New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-15
DEATH CURRENTS STOPPED.
MANY STREETS LEFT IN DARKNESS
EFFORTS IN VARIOUS QUARTERS TO HAVE THH
DANGEROUS ELECTRIC WIRES PUT


Superintendent Murray late yesterday afternoon
that their electric lamps would not be lit last
hlght. Charles w. Spear, OF the Brush Company,
sent the following list of streets which the com.
pany would not light: Broadway from Four
teenth-st. to t1fty-ninth-st., Fifth Madison and
Seventh-aves., Fourteenth, Twenty-third and
lhlrty-tourth SITS. from river TO river Irving
Place, Madison Square and Union Souare. Mr..
Murray sent out general alarm, directing ths
police captains to have the dark streets patroled
by more than the usual number of policemen
during the night
Ihis action of che companies. however did nos
prove such calamity as some supposed il would.
although the darkness was not lessened by the
moon and stars which hid themselves behind tho
storm clouds. Many storekeepers got out their
oil lamps, but the absence of the lights was moss
noticed in the important streets avenues and
parks. Broadway below Twenty -third-st was for
the most part in pitchy darkness Upper Broad
way was almost we'll lighted as usual from
the theatres, restaurants and hotels along 10
which have gas lamps on the sidewalk The
avenues were most of them rescued from total
darkness by the lights in the show windows Of
the shops, but the important croSstown streets
such as Twenty third, Thrty-fourth and Fifty.
ninth, were enveloped in gloom Union Square
looked particularly sombre, while the blackness
OF Madison Square relieved by few gas
lamps All the other electric light companies ran
as usual so that electric lamps were burning in
most parts of the CITY,
Some of the theatres had TO resort 10 gas for
lighting the stages and auditoriums, for want of
the usual electricity. They were all prepared
to do so at short notice except the Academy Of
Music. The first scene Of " The Old Homestead,
is deep and wide and high, and it has never been
lighted by gas before. The consequence was that
some brisk work had to be done to get the neces-
sary piping done in time. But when the curtain
rose everything was ready, and the effect was az
usual At the Casino four calcium lights were
placed on the sidewalk 10 guide people to the
place, and inside the house gas was used At
Palmers, too, the older method had TO be resorted
TO. OF the other theatres some had private plants
and some never had used electric lights at all.
A few depended on the Manhattan Company and
were all right.
Members Of the Health Department were maxi.
ing preparations for expected attack upon tbs
electric light wires yesterday and President Will
son said the department might cut down tho
wires if Mayor Grant urged such course. The
Board Of Health could declare the wires dangerous
to life and order their removal. Section No.
6l9 Of the Consolidated Act protects the Health
DCphltHic lIOu DtiuS cuJoiuOu ny Luo COuIS Us ~
time to save the wires. IL reads as follows:
No preliminary injunction shall be granted against
the Board OF Health. or It's ohcers except by tho
supreme Court at special general term thereof,
after service of at least eight days notice OF motion
such injunction, together with copies Of the papers
which the motion for such Injunction is be made.
Chief Inspector Martin, OF the Bureau OF Ofren-
sive Trades probably will direct the cutting of
the wires if the Health Board decides that they
are dangerous. His assistants, by order of Pres-
Il i.o,-o
light wires for two days
FURTHER DELAY IN THE COURTS.
There were so many cases on the calendar Of
tho Supreme Court yesterday ahead Of the electric
light cases that the counsel for the companies
asked for pOstponement until to-day. Judge
Andrews answered that no would hear the argu-
ments yesterday if he had to sit until midnight.
If they were not reached before that time he
would then postpone the hearing until to-day.
This evidently did not please the lawyers and
late in the afternoon Joseph H. ChOate, who repre-
sented the United States and the Brush companies,
said that as the argument would take so much
time he would like to have the case put over
until to-day.
All the electric currents of the two companies
that he represented, he said, had been turned
off, and they would not be turned on again until
the case was settled in court. John NJ Bowers,
representing the Mayor, the Board Of Electrical
Control and the Commissioner of Public Works,
consented to the pOStpOnement on the conditions
named by Mr.. Choate AS it was a matter OF
public safety, he said, and the danger TO tho
public having been removed, he would agne
TO the adjournment
District-Attorney Fellows went to the Mayors
office yesterday and consulted with him as 10
the posi- blity Of beginning criminal proceedings
against the electrical companies for the death OF
worlmen killed by the wires. He told the
Mayor that when any facts were obtained showing
the criminal responsibility of any person or any
corporation for the recent killing of human beings
he would promptly lay the facts before the Grand
Jury. After talking with the Mayor Mr. Fellows
said that there was no evil
dence showing conclusively what wire
had caused the death OF Feels, the lneman. The
experts believed that the electric light wire was
at least mile from the place where Fee<s was
killed.
The Grand Jury, Mr.. Fellows said, would prob
ably await the action Of the Coroner The investi-
CATION which the Coroner had begun promised to
be an exhaustive one. and if any facts were de-
veloped which made action in the criminal courts
possible the District-Attorney would begin pro-
ceedings at
NO LACK OF EVIDENCE OF GUILT.
The hands of the Board Of Electrical Control re-
maned tied yesterday, as far as removing badly
insulated wires was concerned, by the injunctions
against it obtained by the various electric hght
companies. The time was not wasted, however,
as gang of about twenty lnemen furnished Dy
the Western Union Telegraph Company and the
Metropolitan lie .ephone Company was kept busy
all day inspecting wires that if the injunctions
are dissolved the cutting down of wires can 20
forward at rapid rate. The men discovered a
state Of affairs similar TO that which exists In tho
district inspected on Sunday, the places that were
badly insulated or not insulated at al being
numerous When once the protection Of the courts
is taken away the Board will have a fruitful field
for its hatchets and nippers, and the wires VIII
come down in showers in many parts OF the clty.
Most if not all, of the wires cut on Saturday
belonged 10 Embury Mclean, who has an electric
~ - Ihar ara