Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-27

OK that meeting. The alternating fra
ternity turned ont in fnli forre
Win ,statemente, letters. and affidavits
sislnlnR that tho alternating current at
a.Vyo Volts pressure, was absolutely safe "
ahu perfectly harmless that Il could
noi possibly produce death or serious in
jury that IL would not form an arc or de-
compose water. That the writer knew no.
.ning aDout tho celebrating current or any
.hing else. was forced, therefore, 60 de-
termne by experiment the exact death
pressure OF the various currents and APP
llsd TO Mr.. Edison, whom / had never
before met, for the loan of the necessary
apparatus. which could not NJ that time be
obtained elsewhere
rHR EXACT DEATH PRESSURE.
shall never fail 10 recall Mr. Edison's
kindness IN inviting me to make the tests
NJ has magnificent laboratory. These ex-
perlments proved that the alternating
current caused death az a pressure OF
40 volts, while. when using the ap-
paratus suggested 10y me, the continu-
Gus current produced no Ill effects at
l,42O volts pressure, which was as high
AS could there be obtained. On
July 80, 1898, | made o demOnstra-
ton Of these facts before the Board Of Elec-
trical Control. at Columbia College, and in
vltcd the experts 10 bring their instru-
monts and check my measurements. They
came IN fun force but We're careful 10 bring
no apparatus. After reading q paper and
making formal complaint to the board, q
large and vicious dog was experimental
upon. This animal, after outstanding
from 800 20 / 600 volts Of the continuous
current. was instantly killed at $50 volts OF
the alternating.
A few days later the experiments were
continued under the auspices of the Board
Of Health before a company Of scientists
and fatal results produced by the alter
mating current alone at Iressurcs between
23t and $40 volts. Some of the leading al
tcrnatlng-current men were invited but
failed 10 appear A verbal reply 10
my complaint was received after
ward from the Board Of ElectTl-
cal Control to the effect that al
though it had full jurisdiction over the
erection. maintenance, and use Of clectrl-
cal conductors in and through tho streets
OF New York. IT had no control over the APP
paIatuS or the pressure and character OF
the current flowing through the wire;
that al currents were dangerous, and that
people ought not totOuch any wires. The
board subsequently allowed several COM
panios 20 erect many miles of wire, and 10
extensively use the deadly current, which
has since killed several victims.
IN september. 1858, ] called the atten-
ton of tho Board Of Health TO the fact
that nigh pressure electrical systems. since
they were dangerous 20 life and detrmen-
tai 20 health, were, under the law. subject
10 its control. / offered. If IL would in
yestigGte the matter, 10 serve as its expert
without compensation until every possible
safeguard had been adopted.
After consulting its legal adviser the
board replied thGt it had undOubteG con-
troll of the matter and that if Mayor Hewitt
would direct IL to- act, n would gladly ac-
cept my offer. This direction was never
given and the board cqucntly Informed
me THAT ii q formal complaint concerning
the dangerous wires and currents was
made IL would at once put.a stop TO cleo
trical murders. # seemed an easy matter
90 get three prominent men TO sign COM
plant whose sole object was protection to
human life. bat after many weeks of can
yassiug 1 gave IL up as impossible. They
all extended their hearty sympathy bat
really it would cause 50 much talk if
Their names should be used One was in
tercsted I'M telegraph company aud it
would never do for HIM TO sign II another
was willing TO sign If two others would
first Do so; and many We're afraid their
business would Zee hurt. And So with the