Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-04-04

be for tho electrician to transmit an eleo.
TRIO current of 2 500 volts without the
proper conductor. No trouble ia ex.
perienced In procuring the proper pine
Tor the water or the insulation for the
wire; therefore, in either case there IA no
excuse for failure.
wires are being placed underground
successfully In all our large cities and IN
Q great many of the smaller ones. The
following letter to J. W. Aydon, superin-
tendent OF the fire alarm Telegraph, from
Professor John p. Barrett, oity electric.
ian Of Chicago, and the pioneer of mn.
foreground wires In this country, speaks
Tor Itself as to how the underground sys-
TEN works in that city. His letter is in no
uncertain tone, and presents an array OF
facts from which but one conclusion can
be reached:
CHiosao, ILL.,, March 2ist, 1885, W.
hydon, Esq, Superintendent Fire Alarm
isttgrdph, Wilmington, De. --DEAR SIN: In
reply 10 yours the 18th, would say re-
garu the underground system as the onty
proper receptacle for electric conductors OF
every nature and description. We have In
tnis city practical illustration OF It's feast.
pility Tor telegraph purposes since 1877 i;
which wires were placed underground by
Ihis department, and for electrical purposes
generally, Tor tho past six years. A gem
eral Underground ordinance was passed by
the common council of this city I'm 1883
compelling all the companies doing bust
ness In this city to place their wires under
ground. In compliance with this ordl.
nance, the city took the initial step and
nave up to date placed 1872 miles OF
wife underground; also 81 miles of
electric Hight cable. The wire 40
placed underground embraces al
branches Of service, telegraph, telephone,
noiice ana lire alarm service, &c. Since
that period there have been removed by
tne various companies. from thu streets Of
THIS city. s3i poles and 1851 miles OF
wire and In ths sumo period, built 60 miles
OF conduit and placed 4 Las miles of wire
therein, which think iB a very emphatic
endorsement OF the system. Among its adj
Vantnges are, the removal from the streets
OF unslghtly mRsts carrying a large net
work OF wires, and placing them beyond
the Interference OF atmospheric influence,
rain, sleet and wind storms, thereby adding
10 the certainty OF service by placing them
beyond this Interference And IL neees.
safllY follows that With wires SO placed
Underground the cost OF repairs and re-
nswtls IL materially reduced, As an In
stance Of the durability and reliability OF
underground wltes, those placed under
b'p'Ahh "a hto klNtug he RUOl BtTVlt1
to-day as the day they were planted We
have never had occasion to touch them
since; mover had a ground, cross or break
on them, and for aught l can see, will CON
tinue 30 when YOU and have heen called
TO our fathers. Yours respectfully,
]. b. BARRETT Superlutend snt.
At Denver. DOL. all electric light wires
are operated Underground. There are
300 street lamps and the private lighting
covers about 800 squares of the CITY.
About 1000 lamps in all are maintained.
In Milwaukee Mr.. Thomas IL. Meroein
writes under date of November 7th, 1888.
that the city has seven miles of conduit
system and is running 800 arc lights, car
rying high tension current of z, $50 volts,
with perfect success
Mayor Charles w. Raymond reports
that Washington has gu miles of I'M.
derground wires, all working success
fully.
In New York 2,489, 622 feet Of single
ducts have been laid for underground
wires, and Mayor Grant has ordered all
wires gu Broadway TO be placed under.
ground immediately. Some opposition
from large monopolies is being developed,
but quite a.numher of the electric light
companies are voluntarily placing their
wires underground, Among their mum.
Der are the Edison, Manhattan, East
River and North American.
In Brooklyn, Boston, st. Louis, Min.
neapolis, Buffalo and Detroit most ex-
tensive preparations are now being made
to place all wires underground.
In Delaware the SpsidiDg Telegraph
Company are voluntarily asking of our
Legislature the right to place their wires
underground and estimates the cost at
$50 per mile.