Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-05
A SON OF THIS CITY.
A Thorough Introduction to the New
Electrical Plumber,
WHO COULD DICTATE, IF HE CHOSE.
Nicely and Rarity Of His Underground
Work Among the Gases,
LAYING WIRES UNLIKE A POLITICIANS

! An advertisement in THE DISPATCH
recently brought to light new class OF
craftsmen who have sprung up all over the
country within the past six or seven years.
The same class of craftsmen bid fair to be-
come scientific artisans in their line, on ac-
| count of the different elements of practical
and theoretical scientific knowledge neces-
sary in the business.
The class spoken ofare known as "electri-
cal' or Especial" plumbers. Their duties
are to weld the joints of subway cables, and
to do this successfully they must not only
be frst-elass plumbers, but intelligent work.
men, who can learn something about cleo
tricity and the necessity of perfect insula-
tion Of circuits. Few people who have
watched the placing of underground cables
can appreciate the important part the cleo
trical plumber plays in the matter. Each
year he becomes better known, and, it is
safe to say, he will continue to grow,
numerically and in wealth.
The common ordinary house plumber is
now by reason of his charges, the monarch
of all he surveys. What will he do when
he becomes an electrical plumber? Some
say the following may be standing ques-
tion for debate in literary societies: us it
better to own a saloon in Pittsburg under
the Brooks law, or to be an electrical
plumber" People who have built houses,
and who cannot "buck against mountain
of convictions" will then take the plumber
side of the question.
WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE.
In talk with Mr.. E. G. Acheson, the |
electrician of the Standard Underground |
Cable Company, yesterday, it was ascer-
tanned that there are less than 100 electrical |
plumbers in the country, but they are in
creasing with the demand. The recent |
action of Mayor Grant, of New York, in
ordering that all wires upon streets where |
eonduits have been laid must be placed un-
derground, has caused an enormous
lot of work to be. thrown upon
the half dozen underground cable COM
panies in the country. They have
been unable to get all the plumbers neces-
sary to do the work: Ordinary plumbers
who are COED mechanics are not able to fill
the bill. The slightest drop of water or
bit of moisture which may be transmitted
from the hands to joint in process OF being
welded will cause the connection 10 become
detective, and, in time, the wire will
'leak." If another joint "leaks," the line
will 'ground," or become short-circuited by
the passage of the current through the earth,
and the wire will then be worse than use
less, for it must be dug up and replaced
To make perfect joint the ends of the
wire must be laid bare and a lead sleeve
placed over the ends The sleeve may be
about Is inches long, and hole is bored in
the top at one end. A residuum, called
insulation" is poured into the hole, and
the space between the sleeve and the wires
is filled up. The residuum is generally
heated to about 5000 Fahrenheit, and must
overflow the ends of the pipe sleeve. If
any condensation of moisture occurs it must
be boiled out of the joint.
A MIGHTY NICE JOINT.
It requires about one hours time to make
a good Joint, and after it is done the line
must be tested. This is the work of the
electrician, who, with the aid of mirror
can detect the least induction
or flaw in the welded wire. Very often
the electrician has to depend upon the
see that it is all right. For instance,
when running through a sewer an
electrician has natural adherence
to getting down into the hole to overlook
the work. IF he has a good plumber on the
job, ne manages to find some testing to do in
a more savory spot. Very often the plumber
takes the place of the lineman, or electri-
clan. Very often, too. he has to break a
conductor and splice it up again without
any directions from the electrician. In
splicing it again he must make Joint that
will be impervious to moisture and must be
perfectly insulated. By putting on the
the plumber can tell whether
or not there is any outside interference with
the line.
THEY MUST BREATHE GASES.
Another quality in the makeup of an
electr cal plumber is that he must be able
to overcome asphyxiation. The trouble
with most green plumbers, and something
which prevents them from learning the
electrical business, is that they cannot stand
sewer and other gases, common under most
streets. The Standard Company tried to
teach number of them the business in New
York, but the men gave it up.
The honor of introducing this class OF
artisans belongs to this city, and to we'll
known electrician Of Pittsburg. In May,
1882, William j. McElrov, who was then !
electrician OF the Standard Underground
Cable Company, seeing the necessity Of
having men learn this part OF the cable
business and making a speciality Of it, went
10 Humbert's plumbing shop and hired
Jack" Richardson and Frank Doyle, two
,f the best plumbers in this city. They
soon learned the business, and have been
1oing nothing else since. The salary of an
electrical plumber is about S. per day-and
1e has no chance to make it $50, as some
,ther plumbers have by repeated long visits
N tho caana Of anarationa tn make uasti- |