Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-27

SAFEGUARDS,
Bearing these lncts ln mind, | have for
fho past four ur five years carefully studied
she accounts of many accidental deaths
from electric-liehting sgstems IN order 10
determine their causes and, li possible, T.
discover means for their prevention. IL
soon became evident that with reasonable
limit placed upon the pressur. used appa-
Iatu- could Doe devised ISL lcn would render
the continuous current perfectly and the
pul-ating current fairly safe 60 the general
public. though additional safeguards
would De required To protect employees,
while the alternating current for theobuye
reasons was dangerous IN spite of every
urecauuon. and should therefore be pro-
m1ited' '@t. b, "i very lo" l'.gseH11 f.. .,o
al. ,o.,.-I f'~,,,l ,f 1oo Fatalities from
I..,-;' t,-l' ',',,'., l,r,,,it- whose nerticn-
- Dl+a,,,,l rrt or. e. 5uato tho
i.',r ,,-...,,,o ,,rtir,,.l current only uino
ana Lirh mr., slir. continuous. sixty 10
ti,,.,,i.'.tr.t and f,r.,. ~ fro ALTERNATING
rThr latter has been i'm tytcn-iveuse for less
thor two V,ars. while the pul-atiug has
been widely used for nearly ten years
E,eniu,, fl,ia fact i'm view the yearly record
en- a.. i,,,,,~,....,.,. .tory In 1855 fen ner-
..,'s,, s-e iued ina 1ss7 n,nctoeu and i'm
7e.. f,rfy-t,yo The wear 1859 will keep up
tii.' NTH of iurr.4-, for durinl, fine mas
4,,.. r,.,.tls .i.,.rr moro have beon muir
7.r.J N,~ lo theee tioiirec by amy means
. ....... ,.,,,,,l..r f.r IN ~sr,,i,.,,e
.g..-t.. ,-. mod, g., br-h rp e4ch death for
d. .c.i, on.;3o,.+ o,,,,lIre, az the com.
,-.,.,. ~ f1,i. ori"ily l,,fob nm fhe broken
I ,..,i.,.r. ,.li t,.,r,s If tboir f,tol
T as 49, ,. g.. 5o,'l,r. +bot fl,oir
..'.,,i5 49, ,,..-. il,l,. lava i,ilIcd tliaf
..ar. A month later thcv claim that no
.u.h man va- over kiilod.
mo only no-.iljc ADVANTAGE in using
o..
..,'.,.,'t h. .i.f fho companv installing the
..,.+er, car. us, eorua,yh1t loss conner i'm
-..,,, ,.r.l,,...,rs and fhua..oys the amount
-....r,. -. ..o,ir. "a system that w0uld
-..t l..', ,.,,.et.,,t menace q, human life.
BADLY INSULATED CIRCUITS.
Referring again 90 the statistics, one I'M
o0lt4nt point should be- impressed upon
In. memories If all city officials and cCro-
rars. ont of the eiytv-uiuc deaths caused
lv nirh pressure are light circuits. at least
f.rtv-c.ght were due 30 badly insulated
circuits. and when man is killed by these
current. at place where he could touch
fhe circuit i'm llt one place, 30 Is positive
that the Insulation was defective at
eomc other pont. and the officers Of the
.Drruauy should bee held for criminal
NEGLIGENCE. For. In order 90 receive an
electric current. one must touch the cir
cult (orsume conductor connected with ul
81 two points having different electrical
pressure. OR. in other words II the WIRE
ls perfectly ne.itt'u through us l'il5tu
no current would be- received 10y touching
30 ~ single point. But H. a. ls usually
tile ease. especially ia Wet weather. tAcre Is
contact between the wire ana the
ground through which the current may
leak TO the earth, the BODY oI any per
fon toucMng the Nue ai announcer point
while standing on the ground or in con-
tact with gas or wator-pipes VIII form
a path Toy which the current may return
80 thevire and lnthct possibly fatal IN
jury. ii the best insulation We're m
sisted upon ana hn apparatus N.eu Nu-ch
would diminish lhc pressure on ths cur
rent the instant 'he AIs' tIv''nu nplloIl,u
there could bee no more death' nom arc
HEnt '44r vs. VN'. .'...,''i7 - .,, Le
ll'tys. ol '''o o'l' ;,,,,io+eJ civ
emit is by touching with two portions of
the body two parts of the dynamo or
lamps which are under different pressures.
~ one bat ana empl0yc Is likely to do this.
on the other hand. the alternating cur
gent because Of It's rapid vibrations places
a terrible strain upon the ms uIatloh ana
causes leakage 70 eafth al every polhi OF
support Ina the tests Tor the Board OF
Health made by. me on OctoDer itth
found leakage OF nom 3OO 20 OVO Noits, oI
three 20 SIX times as ihucn as uas lIouuVTvu
fatal results, on circuits quite recently
constructed and having what IS cohsioere"
excellent insulation.
In the spring Of 1898 there occurred in
rapid succession a number OF electrical
murders in the streets OF New YORK, whose
victims were in no way guilty OF careless
80 OF peclect AT that time, though the