New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-07
ryDrRGRoUND rFLEGRAPH WiRES.

Among fine most serious economical problems
vhcl, fine cry has vet to solve, and which III
n,,e-ut forces iisr!f upon public consideration,
Is fiat Of putting underground the countless
>i>rsElcd telegraph wires which dist:gnrc our
stree. and avenues. The rapid growth of lie
v,.rious Industries 10 which electricity has
ALREADY lrcome a necessity, and the pi"papie
caiIv apr.i,tion %, it 10 other nses not yet con
teIpnatcd because Of lis cost, render II lmrera-
tive ,bat an ca,ly solution We found. foriu
nai.]y The natural contour of the city favors
the dr,.ro. sion of wires under Broadway an'
one of The avenues. which together form con
tnnous route through the middle OF the CITY
from one end 70 She other. From wires placed
in the main thoroughGarc, branches through
cross streets could he laid IN any direction.
Th,t such lines can Ice operated without
trouile Nhen properly insulated has been
clearly demonstrated. The main thing 10 lc-
com,,lioh. therefore, l. to Secure the perfect nsu-
l,t;ou Of large number of wires III snail
cable or rroup which can be laid aud main
aimed at les. cost than VIC, n now suspended.
Thi. world relieve Ia, of the unsightlAcss, thc
annoyances, the dcstructiyenc~s and tie dan
gers of the present system IN word, who
ever furnishes cheap system OF insulation
Will settle the question o! underground wires.
There are over 10000 miles of suspended
wire IN tie city, of which loo miles belong
TO Ike city and are necessary TO the Efficient
working OF the Police and Fire Departments.
The remainder belong to the great Geographic.
rclephonic, district messenger and electro
lieht companies with none Of which the city
can dispense. The actual number III use dr-
caae from aOV 10 person can tOreSee or caIcd-
late from the Developments of twenty years
past Int il Is safe 30 assume that the dtlaCf-
ment and danger of the city will he largely IN
creased. The danger to life ana property OF
the susncnded wires has almost daily iliustra-
ton and since the introduction of the clectlc
light wire TIE danger to property ha5 been so
aurmcntcd rs % affect the rate of INSURANCE
on buildings which they cross or into which
they are introduced. 1t j. asserted that IN
GerggOuad wires can he LAID at a cost OF FjO
per mile in insulated cables containing numcr-
ons wires, and various companies have been
formed TO test the cost and efficiency al such
pan~ of cheap Insulation, with what result l.
not vet known; but it is apparent that II any
protector can reduce the cost 10 such e figure II
vii be cheaper 20 dcprcss Dian 10 suspend "iics,
| for the cost Of maintaining the latter Is very
great. a suglc sto: N La, been known 10 inter
rupt the whole Geographic system OF the city
fol days; ana The repairs hastily maze have III
a single instance aggregated more than tenth
! Of the original cost.
OF course the minor difficulties of lay ing
wires underground arising from the necessity
| of avoiding sewer, and pipes already existing,
and of repairing them when injured, still re-
main. These would be insignificant matters in
! cross streets, but serious ones in Broadway.
| But if a cable of sufficient number Oh wires
could he compressed into very small
space. it would be practicable to lay il under
! Inc sidewalk near or even under the curling,
! so that business would be in no way oDStIuctcd
! Nv lcaHug mp The street TO lay or repair a cable.
! Ii might be possible indeed, 20 utilize the curb
| ing itself 10y substituting Tor the main cable
| through the heart of the city a curbstont Of
iron. with appliances for readily getting at the
| cable Incloscd therein. lut in one way OF an
other these difficulties will yet be overcoTc.