Wichita eagle., 1889-11-10

tHdJ tile
system is very dangerous, and all other cities
can well afford to wait till she finds the path
of safety She will soon do it, If it can be
done, for the popular instinct of self preser-
walton and the popular anger over recent
deaths is bringing pressure TO bear which
no officials can resist.
At noon one October day, as all the world
knows by this time, Joseph Feeks, the line
man, was shocked, paralyzed and roasted to
death ct the corner of Centre and Chambers
street, in the very heart of the business sec
ton. Thousands looked on and groaned in
sympathy with his sufferings. And the
tragedy was enacted in full view of the lead
ing newspaper Offices. II black fate had Sc
lected the spot for this electrical murder,
with a special view to creating the greatest
sensation and thus working up the people to
fierce resolve, it could not have been better
done. To add 10 the interest, the wife Of
Lineman Feeks was lying i'll, and her child
was born few days later. Public sympathy
took the form of a popular subscription. A
box was fastened to the pole where he died
and thousands Of people contributed small
sums to it. 1t was noted as q peculiarly af-
fecting fact that hundreds of the poorest sort
Of people contributed pennies. Newsboys,
bootblacks, street peddlers and mere infants
gave their mites till the box was nearly filed
with such coins, and the mite donations of
the day amounted to S239. %. Other dona-
tons in petty sums have brought the popular
relief fund above 81 coo.
Every kind of organization took some kind
of action. The labor orders especially passed
indignant resolutions. Mayor Grant per-
enptorily ordered the electric power shut off
until some scheme of safety could be devised,
and for night New York looked unnaturally
dull Then gas began TO resume its old
place; but the amount was scanty and the
order went ont that only private lights could
blaze. Public places and many streets looked
dismal, but soon many We're heard to say
that ''but for the style of the thing we could
get along just rs well without the electric
light if gas were plenty" Meanwhile the
legal battle was found to be very compli-
Gated affair
First, the board of electrical control, a new
body, of which the mayor is ex-officio mem
Der, decided on the subway question. Some
time before the popular uprising a contract
had been made with subway company to
prepare the tunnels or subways; the mayor
wanted to hasten their completion by con-
tracing with other companies. but the other
members objected and so nothing could be
done till the law had decided the rights of
persons. At the same time in functions We're
issued hv the courts. forbidding the mayor
and all other persons TO interfere with the
poles. Some had been cut down. AS the
government of a rapidly growing city of
100000 people is necessarily very compl-
Gated, and that of New York certainly not
less 30 than is necessary, a mere detail of the
legal actions and arguments would fill ten
such columns as This.
TIE net result was TO leave all poles and
wires in position for the time being but to
shut off all currents. and so leave everybody
safe and impatient till the courts can
straghten out the tangled contracts and de-
eide whether ''vested rights" or public
policy is TO rule the issue. Also whether the
''vested rights" have not been forfeited by
failure to exercise 'due diligence"
The scientific battle is scarcely less compli-
Gated, but New Workers are unanimous and
emphatic III demanding that, if it cannot be
shown to "a certainty than perfect insulation
can be secured or a perfectly safe subway
system devised, then the companies must
adopt the method admitted TO be safe by all
electricians, namely, low tension, let it cost
what il may.
In the meantime the board OF health, under
its general power of removing whatever is
dangerous, has opened a flank movement
which is to be pushed, if the mayor is per
petually enjoined. The interval of waiting
is filed with all sorts Of suggestions and com
ments from all sorts of cranks and some cleo
trical experts, whose articles make two or
three of the New York papers look like popu-
lar science publications. The New York
World in particular is giving voluminous de-
tails, and from it are taken the annexed cuts,
which show very clearly how the mysterious
danger operates. The accompanying explana-
ton is condensed from that of Harold p
Brown, the electrician, whose method is to be
employed in killing criminals:
The first cut represents what may be called
e safe arc circuit with an alternating current
that is the current passes from the dynamo,
d, in the direction of the arrow through tine
lamps, indicated by circles, and returns as