New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-22
DEATH FROM THE WIRES
THEY SHOULD BE UNDERGROUND.
SOME PLAIN ADMISSIONS BY TIE ELECTRICIANS Al
THE MURRAY INQUEST


SOME PLAIN ADMISSIONS BY TIE ELECTRICIANS At
THE MURRAY INQUEST.
The inquiry into the death Of Thomas Murray.
tho lineman in the employ Of the Brush Company
who was killed on May ii at No 6l6 Broadway
by an electric light wire, was continued yesterday.
1t is Coroner Levy's avowed purpose TO conduct
the inquiry after fashion that will cause y
ventilation of the whole subject of the dangers to
be apprehended from electric light wires, and SO
arouse public opinion that the electric light COM
panies will be compelled TO adopt measures that
will render their wires harmless so far at least
as concerns the general public. William McGraths
the superintendent Of the Elizabeth-st station Oh
the Brush Light Company, first testified. ana SAID
that he didn't consider the handling OF electric
light wires dangerous If proper precautions were
used lie explained that by proper precautions he
meant chiefly the use of rubber gloves in dang
weather.
Do you not think" the Coroner asked, tho
wires are dangerous to person who comes 10
contact with them, il he be unacquainted with the
eccentrlclties Of electricity Z?
We'll, don't think they are exactly dangerous
replied the witness. IL horse should break MS
harness and run away, he would be dangerous,
but horses generally are not dangerous
Finally tine witness told TIE jury tnat ~ was
all a question OF insulation, and now TO secure
perfect and durable insulation was an exceedingly
difficult problem which had not yet been salts,
iactoriy solved. lie thought II wouiu DC soou %
thing TO put the wires underground our
company" he sad instructed me more than z
year age, to place as many wires under srouha
as possible"
None yet have Just got ready to do 1T We have only
Just discovered could be depended on.
and even that is something OF sn experiment
HE HAD INSTRUCTIONS A YEAR AGO
Dr. Otto A. Moses. president of the Executive
Committee of the National Electric Light Asso
citation, was next called to the stand and said:
In the present case so far as can judge from
the testimony, the death of the lneman due
to his personal neglect" Then Dr. Moses went on
to explain that he thought it would be possible
devise method for cutting of the current from
q wire while was handling it, thereby render.
ing it harmless. In response to question as to
his opinion Of the best safeguard, Or. Moses
answered:
think It is very difficult problem get the electric
light I'm proper condition long there 20
many and abandoned wires hanging on the poles
because they a constant source OF danger since
after them and they all the time getting
into the They fall down perhaps some electric
light and IL circuits It" and that may lead
shorcrcultng" of who touches the wires
The danger is not much from the electric light wires
from the useless wires that In contact with them
Q.-Dont you think that as long as the wires are 10
their present condition they source of dangerf A
think that that will be the und The PRESSURE for
the Of wires is great that every wire will be
utilized.
carsessress in handling the wires and no short
circung from abandoned wires there would be little dan
to be apprehended from the electric light wires but
those conditions hardly atta.nabe The dead
wires should be got rid o. That might be accomplished
by putting all the telegraph and telephone wires under.
ground and leaving the electric light wires where they are
There would then be danger OF their being short
circuited' by dead" telephone or telegraph wires.
SOME REMEDIAL MEASURES
The other method would be put the electric light
wires underground Or might suggest third method
wires they and then conduct the
rent from the lines in such way It enters
house It would not hurt anybody This is possible BY
Transforming the power from Of high potential power
to one OF low poena power. could be done, but
the electric light wires another system It is hardly
likely to be adopted. have faith whatever in tho
Underwriters wire, because It Is of poor material.
This gave a good opportunity to a shrewd juror
who remembered that Mr. McGrath had testified
that the Brush Company used the underwriters
wire," which has a coating Of white lead and Is
wrapped in cotton. lie started a persistent in
Quiry ascertain if there not some better in
sulator that the Brush Company could use. DIR.
Moses suggested that the company had to consider
the expense Of aebetter insulatOr. That evidently
put the Brush Company in a worse position than
before in the estimation of the persistent juror
who didn't think that the expense ought to be
weighed in the balance against human lives. DR..
Moses described the system in vogue in London
where an underground cable was employed by
Scmens He explained also that the electric
light wires were placed underground.
That would be the safest method" he said,
because there would then be no possible oppor-
tunity Of causing DEATH because the instant
ground occurred it would cause such serious
leakage that the company would at once become
aware Of it and have to stop it,
Coroner Levy said that he had expected Mayor
Hewitt TO testify but he had been too busy TO at
tend. He would testify to-day and so would the
hearing will be continued at o'clock to-day.
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