New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-27
THE PROBLEM OF THE WIRES
A PROPOSITION TO PROHIBIT HIGH tension
CURRENTS.
OBJECTIONS TO THE SUBWAY SYSTEM = Exs
PENsE OF MAKING cHANGEs-coYFLcr.
Inc OPINIONS OF EXPERTS.

ING OPINIONS OF EXPERTS
Until within the lat few weeks placing the cectr,
light wires underground generally considered the
most practical pethod Of putting an end to the series
Of deaths from electric shocks which has happened
in this city m the last two or three years. Lately
however. public opinion 10 have veered TO the
conclusion that. while burning the wires would greatly
lessen the danger to life from electric currents, yet
the only way Obviae all risk is to prohibit By law
the in electric lighting Of high tension current
The interviews with Thomas A. Edison which were
published Immediately after the fatal accident to
Feeks the Western Union Iinsman, on the pole a,
Chambers and Centre us. did much to bring abou,
this change Of opinion, for he views Of the great
electrician on this subject OF course carried
weight with them to the great mass Of the peOpls
than the reas0nngs Of dozen other experts would
have. Edson's name Is 50 intimately connected with
the invention Of electric lighting that It IS natural that
he should be looked upon tho supreme authority in
this branch Of science Mr. Edison urged in favor Of
tho Limitation Of the voltage Of electric light
in this city that there Is no system OF insulation
which is perfect and hence. with the utmost
care, accidents will continue long as currents Of
high intensity are used.
This position taken by Mr. Edison is by no means
a one. a than year ago Ex-Governor
Alonzo b. Cornell, IN letter which he sent to Mayor
Hewitt argued strongly that all attempts to regulate
electric lighting would fail of preventing accidents
unless the high tension currents were entirely pro-
hbited.
This view seems to have struck the public rather
favorably. Although the Board of Electrical Control
has been in existence for several years, deaths from
electric light wires to be frequent than ever
before Again, it is recognized hat the substitution
Of the subway for the overhead system of wires would
not be an absolute preventive of accidents, as some
accidents would in the future, in the past occur in
the stations Of the companies, and worlmen In the
subways might also receive shocks. On the whole,
It might better TO deprive the deadly wires
Of their power to do harm ,han TO seek merely to
lessen the chance Of accidents by rules.
On the other hand objections 70 law reducing
tension strongly urged by the companies using
the high tension currents and by many competent
perts who supposed to be impartial in their tudg
ments. The statement Of Schuyler 6. Wheeler, the
pert of the Board of Electrical Control, that tho
passage OF such a law would give the Edison Com.
pany monopoly Of electric lighting In this city was
denied by Mr. Edison, who said that the dynamos which
now generated high tension currents could easily b
changed so as to limit their voltage to 300. In ex-
PLANTATION of his position Mr. Wheeler said to Tribune
reporter:
"To reconstruct the high pressure dynamos in this
city that they would generate 300-volt current
would not only cost large amount Of money, but
would take at least six months, during WHICH time
the companies would have shut down the stations.
1t would be necessary then to converters and the
system would be exceedingly expensive. The amount
Of wire needed would be much greater and taking all
these things into. consideration It would be cheaper
for the companies 10 use the Edison SYSTEM
Another expert gave similar arguments to show
that the law, passed, would increase the expenses OF
the high tension companies much that they would
either have give up their patents and improved
apparatus and use the Edison dynamOs else be
driven out of existence The diameter Of the cope.
wire used to convey the current would have to 10
Increased the square Of the current in order to
duce the voltage. The cost of this wire would be
enormous IN he case OF arc lights, the nqnlbsr OF
lamps circuit would have 10 be decreased In pro-
portion to the decrease in the pressure, and thus
the number of Independent circuits would be multi
piled. and much wire would be necessary than
formerly The system OF arranging the lights I'm what
Is called multiplied series" has been found mprac-
cable as when one light on loop goes out the others
greater current than they were prepared to stand and
would be ruined.
Harold p. Brown, who has become well known as
electrical expert from his connection with tho
Kemmler case, has always held that the limitation Of
trio used for commercial purposes IS by
far the best safeguard for the lives Of the citizens. He
says that the immature OF an ordinary high tension
dynamo be rewOund with thicker al a cost ct
perhaps $50 and that 10 reconstruct a converter
would cost any more. In the case Of arc lights,
change I'm the conducting wire would be necessary.
as the wires in thick enough 10 carry the
current. With ncandescent lights, the conductors
would # course, cost more but Mr.. Brown Thoughts
that the present danger 10 human life demanded s0me
sacrifices on the part Of the h.gh-tcnsOn companies.
Mr. Brown did not believe thar perfect method II
insulation had vel been discovered, and that hence
there is always more less risk inSeparably connected
with high tenSon current
Experience alone VIII settle me question. LOT on
this a. many ether questions the opinions or
experts are so contradictory that a person with no
more than ordinary acquaintance with me SUD
ject hardly make up his mind whether or not sucn
law as suggested would work more harm than gooas
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