Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-10-25
A TIMELY WARNING.

That there is great and imminent dan
ger to life and property in the electric
light wires, has been proved several times
oil late, notably in st. Louis a year ago,
when the central telephone office in that
city was Quilted by fire, caught from a
crossing electric light wire, and dav or
two since, when in Cleveland, Ohio, an
electric light current was caught by the
IRON front OF large building in that city,
and charged heavily enough to cause
instant death to any person who might
happen to place both hands on the build
ing at the same time. OF course, the
electric light companies claim that insu-
lation OF their wires is perfect, and in
truth so it is, when they are first put up,
but time and the elements corrode
the covering, and the crossing of tele-
graph and telephone wires cuts through
it, exposing any object in reach of it,
that is conductor, to its full power.
Certain death turks in all such broken
places for any person touching them,
and the wonder is that the record is not
larger. The writer was on aP. NJ. s.
Company's steamer that was fitted with
these lights, and the wires led through
the coal bunkers, under the deck. A
coal-heayer was missed by the watch in
the fire-room, and was found dead where
he fell, having cut through the hidden
wire with his shovel while filling coal
bucket. In Charleston, South Carolina.
two years ago, the city was fitted with !
these lights for street illumination. One
large lamp hung pendant in the middle
OF the street at each intersection of cross |
ing streets. The lamp hung low, and
swung about very much in the wind.
The people nearby took piece of tele-
graph wire and threw it over the wire
holding the lamp, to steady it. Four men
had hold OF the wire. One was killed
and three crippled for life. Of the dan
ger to those using the telephone, the
Cleveland Plain Dealer speaks as fol-
lows
AAO AhouASI ia WHICH the wires are now
strung Is constant source of annoyanoe
ana menace of danger to users of tele
phones. The proximity of an electric LIGHT
wire IN use to telephone wire, even where
they do not actually touch. seriously impairs ,
the working of the telephone wire by the
loud whirring sound it produces in the tele-
phone and practically renders it useless. If ]
tne Two come IN contact-which has not {
lntrequently been the case-the ANNOYANCE [
IS converted into positive danger. as the ]
saving OF the wires on each other soon cuts c
through the insulation and sends the de-
structlVe current of the electric licht
over the telephone wire into the houses and
offices. "1i"
The peril is increased by the fact that n
many miles of the dead wires'' are strung s
on the poles and from house to house'
Ihese were mostly strung by the opposition
telephone companies and remain unused and v
ancared Tor. They sag or break and in this :;
way come into contact with other wires
stealing of the electric light or power cur. I
rent and sending it over active telephone 3
wires or bringing it within dangerous proye
unity to unsuspecting persons.
Inc number of electric light wires in the
oity is rapidly multiplying and the dancer
rom them is increasing in direct ratio. II
IS matter in which the CITY authorities
nave full power to interfere for the proteo-
tion OF life and property. The exercise of
mat power is now demanded