Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-04
Ten THOUSAND NILES or WIRE.
The Electrical Web that Covers
New TOrk-Edison's Underground
WIress
Hasp York Sta.

On rough calculation It Is estimated
counting the wires of all the telegraphic
companies, telephone companies. dis
trict telegraph companies and the po-
lice and fire departments--there are
more than ten thousand miles of tele-
graph wires swinging over New York
city. They run in every imaginable di-
rection, and such a tremendous network
of wire is unheard of and unknown in
anv other city. In the Continental cities
of Europe the number of telegraph wires
in operation is a mere bagatelle compar-
ed with New York's gigantic showing.
1t Is being seriously agitsted that some
concerted action should be taken with
view Of placing all. or nearly all, the
wires underground, in place Of having
them, as now, obsructing the streets and
disfguring the housetops.
A new danger from telegraph wires
has recently been developed by the in
PRODUCTION of the electric light wires.
Such tremendous current of electricity
is necessary in operating these lights
that human being who might happen
to come in the direct circuit would be
killed by the shock. The repairing OF
the wires affords employment to a small
army of line men and others, who are
constantly employed on the work, as
the wires are always breaking or becom-
ing crossed. Not storm comes along
that does not do great damage to the
wires, and if they could once be put under
ground an immense saving would result
to the compan es; but then the outlay
necessary to perfect aud carry out such
colossal undertaking would be very
large. There are dozens Of patents
and plans for putting the wires under
ground, but whether any OF them are
practicable for use on an extensive scale
yet remains to be seen.
The Edison E tciric Light Company
are placing all their wires under ground,
and have nearly ten miles already laid.
One of the chief difficulties in the way
of placing the wires beneath the surface
is the vast amount of sewers and pipes
already laid. Some idea of the way the
streets are already cut up may be gained
from the following figures. which show
the number of miles already under
ground: Sewers, 3S3 miles; water mains,
512 miles; gas pipes, $50 miles; steam
pipes, mile pneumatic tubes, mile:
tubes for telegraph wires, II miles; Tubes
for electric wires, miles; total, 1,789
$500 miles.
According to the Superintendent of
the Fire Department, that department
alone has some 900 miles OF wire over
ground, supported on about 6 600 poles.
They have four wires under ground
from Fire Headquarters to p lice Head
quarters, and about seventy-five wires un-
der ground in Mercer street to the cor.
ner of Houston street. These were laid
in wooden trough, and then solution
of pulverized glass. resin and other ma
terials was poured into the trough, FORM
ing a solid, compact mass. Ii works
well enough so far, but it would re-
quire several years to test the patent
thoroughly, and the wires only have been
down about six months. From other
sources it was learned that the wires in
all the principal cities of Great Britain
and the Continent are all placed beneath
the ground, and that the system works
well. The only trouble experienced is
locating a break when one occurs and
repairing it. This would prove serious
trouble in having the wires under ground
in New York, as the streets would have
to be continually dug up to get at the
many breaks sure to occur. The wires
are coated with the best gutta percha
and placed in hard wood boxes or iron
tubes. 1t has been found that, even
with all these precautions, the boxes
are eaten through. and the gutta percha
covering of the wires destroyed by vo-
racIOus little species of worm, against
whose boring prOclvities even iron is
scarcely proof. Sometimes a whole Sec
ton of street has to be torn up 10 dis
cover the defective wire.