The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-03-31
TEN THOUSAND MILES OF WIRE.
The Electric web that Covers the city Of
New York.
Ner Tork Star.


On q rough calculation il Is estimated
counting the wires of all the telegraphic
companies, telephone companies, district tel
egraph companies, ,.and the police and fire de-
partments-there are more than ten thousand
miles Of telegraph wire swinging over New
York city. They run In every imaginable
direction, and such tremendous network of
wire Is unheard Of In any ether city. In the
Continental cities of Europe the number of
telegraph wires in operation is mere baga-
telle compared with New Yorks gigantic
showing. 1t Is being seriously agitated 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, obstructing the streets and disfguring
the housctops.
A new danger from telegraph wires has re-
Gently been developed by the introduction
Of the electric light wires. Such a trsmen-
dous current of electricityis necessary in OPP
Grating these lights, that human being who
might happen to come In the direct circuit
would be instantly 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 becoming
crossed. Not storm comes alongtha does
not do great damage to the wires, and If they
could once be put underground an immense
saving would result TO the companies; but
Iay he In narfApt and
carry cut such colossal undertaking would
| be very large. There are dozens of patents
and plans for putting the wires underground,
but whether any Of them are practicable for
use on an extensive scale yet remains to be
| seen.
The Edison Electric Light Company are
| placing all their wires underground, 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 un-
derground: Sewers, 3s3 miles water mains,
512 miles; gas pipes, ss2 miles; steam pipes,
l mile; pneumatic tubes, three-fourth mile
tubes for telegraph wires, one and one-third
miles tubes for electric wires, miles; fetal,
| 1,TS9.5S miles.
According to the Superintendent of the
Fire Department that department alone has
some 300 miles of wire over ground, support.
ed on about 6,o00 poles. They have -four
| wires underground from fire headquarters te
police headquarters, and about 75 wires un'
derground In Mercer street TO the corner ol
Houston street. These were laid in wooden
trough, and then a solution of pulverized
glass, resin, and other materials were poured
INTO the trough, forming a solid, compact
mass. 1t works well enough SO far, but II
would require several years to test the patent
thoroughly, and the wires have oniy beer
down about six months. From ether source:
IL was learned that the wires In all the prin
cipal cities of Great Britain and the Cont
nent are all placed beneath the ground, ant
that the system works well. The only
trouble Is in locating break when one oc
ours 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 th'
many breaks sure TO occur. The wires ar
coated with the best gutta percha and place'
In hardwood boxes or iron tubes. 1t ha
been found that, even with all these precau
tions, the boxes are eaten through and tn
gutta percha covering of the wire destroye'
by a voracious little species of worm, agains
whose boring proclivities even iron is scarce
ly proof. Sometimes whole section Of
street has to be torn up to discover the dc
fectiye wire.