Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-05

EIEcTR1cLrcnT ALI RIGHT
or'a'n Of The Late Asylum, FIRE Invsssi-
sssse-N'' Caused By the Eieeuic-Lishs

WILLIAMSBURG, July 2, 1885.
The Board Of Directors for the East
ern Lunatic Asylum at its meeting to-
day considered the origin of the late
fire, and passed the following preamble
and resolutions:
whereas the origin Of the late fire at
this asylum has not been satisfactorily
established, and any conclusion on the
subject would be altogether conjcctural:
therefore be II
Resofred, That this Board declines
to express any opinion as to the cause
OF said fire, or to inputc blame or re-
sponsibility to any parties concerned. .
And whereas, further, il appears
from the report Of the superintendent
that he regards the incandescent cleo
trio light the safest system of illumina-
ton; and whereas careful considers
ton of the subject, after full explana.
ton by Professor Houston, distin-
guished electrical expert Of the city of
Philadelphia, has impressed us with the
advantages of said incandescent sys-
tenn; and whereas the said DR.. Hous-
ton has represented to us that the plant
installed in this asylum by the Consoli-
dated Electric-Light Company, Of New
York city, owning the Sawyer-Man
patents, was skilfully and thoroughly
done, and the same has operated salts
factorily for upwards Of eight months !:
therefore be it
Resotred, That the superintendent
is hereby directed to request the Con-
solidated Electric-Light Company to
make the repairs necessary to restore
the said plant to working order.
Professor Houston, the electrician of
the international Electrical Exhibition
at Philadelphia, was present, and upon
invitation by the Board made the fol-
lowing statement:
Professor Edwin J. Houston testified
that after a careful inspection of the
electric-light plant he found the same
to have been put in in a thoroughly
workmanlike manner, the wires being
fully insulated and attached and suit
ably proportional to the current they
were designed to convey. An inspec-
tion Of the dynamo showed it to have
been properly erected, the communication
brushes and commutator showing but
little wear.
Being asked his opinion as to the
cause Of the fire, he testified he had
carefully weighed the evidence offered,
and had formed the opinion that the
cause Of the fire could not be stated.
AS to its being caused by the electric
light wires, he stated he did not believe
it was caused by them or by current
from the dynamo, and gave in full his
reasons for this statement. lie gave as
his opinion, based on a careful conside-
ration Of the evidence, that the fire orr
ginated somewhere near ventilating-
shaft in one Of the wings Of the build
ing, and was burning fer some time be-
fore the discovery.
He was Of the opinion that the COM
pany who erected the electric-light
plant did their work in an efficient and
thorough manner and if the fire be at
tributed to the electric plant, which he
did not believe should be done, il could
not properly be ascribed to the negli-
gence Of the electric-light company, but
rather to accident or to the neglect of
others.
The Professor then contrasted the
relative safety Of different artificial
illuminonts, and showed why the cleo
trio light should be properly regarded
as far beyond any others in point of
safety. Among other things, he very
pointedly remarked that the relative
safety of the electric light as compared
with other artificial iluminantS had
been carefully discussed by the Boards
of Fire Underwriters Of New York,
Philadelphia, and other northern cities
that these gentlemen, who were inter-
ested in this question, in all cases
reached The verdict that they would
much prefer to take fire risks on build
ings illumined by properly-installed
electric-light plants than on those lighted
by any other artificial llluminant.
Upon the conclusion of Professor
Houston's statement. the following let
tiers were laid before the Board in re-
spouse to an inquiry as to the standing
as an electrician of +. G.. Bernard, who
installed the plant in the Eastern Lu-
natic Asylum:
EASTERN LUNATIC ASYLUM,
WILLIAMSBURG, Va,
December lG, 1884.
The Consolidated Electr,c-LigM Com
pGnH, Mutual Life Building, New
York:
Gentlemen,-It affords me great
pleasure to inform you Of the success
ful work of your electric plant recently
established at the Eastern Lunatic
Asylum. 1t has been in operation for
nearly two months, and during that
time has given entire satisfaction. The
machinery runs smoothly and evenly.
and the light burns well and the
large majority Of the lamps have run
upwards Of the six hundred hours
guaranteed.
j trust that your efforts to introduce
your light to the public may be as sue
cesSiul as the Consolidated light at the
Eastern Lunatic Asylum.
Very respectfully,
JAMES ID. MONCURE,
Supt. Eastern Lunatic Asylum.
UNITED STATES MAYNARD, !
PORTSMOUTH,, \. H.,
CoMMAND'NT's OFFICE, Mayo, 'S5. J
II. r. Garden, Esq, President Coasoii-
dated Elsctric-Ligh Company, Ne~
York:
Sir,-The electrical plant Of the
| nited States steamer Omaha being
completed, it gives me great
pleasure to call the attention of your
company to the very efficient and salts
factory manner in which your agent,
Mr.. +. G.. Bernard, has performed the
work intrusted to him.
His personal attention to everything |
relating to his work and his zeal for
the interests of his company have been
and are evidenced by the |