficient iu-
pofancc been given to the comDlfitlVely new
one derived the Introduction and use OF the power
full electric lights rapidly prrmeatnS the city
The character OF the cleo rG current re-
oIrcd to produce such lights In any
considerable number such when brought in contact
with the human body 10 produce not III frequently IN
slant death Loss Of life from this cause has already
been rccor ded. and instances II narrow have
recent occurred in New-YOrk. True, these are
highly insulated but by accident otherwise they
should be stripped OF their Insulation and the wires thus
barred come IN contact with unprotected parts of the