Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-19
A WEEK IN NEW YORK.
Matters That Have Interested the In
habitants Of Gotham.

Matters That Have Interested the In
habitants Of Gotham.
THE BOARD OF ELECTRICAL CONTROL GALVANIZED
INTO AcrIoE-EDUoArIoNAL INFLUENCES or
THE FEEKs TRAoKpY-rHK AMERICAN BOARD
AND TIE EPIscoPAL CONVENTION.
Special Correspondence of THE Evrxrre STAR.
New York, October IS.
Ever since the frightful death of the poor
line man Feeks, week ago, the city has
thought of little else than the dangers which
attend electric lighting and the best means of
defense against them. It Is not new theme
in Washington, the terrors and unsightliness Of
overstrung wires, for 10! these many years TIE
STAR has preached gospel of Old Testament
determination of the accursed thing. Yet the
dweller in Washington can scarcely realize the
aggravation of the curse u il afhicts New York.
But for that ignoble patience which is the
badge Of our metropolitan tribe this nuisance
and menace would have been done away with
long ago. As it is the latest developments
would indicate that, now that the freshness OF
the horror has passed away, the town will slump
back into indifference.
SHOCKED OUT OF RUr.
But the lessons of the tragedy will not be lost
on the companies. They see now that there is q
limit to public endurance, and their worldly
wisdom will keep them henceforth on the safe
side Of the line. The wires will be put into
comparatively good order and to some extent
they may be buried. The lazy, ignorant and
corrupt board of electrical oontrol-not to
speak evil of dignities-have been joited out OF
their rut and, for the moment, seem disposed
to take the practical steps necessary to pro-
vide trenches for the wires, and the companies,
ppf hoir do xriU 81 ,,,<n m IN n,
use the city's conduits after they have been
dug for them. Thus there are signs Of i'm
provement If not Of entire reformation.
AwKEK OF EDUCATION.
The episode, costly though II has been in
human life, in pecuniary loss to the companies
and in inconvenience to the public, has had
vast educational value. The people have been
studying the whole subject of electric lighting
and in one short week have acquired better
knowledge OF what the term means than they
had learned in all the ten years or more since
the new illumination was introduced. | am
reminded of the sudden learning in surgery
shown by all classes during the Garfield illness
to hear the average man talking SO glibly about
alternating currents, high tension, volts, lnsu-
lation. transformers and the like. The papers
have been full of popular science, and, although
the instruction has most Of it been pretty crude,
the eagerness Of the pupils has made up for
the limited scholarship of the teachers With
that quickness of apprehension which charac-
terizes the American the people in q week have
really gained no contemplate amount Of infor.
nation on electrical subjects and we shall
presently see good fruits from this new learn
ing in many ways.
THE ELECTRIC INDUSTRY.
One immediate advantage already visible is
the better appreciation by the community of
the gigantic dimensions to which the industry Of
a cit has ,,,,,,
ago, in 1880, that Mr.. Brush put into opera
ton his first electric light system at Niagara.
At present it is estimated that about 5000, OO0,-
600 is invested in electric lighting and power.
What wonder If the rapid growth Of this young
giant has been somewhat disorderly? Systems
involving millions conflict one with another,
and all perhaps clash with the general safety
or convenience. The magnitude of the opera
tlons now carried on Is seen from the fact that
the United States company, one of several
now under interdict and suspension, calcu-
lates that its loss is $4,000 a day. The
United States is a Westinghouse company,
and thereby is one member OF a huge octopus
that is challenging the whole business world
to compete with it. The tendency to con-
solidation among electric companies is one
of their startling features. Depending
for their chief value, as they do, on few i'm
portant patents it is comparatively simple
matter to form combinations, and as we look
abroad we see marked tendency in this direc-
ton. During this week a significant transac-
ton Of the sort has occurred in the purchase
of the parent Brush company by the sll-absorb-
ing ThomsOn-Houston. It was this latter COM
pany which a few weeks ago bought the patents
and the property OF the Bentley Knight electric
railway company. Mr.. and Mrs. Bentley sailed
Thursday for Liverpool on the City Of Paris
and on their return they remove 70 Boston,
when Mr.. Bentley, together with Mr. Knight
and MIR. Blodgett. take positions in the Thorn
son-HoustOn company.
THE AMERICAN BOARD.
Today the annual meeting Of the American
board finished its sessions and adjourned, not
with the utmost cordially and hopefulness. It
must be apparent to friends as web as critics
of the board that the differences which have
brought such discord into their deliberations
20 to the very foundation of things. Whether
they can be adjusted without . formal schism
cannot be foretold. BIT better peaceable and
dignifed separation than these chronic
wrangles. The proceedings of the past two or
three conventions would make very mystifying
reading in heather lands. Among those who
made hot speeches during the week was Dr.
close corporation in a most aggressive manner
while in a more moderate strain DIR. Patton also
antagonized the dominant forces. DR.. Mere
dith also made several eloquent attacks on the
administration. Nevertheless the ma jority held
to their traditions and the meeting adjourned
their fortified entertainments. President
Storrs had to exercise all his gifts
as leader f.men to keep the discussions at all
dignifed and appropriate and the climax was
reached on Thursday, when at one time he an
nounced that rather than appear to take sides
by naming an investigating committee, which
had just been resolved upon, he should resign
the presidency of the board. The ostensible
difficulty was an alleged lack of candor shown
by the prudential committee in its report on
the condition of the board, but back of this
was the old difference on the possible second
probation for the heather, which has divided
the board now for three years.
THE EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.
Side by side with the American board during
the week the Episcopal convention has held on
its way, not without some spirited discussions
but upon the whole very wisely and good
naturally. The episode over the Nicene creed
has been almost the only one to break the per-
feet harmony of the meeting. The popular
outcry against discarding some old favorites
among the hymns of the church has had its
effect, SO that most of the old-fashioned lyrics
that were supposed to have outlived their use
fulness and that were marked for slaughter
have been given fresh lease of life. The col
ored brother worries the convention little, as
he did the Presbyterian general assembly here
last spring, but the issue is not quite as urgent
as in the case Of the Washington presbytery.