New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-11
THE MAYOR Is OBDURATE.
ELECTRIC WIRES MUST BE MADE SAFE.
IMPERFECT INSULATION WILL MAKE THEM
dead AND THEN MEN MAY WALK THE
sTREETs-THE COMPANIES IN Fix

dead AND THEN MEN MAY WALK THE
sTREETs-THE COMPANIES IN A" FIX
Inere was another meeting Of tie Board of Eectri-
cal control at the Mayors Office yesterday which
was attended by representatives Of most Of tile
eieculc light companies. Great effort was made
on Their part to induce Mayor Grant to agree to a
modlhcatlon Of his resolution passed on Wednesday
b"Ang hotce to the companies that they must dis
commune the use Of overhead wires not properly in
suiated until the electrical expert Of the Boari shall
ccrty mat they are safe. But the Mayor was OBJ
uurae and the presidents, superintendens, managers
ana other officials, although aided by the arguments
OF commissioners Gibbens and Moss, were unable to
prevail upon the Mayor to abate a lot or little of
the position he had TAKEN
Electrical Expert s. S. Wheeler, upon whom tho
Weghty responsibility OF murder by electric light wires
ucNolVeS IN the future, read a report In which he
reiterated his statement Of Wednesday that the acc
dcnts which have occurred from overhead electric
hght wires are due to defective insulation and the
overlooking Of circuits and that the improper and
uhsaie condition Of these overhead wires can be
remedied by adherence the rules and regulations
oil the Board of Electrical Control
Mr. Wheeler asserted that since these regulations
hsd been In force the condition OF the wires had
materially improved, and that the chances OF accident
HSu oeen greatly decreased During that time 233c
houces Of violations Of these rules and regllatlons
had been gven Of this number $50 had been attended
o'her complaints the wires removed by the
Bureau Of membranes. After laying down the
h'e essentials TO securing a safe and proper over
head conductor for electric light purposes Mr. Wheeler
says In order TO ascertain definitely whether each
ana every Of these precautions and the otbcrs
lad down by the rules and regulations arc enforced
one must observe and inspect closely every inch OF
overhead wire in the city Of New-York. amounting
10 thousand miles In all, and 10 do this once
Of tpnt nd trtet
worthy men, experienced In the construction Of
electrical conductors and who could be relied UPON
Ior authentic reports OF their condition. Tho
boaru Shall see fit to provide me with this force OF
certnicatlon will be given by to tho condition
OF The electric light wires untn such time as the
boart shan see fit to provide with this force Of
workmen and until shall have had sufficient op-
portunity TO examine the inch by inch and
be assured Of their condition,
Il thought you told yesterday said Mayor
Grant addressing the expert that you could test
wires from the station and tell wheher they were
properly insulated
IL only meant" Mr. Wheeler replied. "that by
applying tests at the station I could find any inter
ference with the current but could not tell whether
any part Of the wire mperfectly insulated
By perfect insuation7 returned the Mayor, I
understand that person could touch any part OF
The wire without being lnjured.p
Mr. Wheeler said that that kind Of insulation would
mat the wire was perfectly insulated every inch must
be examined
" II that IS So" Mr.. Grant answered with look OF
grim determination. "it Will be necessary to stop
every electric plant tonight, and they will remain
stopped until l am assured that tho lives OF the
people not endangered
The representatives of the companies made another
appeal for time to put their wires in condition Of
perfect Insulation" They assured the Mayor that
the actual danger was slight and graphically pictured
the hapless state of the city with most important
thoroughfares In darkness and the people a prey TO
! crime and vice. Commissioners Gibbens and Moss
again joined their prOtestatons to the electric. ght
mems petitions. But tho Mayor turned a deaf ear to
all their fine talk 1t all lies with Expert Wheeler
he said.
Mr. Wheeler positively refused to give any certif.
Gates until he had an opportunity for examining the
wires and making the test which he had declared as
necessary for asceltanng wheher they were Pc fecty
thsnlaed. NO acuon was taken on MS Application
for more men TO assist him in his work. but the Mayor
sad that he was in favor of allowing the expert what
Mayor Grant declined to say what action he would
n the face of the Boards order. q VIII not assume
he sad, that they will disregard the notice which
has been served upon them"
Until he left the Mayors Office Mr. Wheeler was
beset with electric light officials urging him 10 devise
animation should satisfy him Of the @ safety of thor
wires. But the expert said that he could suggest
5a E wires are ase sa OF @ %en h2 saa to my
certifying 10 their absolute safety l am not in a
At the Office Of the Edison Electric Light Company
steday, Tribune reporter tcld that it
TOO early for the company 10 say anything about the
resolution Of the Board.
An officer Of the United States Electric Light Com
pany said: Just what part OF our wires the expert
Of the Board would consider properly insulated
cannot say, but our wires tested three times
day, and whenever a leak /, discovered. IL Is at
once attended to. With ali precautions. however, II
seems that accidents viii occur in certain con'ingen-
cles We are heartily in favor of putting our wires
underground, and have done wherever the cOndIits
are ready. We have been severely hampcred, how
ever, by the lack OF subwayS. and have had
business injured by not being able to put up new
wire for more than six months"