The sun., 1889-12-04
A prominent merchant with interests in Bra
noIsT1Ne UP TIE DEADLY LAMPS

Erush Men Say that shopkeepers Lower
Them Themselves.
Schuyler s. Wheeler, the expert employed
by the Board Of Electrical Control to hunt up
the cause OF Henry Harriss death last Satur-
day. reports as follows:
Ihave examined tho Brush lamps at Callan's store
Eighth avenue, and the circuit supplying them
find that the lamps too low, properly insu.
lated that Underwrters wire Is used in plSceA and
that other lamps this circuit and on other circuits
are too low.
Rules ie 81, 90 % "a 80 35 are tho most important
of those violated It being undcrs ood that have
peatedy stated before the Coroner Jury and elsewhere
that onehalf the rules continually violated.
II the rules atove quoted had been complied with It
would have been impossible for this accident to have
happened but, also has been frequently stated
expert has no means enforcing the rules copy of
the rules is attached hereto with those that have been
most grossly violated in this marked.
measured tho height of the lamps at e75 Eighth
and found then to be 100 inches from the side
walk while the rule requires them bo los inches high
They probably st lower at the time of the acci
dent, as am informed the employees of the company
raised all the lamps oil the avenue Sunday.
also estimated the height of a Brush lamp at 52l
Eighth avenue to be sIp feet This was Immediately
over and hardly clear OF a metallic showcase.
found an old rusty lamp out OF use, and about ca
feet high but still connected the circuit S33 Eighth
avenue.
On Monday last the Consolidated Telegraph
and Electrical Subway Company wrote To the
Board OF Electrical Control long letter. in
which specific complaint was made against the
Brush people for Improper insulation at points
in manholes and elsewhere. In response to
this complaint the Board sent yesterday the
following letter:
7Oths P,eshent q he Brush Eectrc Illuminating coHr
DkARsIR: Enclosed find copy OF letter from tho Com
Soidated Telegraph and electrical subway Company
ngoa ru.S and rpruOtions sovernns Tie oGea
rasfE i ioss ES'tiRS
o % and iG to Sy Ms the se sss' %
which DO not eonply Herewith until they made 10
''"'''-' 'Ae'''' 'e'' faTopoRi Moss Secretary
The expert sent out by the consolidated com
0s6 in I of bss1 Snn4
Brush Company was directly responsible ior
Board requires that every circuit shall be tested
once an hour. and when the test reveals
tho damage is repaired. Sieaking OF this mat
ter yesterday. MIR. Wheeler said:
Brush people 70 this rule. and they have replied
that they could not afford to make an hourly
test but that they wcro willing to test three
times in every day. Unfortunately the Board
does not authorize me to enforce these rules.
] am confident that the Brush Company can be
found liable to damages ior the death OF
The rules Of the Board which NJ Wheeler
by the Brush Company arc these:
Rule IL. All arc lamps must 10 so placed as to leave
and sideWalS
Rnle 81 Tho insulation must be preserved through.
out the entire circuit and II portion OF lamp
fixture Ia part OF circuit and can be touched II must
be insulated.
Superintendent Spear of the Brush Company
maintained his silence yesterday. except to say
that in ten years experience with about 5000
arc lights in this city only two deaths had oc-
Cured which could be charged to them.
The funeral OF Henry Harris took place at
10H yesterday morning ut 3i9 West Forty-ilGth
street, where he used to live. The tenement
was densely packed with friends OF tho family
and neghbors. The young mans wife could
not restrain her outcries and all present were
weeping. Rabbi Foss conducted the services
and accompanied the remains to Bay Side,
Jersey City, where they were inferred.
An electric iignt wire started slight FIRE on
the fifth floor OF Charles Broadway Rouss' g no.
Tho lamp that killed ,Hnrris was burning
again last night. Brush lllumi mating Com
panys men were at work In pairs along the
avenues readJusting that comnnny's lamps as
to height from the sidewalk. They found very
few lamps which did not need raising.
" 1t Is not the compRnys fault" said one OF
these men. that the lamps are not up the
right distance. We have always fixed them
right and put the loops in. but these store
keepers are 80 anxious to get all the light into
their show windows that no sooner were our
backs turned than they would have the knots
out and let the lamps down. Now We are cut
tiGg OIL the surplus rope"