New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-27
EDIsoy on DANGERS From STORAGE.

TO the EdttOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: Mr.. Hayes representing the Brush-Swan
Company, printed card In yesterdays papers pro
o,,nctnc as incorrect" certain statements OF mine
published Saturday morning touching the death current
and storage batteries of the swan-Brush Company
pnc interest in the subject cOmpels me to correct Mr.
HAYES and set the matter straight
Tho Brush arc light current is well known to be deadly
II has killed people, and will Kill wh0msocyer touches
the wires The wires strung on poles ana are no"
usea for arc lights Mr. Brush has a storage battery,
recently shown here in neat private exhibition at Mr.
Uaves's office which, II is said will be brought out for
sale and public use in few months. The Brush-swan
Company proposes to put these storage batteries INTO
prvate houses and TO supply them With current from
these Brush light wires. The storage batteries thns
charged will in it said discharge themselves IL
feeble and safe other interior wires con
LTD with incsndescent lamps for domestic Lighting
NV saturdays statement that the Brush-Swan
Conanv proposes to introduce these high pressure
currents into houses TO feed storage batteries be-
eve that statement TO be true and now repeat IT, MT
HAYES might have by more careful reading OF my
statement that it was the feeble 40-yolt current
leading sron but the fatal 2.O00-yot leading TO the
storage battery in the house Of which plainly spoke
The Edison current Is throughout hi. entire system
of low pressure being about one-wenteth the inten-
sitV OF the Brush current and absolutely safe. as thou
sands Of persons from having freely han He'd the
wires The Edison system Il lighting Is meant FOR lnte-
rior domestic illumination, and the details in all respects,
and especially regards danger from fire and to the
person have been perfected with that end IN view The
Brush system however is devised principally for out
door lighting where the dangerous conductors can usu
allv he kept away from human contact But IL is now
nror osed to apply this dangerous current 10 the
| business Of ordinary domestic illumination.
The Edison Company, proprieors OF an absolutely
safe system Of domestic illumination, look with deep
lighting dependent upon the introduction Of death cur
rent wires into the inside OF dwelling or IN eontigity
tween different systems Of electric lighting Should the
Brush-swap wires which have already Killed people IN
the streets he touched IL or upon private house death
il II j. said, and doubtless uuthiuy tlat the
deadly quality OF he current IS changed ny e SotaSe
battery deadly the other wires leading out rom the
battery safe. This mgates the evil but does not
cure it, The bad fact remains that the wires leading
from the street 10 the storage battery wherever located
passing up or down the outside Of the house wall or nj
or down the inside must before reaching the storage
battery be more or less liable 10 chances oi vohc.
This danger will be more readily seen II explain what
the battery is and where It will he placed
What then Is the Brush storage battery ana where VIII
the householder locate II That battery az shown mere
last week is described as coin-shaped boS, tishl
feet long sixteen Inches Wle anu sixteen i,, 81
This box Is filed with lead plates, Is OF great weight d
must be placed where eau be got at for the purpose W
occasional treatment livery mouse MOuu ~ vii
have its separate battery. and many consumers
require q number OF these boxes, varying WIN tho
amount of light required In some cases they may oe
put In the cellar. In Others III clOet WIN s'Ipg i
hui place them where you Will, the wires lcauIhs ~
them corry the death current Although every eiiort
De made keep the covering of these wires t
ana their location intact, sun en-
viii happen such house repairs, etc, by Wllch thty
| will b. exposed to contact whoever touches tnoso
| wires ~ may child stupii ser abt, d
fireman. workman engaged in pInbing carpehlciing
or carrying coawhOever touches thC 80 az 10 receive
the current win be killed. The public. as lave stated
will not discriminate If deaths happen rom snch CON
with electric wires. "A storm OK undscriminatlns
public Indignation will attack all methods of domestic
lighting by electricity II is for this reason that tle dl
son Company views with deep alarm the possible advert
OF the Brush Swan storage b tteries fed Ia the manner
described by Mr. Brush In recent newspaper articles
| s. n. EATON,
| President Edison Electric Light Company.
| Neg TorL, Dee. Is.