New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-02
HOW TO PROTECT MEN FROM CUKKENlo'
u,po,n y ppoUv,s EXPLANATION OF THE
DEATH OF HENRY HARRIS

DEATH OF HENRY HARRIS
Harold p. Brown sends the following letter to Inc
Tribune: Gan,
TO emphasize the scorchng report OF me
jury, in which Coroners ana inc %once 1Ta comes the
Control ceDsured for their heenscnoo, ,Unv,d M
terrible death Of Mr. Harris, cIeIh 1 hl on cleo
No. 675 Eghth-ave., who was aia feJy hundred
dollar worth ~ conner wire This latest victim was
bringing in from the front of the store adSc
While he was standing the cast IRON pa'e L
IN tbe doorwav the ton of the showcase slruSA d
Brush arc lamp, No. 3643l the irame VI In @ afhcr
was not Insulated and there must have Dcen Oir II
nonts of icaIaGe on the circuit thus dehectlhs SUI
icent through the unfortIla1e man ,bai Ger
TO h him The R1Pe VIA ha, rncenty acquired the
Brush and United states liuhllddIn5 ~ was al.
stations. BY Judge AndIewss decison, md a IN string
lowed to replace many of the old wires anu ~ s y
aree ninabcr of new wires. lis chief and ms ; eA-
perts recently declared in communication 10 afn
And vet rho vim ON the Eighth-ave. circuit Is Oi Io
new type Of insulation and it must not be iGrsoun
way even If The main circuit underground ,oto
glance at the arc lamps in use py th!s sytioor
ones used Tor lighting show windows shows tpnas p
most of them In the same dangslouS .ndinc on
and need only TO be touched 9y person tbS list Not
a wet sidewalk TO add new victims 10 tno un. I9etanS
satisfied with this lnemen are kept Du,y I
all the city apparatus for the h at ieht
which is ten times more dangerous IMAM ui' a."
Colonel Fellows has done nobly In secuIiIg nss 'fe ne
presentment from the Grand Jury If he WianeS r W
immortalze himself and fee the city from .nlS 80,
present danger he has only to bring thls ce t b COR
tho Grand Jury and secure the indictment VI
porations resnonsibc officers for criminal neghgemGe
or make out a case OF manslauehtcr frontod
Let but one Of this class OF ccODoinls,9 and tbcre
with the prospect OF fine and imprisonment, anu liz a.
will be an immediate effort to make cie0u .ai corn
safe on the l4th OF October mahe. IoIiai t an,
plant 10 the Health Department coioG' CONF ts bs rretS ~
gerous electrical pressures ussd 5y ade Of the
This city. An examination was plOnpy ula' oa,i a &
ciTcuts from the best-clulpped hgh-tehsoh statiou
I'm this city IL was found that on the clNmls OF
new Insulated wire the arc light currint could DC
= hutf
rent even the best insulation ana uhuersI"uin n WI.
failed 10 pfevcnt an average pressure VI 11V tDlt'
between either conductor ana tnc edI.h. ano ~.
Doration ComnseI decided that this mater Was uhuer
tbe Jurisdiction OF the Board OF ElectrlcaI OontoL
tlen made another complaint looa,lhs lle uansopus %
nrc,sIrcs i'm various buildings, Stree uuder the law
10 Iattcr hoard has never received duthOrltY over
ANYTHING but the erection nhain.rhos "a anu NJ, W t
conductors in and through me Suits anu airss "
,be civ yrhc the Health Department has power 10
ahoto snv matter business, pursuit or thing danger
ous 10 he or detrimental 10 health The second
complaint has received the same reply, ana propose
to have the matter brought peioio "i' 0ou''S io'
I',, neanvbile many moro lves will be sacrificed
rnIess Colonel Fellows has courage 10 fOllOw INC
conrse suggest and will get the testimony OF eec
.cisns otber than those who directly or ind-
ctIv ,nter,sted in defending the hlghension sys-
tens these have been me onB ysi 'or
,riJ call his attention 20 the following facts
rbich the death Of Mr.. Harris proves: That cur
death: that there waa one or more leaks or points
~ dcfr five insulation the circuit, that the means
~ resting the circuits for grounds was defective;
that the lamp was not properly Insulated and was
hunS csneHson, ask The Trlbunes aid in securing
legislation which Will put stop TO the use Of dan
gcrous electrical pressures ana apparatus eectsy
the sacrifice OF single human life, but II VIII require
a greater Investment on the part q the Lighting com
psnies and this Is the secret OF thelr reluctance