The Evening critic., 1883-03-17
UNDERGROUND WIRES.
The System Perfectly Feasible For
Trunk Lines-RepOrt OF Captain f.
Grpanq

Captain f. V. Greene has submitted q
thoughtful and exhaustive report to Major
Lydecker ON the subject of underground tel
egraph, telephone and electric.light wires.
The report is based upon Captain Greenes
investigation OF tho subject during his recent
visit TO Northern cities.
The systems OF underground wires, as now
being tested In Boston and New York, and con-
templated In Philadelphia, arc described In
detail. Captain Greene says:
"The experiments now In progress In New
York md Boston and the long use of under
ground wires in London and other cities In
Europe prove incontestably that the under.
ground system is perfectly feasible for trunk
fines. It's first cost is greater than that of
the pole system, but the immunity from
storms and other overhead dangers may pos.
sibly make 1t cheaper In the end. AT all
events the expense Is not beyond the means
OF the companies. There are several systems
in actual use, and an immense number OF pro-
posed systems, covered by letters patent, some
of which appear to have merit and some have
none. 1t is for tho companies Interested to
determine by experiments which is the best.
The electric light wires, the telegraph wires,
and the trunk lines of the telephone can all
| be carried underground with perfect success.
The distribution OF the telephone Wires 70
separate houses in an underground system Is
| attended with difficulties which as yet have
not been overcome. This, however, need give
no Inconvenience in this city, for single pipe
! can be led to the alley In the centre of each
| square which will carry all the conductors
| needed for that square. They can be drawn
| into the pipe as needed and can leave It In the
| alley and be carried upa pole for distribution
TO The rear OF the houses where needed. There
| would be no objection to single. wires In the
| alleys and back yards Of houses
The report concludes as follows:
| ~ recommend, therefore, that the Commits
| sioners pass an order prohibiting the further
| erection of any poles whatsoever on the pub
| lie streets for carrying electric wires, pre-
| vided that such poles as may DO necessary for
distributing telephone wires may be erected
| IN the alleys.
| "Aiso that certain experiments be made on
the ire.alarm wires to test an underground
system less expensive than those now in use;
| that estimates be submitted TO Congress next
| fall for placing all the flre.alarm wires under
ground, and that special report be made to
Congress and plans OF the underground routes e
city and the draft OF q bill to compel the re-
moval of the overhead wires at an early date.
| Captain or Engineers, U. S. A."
Endorsement of Major Lydecker.
The valuable Information supplied by Cap
tain Greene in this report is the result OF In
| yestigations made during the inspection trip
| to which no was recently ordered, and Tor
which he had previously prepared himself by
careful study of existing publications. The
| report furnishes important data for the guild
| ance OF the Commissioners in their future &c.
ton concerning the disposition to be made OF
electric wires, and affords them ample war
rant for sounding the death knell OF the over
head system In this city. IL Is conclusiveiy
shown that the underground system is per-
fectly feasible for all telegraph and electric
light wires and for the trunks OF telephone
| lines without imposing on the companies any
burden that the public interests may not
reasonably demand, These conclusions are
not based on theory and experiment only, put
result from intelligent observation OF systems
In actual and successful operation.
concur In the opinions and urge the adop-
tion Of the steps recommended herein.
CD. LYDEcKER,
Major OF Engineers, U. S. A., Engineer Com.
mis- District Of Columbia.