The Osceola times., 1883-12-08

fire in the basement Of lager beer sa-
loon, No, l02 West Fourteenth street.
Oct. "A, 1881, the Brush wires started
fire over the Thirteenth street door Of
the Germania (now the STAR theatre.
Oct. 25, 1881, wires OF the same company
rendered imperative three box-signal
currents of the fire department and did
much damage TO boxes and magnets
Oct. l3, 1882, electric light wires started a
fire in Nos. Al and 43 Centre row, West
Washington market. Dec 90 1882, they
did the same at No. la William street !;
June 10, 1888, at No. 121 Front street !;
Sept. 10, 1888. at Miners theatre, on the
Bowery Sept %, 1883, again at Miners
theatre. And such things are happening
frequently all over the country wherever
these wires are introduced. | see that
you have mentioned some of them in
the Times, but only a few illustrative
ones. A complete list from all over the
country would be astounding to proper
ty-owners no doubt. Only a day or two
ago the Baltimore papers published the
fact that electric-light wires set fire to
the drug store of Lilly, Rogers & Co., on
West Baltimore street, in that city.
''The great trouble is that they have
not vet got perfect insulation for their
wires, and wherever the insulating ma
terial covering them is broken or defec-
tive, trouble is most certain to ensue.
have had them exhibit to me here wires
covered with insulating material sup
posed TO be fire-proof, but which, upon
being tested, burned like taper. Other
material they employ is liable to corrode
or rot in time and under certain common
conditions. OF course, a very great deal
of the danger would be obviated by put
ting the wires under ground That is
where they should be anyway. There Is
no doubt in my mind that these wires
about the streets are very dangerous,
and the more wires there are put up
and they are increasing every day-the
more danger there is.
If they were put under ground there
would still remain the danger of their
setting fires in buildings into which
they are run, but they could be guarded
against in great measure by fusible
plugs or more perfect insulation and
greater care in putting them up, and
then perhaps they might not be any
/
other system of lighting would be-"
1t is understood that some members o.
the board of underwriters are much dis
gruntled over the recent exposes of the
dangers to property attendant upon the
use of powerful currents of electricity
One of their officers, in conversation
with gentleman few days ago, Offered
novel argument against these facts be
ing made public. "1f," said he, "certair
classes of people who obtain insuranc,
knew how easily, and with how littl,
danger of detection, they could emplo,
these currents of electricity to start fire,
in their over-insured places of business
there would be apt to be an alarming in
crease in the number of cases of arson.
have no doubt that there are not few
who are only deferred from employin.
this agent for such rascally uses by eth
er their ignorance of the power that is il
their hands or of how to utilize it, o
possibly their fear that in so doing the,
might meet the death they would r::chll
deserve. Giving such information t.
some men is practically putting a torcl
into their hands," So, according TO thi
gentleman's way of looking at it, trustin.
to the chance of dangerous men remain
ing in ignorance of conveniences fo
: crime which it is their interest to discove
is preferable to putting those convenien
ces beyond their reach. Burying al
} electric wires beneath the surface of th,
ground, and rigidly enforcing the great
est care in putting up and insulatin,
wires IN buildings would reduce to
minimum all dangers from this source
and make arson by electricity no easie
or safer than arson by kerosene.
1t has been observed by persons cross
ing the East river bridge ON damp night
that the men constantly employed OF
that structure fixing and tinkering at tn,
electric lights are armed with rubbe
gloves and boots to guard them from Ga
tai contact with the are light wires whel
they are clambering about upon tn,
structure at their work. Superintendent
Martin, when questioned on the subject
said: 81 have heard that the men do il
wet weather wear rubber gloves anC
boots to prevent encountering the eur
rents that at such times are liable to leal
: from the wires, but have not had occas
ion to notice personally their doing so.
have never heard, as yet. of any acciden
from the electric wires on the bridge, bu
it is only natural and proper that tn,
men should adopt all possible precau
tions against possible danger. The light
require great deal ofattention, constan
care in fact, to keep them going. Yer,
frequently s per cent. of them hav,
failed to light up when the current wa,
turned on in the evening, and in sucl
cases it becomes necessary for the mer
to fix them. Very often, too, the lamp
go out. They are arranged to Durn two
sets of carbons in each lamp-one SCI
burns the first half of the night and ther
the current is whipped over to the other
which burns until morning. But Otter
the current does not whip over, and ther
the magnets are burned out Then NOR,
fixing has to be done. II has happened
several times that all the lamps on the
clrcuit-halt OF the entire number on tn,
bridge-have gone out simultaneously
and only last Monday night all the lamps
on both circuits went ont at once, leavin!
the bridge for short time in total dark
ness. All such things need the attention
of the men at once, and of course they
are right in trying to do their work Al
safely as possible"