Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-05
UNpERaRouNn wIRE PLANS.
Inventors Submitting Their Methods to
the Commission.

FROM me -fcL A"fA fHdcos
The Commission on Electric subways
yesterday held the first OF a series OF meet
ings to consider the best method OF put
ting electric wires underground. The
law which created the commission gave
TO the several corporations which control
the wires go days in which to present
plans of their own. The time expired on
n Ihursday last without single sugges-
7tiOn having been received from any OF the
corporations. 1t then became the duty OF
the commission to devise plan Of its own,
independent Of the corporations. Inc
meeting was held In the Metropolitan ho-
TEL and ell the Commissioners were pres
emit. Seated about tue room were num-
Der Of inventors, who were present for the
purpose of submitting original plans tor
the acc mpli >hment # The object In view.
Joseph w. Horner submitted model Of
his sectional compound telegraph wire
protector" Ii consists of series OF two
part boxes set up on edge and having reg
lstered recesses IN their meeting iace-.
Inc wires pass through these recesseS ana
are insulated from tue boxes by an lnsu-
lating material which Is poured into the
Tecesses in a fluid state. a communica-
tiOn from the Averell Insulating Conduit
Company stated that the company was
preparing maps aud plans TO be submitted
TO the commission, and asked for 1utorma-
ton as to the different systems OF wires
now existing, both above and under
ground.
An original idea. whatever else may be
said OF it, was presented by John NJ. ia
gels. He suggests that, as there are
double lines Of car tracks in all the prin-
cipal streets permanent foundations be
made for each single line OF rails in the
shape of a cast iron arched conduit. This
would make four cOnduits in street.
One conduit would be used for electric
light wires, one for telephone wires, and
the remaining two for telegraph wires.
In streets where there are no railways Mr..
Jages suggests that the upper surface of
the cOnduits would make excellent tram
ways for vehicles. 3 +. Carpenter, Of
Roselle, n. j., presented plans for sub
way 10 contain not only all the electric
wires, but pipes for steam, water, gas,
sewers, and pneumatic tubes. A letter
/ received from f. j. Tw0mey, Clerk of tue
| Common Council, said: Photograph
wires have for many years been strung in
this city by authority other than that Of
the Common Council, and cases Of this
character ] have no means OF knowing.
| am informed that the Commissioner OF
Public Works has given permission otlate
years to erect poles for wires south Of the
Harlem river, and the Commissioners Of
JlG department. OF HuDlc Ks nofLn OF
the same stream" j. HOlins BOwly. No.20
Jewett-Ayenue, Jersey City, wrOte re-
questing a private interview with the
commission, for what purpose was not
stated. He stated, however, That be had
studied and practiced teegraphy under
Prot. Morse, and that he WAS with MIN
when he laid the first Atlantic cable in
| 1867.
The Commercial Cable Company, in ac-
cordance with a request made at pre-
viOus meeting, furnished the commission
with a statement of the routes taken by
its underground telegraph cable system.
The main line starts in Broad street,
passes through two or three small thor
oughiares to reach Franklin square, then
twists about through half a dozen more
to second avenue, whence it continues out
to and across the Harlem river, and from
thence TO the city line at Bronx river.
There are four branch lines, one OF which
| terminates at the Hoffman house and
another at the Herald Office.