The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-07
PERILs OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

Edison Makes Some Suggestions-He
Doesn't Favor Underground Wires
Thomas f.. Edison in November North Ameri-
can RevieIc.
The numerous accidents which have oc-
CURED in the city of New York during the
past year show to a very large extent the
operation of time upon the insulating mate
rial which surrounds these wires. When
first erected, the current was, to a certain ex-
tent, successfully confined; but the air is
doing its work, abrasions are more easily
made, and, without the adoption of genuine
methods of control, accidents" may be
looked for in larger numbers as time goes
on, due not only to deterioration Of insula-
tion, but to the multiplying Of electric cir
cults to supply the popular demand for
electric light.
The public may rest absolutely assured
that safety will not be secured by burying
these wires. The condensation of moisture,
the ingress of water, the dissolving influence
of coal gas and air oxidation upon the
various Insulating compounds will result
only in the transfer of deaths to manholes,
houses, stores and offices, through the
agency of the telephone, the low pressure
systems and the apparatus OF the high ten
sion current itself.
have no intention, and am sure none
will accuse me- of being an alarmist. When
the possibilities of the future are viewed in
the light of recent Developments, it must
be apparent to every one that the time has
come when those in authority should adopt
proper and adequate measures for the pro-
lection of life and property. and my famll-
iarity with the subject enables me to see
very clearly the only true remedy which
can be applied-nanely the regulation of
electrical pressures, Once these .pressures
are reduced to point which is harmless,
the public may retire in security, and leave
electricians to discuss the merits or de-
merits of various methods of insulation, the
defects of which will only concern those in
terested in the commerce of electricity.
There is no plea which will justify the
use of high-tension and alternating cur
rents, either in a scientific or commercial
sense They are employed solely to reduce
investment in copper wire and real estate.
For instance, In arc lighting is customary
to put forty lamps on each circuit; each
lamp requires a pressure Of fifty volts !;
therefore the total pressure on the circuit is
two thousand volts. Now, If, instead of
using only one wire for all these lamps,
four circuits of ten lamps each were to be
established, the pressure on each wire
would be only 500 volts. The weight Of
copper necessary for these four circuits of
ten lamps each would be two and a half
times greater than for one circuit of forty
lamps-a question, as have said, simply
of investment.
The alternating current under high press
ure and direct-ourrent high-pressure sys-
TENS are also employed, as have intimated,
to save investment in real estate as we'll as
copper. If certain district is to be sup
piled with electric light, the natural point
from which the current should be distrib-
uted is the center, with wires radiating to-
ward the circumference of the circle of
supply, and if instead of including in any
one of these districts an area 30 large that
resort must be had to high pressure in order
to reach its limits, the distributing power Of
a single station be confined to capacity
consistent with safety, and other centers
sought from which to furnish current to
other areas, the necessity for high electrical
pressure vanishes. 10 1ras