New-York tribune., 1882-04-08
UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPHY.

TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE
IN REGARD TO PUTTING WIRES UNDER THE
STREETS.
The Senate subcommittee met yesterday at
e Metropolitan Hotel and resumed the taking Of expert
iestiuony relative to the feasibility Of laying under
ground wires this city. The room was filled with rep
reen,aves of the different telephone telegraph and
bYrclaralarln companies and patentees OF numerous
electrical Inventions Thomas a. Edison was first exam.
lped lie stated that he had made subterranean tec
c-afhy part Of his study and In his opinion the pro
posed system OF underground wires was scientifically
and commercially practicable for telegraph telephone
and electric light purposes. He thOught that in five
years the saving OF expenses incurred By fire and
storm wOuld more than compensate the companies
foT the cost Of putting the wires down. John Krucs OF
the Electric Tube Company concurred with Mr. Edison
In regard to the pracucabity Of underground system
David Brooks an inventor and electrician, testified at
e0me length concerning the methods followed in the
European cities, especially Paris and London He s the
Inventor Of the Brooks underground system OF laying
wires and is present engaged In laying cable be
tween Jersey City and Newark He has also laid wires
in England, France and Belgium. Mr.. Brooks stated
thai the chief difficulty from scientific point OF Wow in
Underground telegraphy disturbance OF the wires by
Induction or the naturalization of currents by close
contact Of the wires and by what is called static
charge" He had found that both of these difficult
ties could be obvatcd by high insJ,-
aiio In Paris the wires were laid in the arches OF the
sewers and not permitted by the Government TO be
eD0ye ground except IL the outskirts OF the city, IN
london the wires along the hOusetops. Mr. Brooks
sald that he could place all tie wires below Canalst
oeOW ground WITHIN year and have them working sat
lsiactony without bndrance or obstruction 10 the
snie o. lie CITY ecould place 800 wires In al inch
AZ The conclusion OF his testimony Mr. Brooks vas cub
cd toa e o. nterrOgaiOes from the representatives,
vi Ine various companies Mr. POlhemus. of the Holmes
Burglar Alarm, wished know what effect the new sys
ZEN would have OF burglar alarm companies.
Anc question Is not within the scope of the commit
&c ullf, sad senator DalV. The committee only
o. the system"
Ny question is q scientific one" said Mt Polhemns
Inc testimony seems TO De entirely Overwhelming"
fsd Mr.. Daly that these unsgAtly poles can he dis
pcused with"
Burton y. Harrison representing the Metronolt,n
Telephone Company asked what Nj Brooks would do
When making zigzag lnoltipe connections such as
crossing the street often. MT. Brooks said should
make all the wires in one block the corner COM
pethg circuit the wires could along the caves
end cutters out OF sight.
Charles A Checyer Of the opinion that the systnr
would be mpracticIble IN many instances because of
me multiple connections, which would require constant
Iafhg up OF the streets aud Obstruct business c. A
hhddsen thought that the expense Of the new system
you'd limit the telephone business greatly. Milton
sarls al expert electrician thought that there was no
ulNlcu!ty whatever that could be OVcPcOme- He
proposed having main Office north OF the Harlem River
1nu MAKE a loca! circuit Of NewNOrk city Robert d.
hacLne said that II would take twelve Law the
NlIth IN the cys 3GG miles of streets without obsiruc
ing business II were done in year Mr.. Brooks
hac stated, IL could only be By complete sOppage OF
tIaiic One expert stated there 3O0 900 miles Of
WI 10 the CITY. Another said there les. than
iVOOO niles g. dInfreisie, electrician OF the Western
thon Company, said that chat conpany was making eN
allowed 10 finish them before required by unsceutili
men 10 change its system with the expense neces
'ally entalcd thereby.
Iuc committee adjourned 10 meet asaiu on Monday
Tt. a. noon Tor a maj hearing