Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-04-04
A Growing Danger.

Much has been written and said con
cerning the benefits and dangers tina
attend the Use of the electric light. No
tice has been taken of the annoyane
and danger to life from the placing o
the electric light wires on poles an,
buildings in proximity to other wires
nOticeably those of telephone cOmpa
MES, contact with which may result dis
astrously to persons using phones Ol
the circuit thus affected. 1t has become
an almost mwritten law that To avoiC
such contingencies as far as possible al
wires used for electric light circuit!
shall he placed below all other wires OI
the same poles, with view to avoiding
possible danger in case of breakage Ol
| those conveying the current from tn,
dynamo-generator Although attention
has been called i'll emphatic manner t
the obstacle which wires i'll general
whether on poles or buildings, are t.
firemen in raising ladders and in th,
performance of their many difficult du
ties in eXtinguisling fires, but little
mention has been made of the eXtra
danger t0 which they are liable wheI
working in the vicinity of wires carry
ing the powerful currents needed fol
the electric light. The rapidly increasing
demand for the light is SO well known
| that the most superficial examination
cannot fail to convince that danger tC
the fire laddies from this source is con
stantly growing.
Conversation with local fire officials
shows that they are keenly alive to the
situation and anxious that the possibility
of serious results be speedily reduced tC
the minimum. Very fortunate it is
that since the introduction of the elec-
tric light in Buffalo serious fires have
been few, and in no case has the prOX-
unity of the wires caused accident tO
the tire-fighterS. As inStancing tine
vigOr with which these wires make theiI
presence known, it is related that al
the Commercial fire when the new Hayes
truck was on Washington Street, the
extension ladder was at one time resting
across the bundles of wires strung on
poles through that thoroughfare. y
member of the company was leaning on
the crank used to turn the elevating
screw. Suddenly he jumped as if shot
and began rubbing his hands. which had
been behind his back resting on the
crank. Asked what was the matter,
the aStoniShed fire laddie replied that
the thing was hot. Examination SO far
proved the truth of the assertion that no
one cared to bother the crank. In raising
the extension ladder there is used a
stout chain passing over pulleys at the
10,
chain. it appeared, was pressing against
an electric light wire, and though the
latter was insulated. enough of the
powerful current escaped 10 make the
electricity felt. Though the iron about
the ladders and truck, together with
the iron tires, seemingly made COM
plete ground" there was still plenty
of lightning left. While this incident
serves to convey some idea of the i'm
pOrtance of these wires as factor i'll
fire fighting, there vet remains to be
considered the danger on the inside of a
building which is lighted by electricity
rs is the case in many buildings occupied
for business purposes on Main Street
and elsewhere. and in large mdnufac-
tories where the light is now in constant
Use. In all of these places at all times
during the night the powerful current
passes into the building until IL seacheS
the lamp most remote from its point of
entrance and then passes out. Whether
the lights are in use, does not affect the
question. While the generator is in mo-
tion the circuit is complete within the
building, for if the lamps are not in the
use they are switched OUT by Il simple
lever overhead, and the current. though
il does not pass through the carbon are,
making its presence known by the light
thus formed, it is silently circulating
Just as powerful as if seen. Suspended
to the ceiling, Us these lamps usually
are, il is easy to see that even a Sigh
fire in store or factory may detach both
lamp and wires from the fasteningS that
keep them out of harms way. \ break
age of this sort and the room may be-
come a mammoth Leyden jar, more eS-
pecially if the place is well flooded, for
water is one of the best conductors.
The ends of an electric light wire on a
floor covered with two or three inches
of water is not state of things i'll which
the fire laddieS find much comfort. Yet
the firemen are by no means enemies of
the electric light, and only ask that rea
sonable precautions he taken for theiI
protection from this source of danger
while at work.
\ simple switch placed outside Of
each customers premises, by which such
place can he ''cut OUT of the circuit
and the current kept out of the building
when the lamps are not in Use, is sug-
gested by local firemen as probably the
most practicable safeguard that can he
put in operation without expense or de-
lay. In factories or other places where
the light is used all such ''cut outs" can
be operated 10y the firemen on their
arrival at the premises, while consumers
using the light shorter time can operate
the switch with but little more trouble
than in simply switching out the lamps,
as is now the custom. The subject in
creases in Importance as the Use of the
light extends, and it will probably re-
ceive local attention ere long.