New-York tribune., 1889-10-17
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT MIDDLE.

The problem of making the city Immediately
safe from electric-Gght currents so 1af from
being solved, seems to become more coIipH-
Gated day by day. The situation YESTERDAY "'S
tbis. The MayOr was disguSted with the boaru
of Electrical Control and almost ready to sever
all relations with it; arguments on the perilia-
nency or dissolution of the injunctlonS restrain
ING the operations of the Board were IN prog
ress before Judge Andi ews; the electrlc-hsh'-
ing companies under cover OF the temporary
Injunction, were busy stringing new wires III
place of old ones; Commissioner Ullroy was
cndeavoring to provide for more gas-hgh'' anu
the Health Board was receiving congratula-
tions upon its determination to regulate inc
electric currents if the Board of Control neg
locted or was unable to do so. This appear
ance Of the Health Board upon the scene was
the most important development OF the d"S'
for that body possesses certain powers OF SUM
mary action which it will not be easy TO IN
validate by sudden processes of law.
How little is really known about electnclE'
even bv those whose business it is to apply IL
"a the useS of mankind was indicated by MI
Fdison's fiat contradiction of the official asser-
tion that a reduction of the tension TO 800
volts would practically leave the Edison Com
nany in possession of monopoly. Mr.. Edison
saws that the simple substitution of a larger wire
would enable the Manhattan Company to go
right ahead with their present system" men
discussion of the subject involves such 1unda-
mental diSagreementS among experts IL uoeS
not become aymen to assume an air OF author-
itv. and The TRIBUNE certainly does not pre-
tend to be Judge 1t must however, De au-
mtted that deliberate declaration by MT.
Edison puts the burden of proof, in popular
estimation at least, upon the other slde. More
over if it is true that high tension currents
are and must under all conditions be unSa1c'
they ought to be discontinued, without any re-
gard to the question of some other company
profits. The people are not much concerned
lust now about the possible creation OF mo-
nopoly, but they are intensely anxious 70 nave
manslaughter by electricity stopped 1orthWlth'
II must be acknowledged that the prospect
is not very hopeful, and would be extremely
discouIaging except for the belief that the
Board of Health may be able to interfere In
beha,f Of public safety. Whether response
biHty for the exasperating delay in putting the
wires under ground belongs primarily to the
electric companies to the subway contractors
or to the Board of Control, or must be dlylded
among them. is now in hot dispute and is not
| likely to be soon settled. That the plain letter
and intent of the law have been made sport OF
nobody pretends to dtgbt. Nor is anybody
nrepared to promise that more rapid progress
will be made in the future. What farce all
the proceedings under the law have been Is
shown in the confession of the Board Of Elec-
uical Control, in its last annual report that
there were more overhead wires in existence
at that date than there had ever been before
In the meantime, our complicated mechanism
of government is compelling the people to wait
helplessly, to all appearance, though very i'm
patiently for something to turn up. There are
times when the temptation is very strong to
declare that civilization is a failure.