New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-05
ELECTRICIANS FAIL TO AGREE.

nor WORDS OVER PAPER BY DIR. BE>JAMlN
ABOUT DANGER TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.
The regular meeting of the Electric Club was
held last night the Hotel Dam Tho members dinei
together Informally. 1t was announced mat Immediate
ly after dinner Dr. George II. Benjamin would read
paper entitled RULES to be Observed In Hand
ling Electric Currents ~ used In Elctrc
Lighting and Tran nsmsslop OF Power" and general dis
cussion by the members invited Aboat thirty
members sat down to dinner among them peing
Ii. C. DAVIS, president; Charles W. Price, j. r.
Morrison, Of Baltimore, president OF the National
Electric Light Associations; John ]. sabn.
OF san Francisco; stephen d. FeId Eugene
T. Lynch jr.; George Warrington. editor OF The Etec-
frc Rerte,c; n. w. Pope II. d. Stanley, Amos Broad
nox willard Candcr. NJ. W. Goodyear and c. H.
Barney.
Dr. Benjamin. in his paper, dwelt chiefly on fire ard
life risks in electric lighting. He characterzed the
present ngemeDts made by some electric companies
s unsuitable and inadequate He said that thirteen lives
and property worth 81 300 900 had been lost during the
year through defective arrangements on the part OF cleo
trio companies In those where the defective ar
rangemens the result OF culpable careessness ne
stgmatized the companies as ncendary and homicida
and suggested the law should hod their managers
responsible.
AT tho close Of these Introductory remarks he sug
eestcd number OF rules, carefully complied IRON lhe
best regulations OF boards of fire commissioners and un-
derwriters IN various parts OF he United states ana
Eng land which, said. could he adopted with advan
tage by the mpanies order that uniform system o
lighting aud trans sission OF power might De aiopteh
throughout country. He referred to the tOucbl-
OF electric light men on the SUBJECT anu
recalled and the raised by them some time
ago ag certain persons who had the tenerlty 10
make similar complaints in the pubic press lie stated
that electric ent companies gave these COM
plants consideration and adopted means 10 pre-
vent further losses OF life and property The sooner
would they the complete confidence OF tho eommu-
nifty. -,
close OF the address, j. Morrison, OF Baltl
more, gained the floor from several gentlemen
who were anxious to speak lie einphttlcdIy
denied the charges brought in the paper against
the electric ight companies While giving Dr.
Benjamin full credit for worthy motives, he SAID
that the enemy OF the electric companies could
have cOncoctcd moro exaggerated ana untrust-
worthy document than the just read or one better
Quai.led do the panirs irremedabe harn. when
put the hands of their competitors through
the med um Ofthe newspapers
The doctor objected to the statement that his paper
ggerated and said thai Mr. Morri on looked at
question from the business point of view, While 10
treated II as sUlcnti.'
"You scientist Mr. Morrison shouted, advancing
thrsateningy upon the doctor; science does not hc
such a papefis insult to the intelligence OF the club
thai the be not printed Was r-t proposed
Mr.. MOrrisons speech long ana angry ono anu
many members had gone before h" ceased sreakng
An amend the motion accel ted by Mr.. Nor
ton Withdrawn, IL moved AMI carried that the
Introductory remarks o. DR. Benimin's speech De
stricken aud Ohly the proposed rules printel. ,
r BENJAMIN III reply said that the b,st proof OF the
OF his reuarss consisted In the nngracous
manner which they hti been rec vei lie declared
his intention ign from the cluo and publish tue
paper himself.