Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-03
DANGERS FROM FIRES
There is Not Much to Fear From
Cross Wires in Pittsburg.
AN EXCELLENT ALARM SYSTEM
Other Big Villages Adopting Gas City
Ideas of Prevention.
CAUSE OF EASTERN CONFLAGRATIONs

The danger of fires from the possible cross
ing of wires as illustrated by the recent
Boston fire has aroused the citizens of Pitts
burg to the realization of danger. Apph-
cations for information to The DISPATCH
Office prompted consultation with Morris
Mead, Chief of the Bureau of Electricity,
who gave most fattering account of the
position of Pittsburg in comparison with
other cities. On the questions of fire pro-
lection and light service, Mr.. Mead said:
'I have just returned from a visit to New
York and Boston, and in the former city the
workmen were busy putting up lines both
day and night, working Sunday and every
other day, and are to-day doing by order Of
the courts what the light lines in Pittsburg
have long ago done voluntarily.
"NOw in Boston there is a peculiar feature
with regard TO the fire alarm and other tele-
graph lines, and that is, owing to the mar
rowness of the streets, the wires have been
attached to the houses, either on tops or on
the outside. In Pittsburg we have the
wires on poles of course, but we have what
no other city in the country has, a full cop
per wire service. with perfect insulation.
We may have fire which would knock out
a few telegraph poles, or cause the wires to
be dropped through some mishap incidental
to a fire. Were the wires all dropped in a
bunch we could have full communication in
the fire service while other wires might be
cut out by being in contact.
PRIVATE BOXES REMOVED.
'There is another additional precaution
which we have taken against crippling the
fire service OF the city. When Chief Brown
first came into Office represented to him
the danger accruing from the boxes in
private houses. He at once gave the order,
and now there are very few boxes within
houses or large manufacturing buildings.
They are on poles in the street, isolated
from any chance of being destroyed in a
burning building. The reason for that is
the destruction of one of these boxes would
throw the circuit open, and cut out from 30
to 45 boxes in the same circuit. or, as in
Boston, close several circuits through the
burning of one building.
''The first trouble in New York and Bos-
ton is that Occasioned by the existence of
two or more rival companies, which. in the
ardor of competition, put up cheap iron
wire, cheap poles, and generally economical
in material to admit of the great expense of
securing new territory and extending the
lines without regard TO the safety of either
the public or the workmen. It may seem
strange, as am generally opposed to mo-
nopolies, but feel very much pleased that
the Westinghouse Company controls the
whole electric lighting of Pittsburg. The
work is thoroughly done and the precautions
are taken which are unfortunately omitted
in other places, making Pittsburg the safest
city from fire through electric casualties in
the Union. You can safely quote me as say
ing that am ready to show how much bet
ter placed we are than other cities in this
respect.
CoMPLIMENTED PITTSBURG.
Captain Landers, chief of the electrical
department of Boston, last week acknowl-
edged our advantages in this respect when
explained to him, and am willing to show
what our fire protection is by touching any
box in the city to test it, and if it is not be-
ing repaired or some peculiar and unusual
reason exists jor its isolation the response
will be immediate. 1 am perfectly satisfied
that we have the best system of wires In the
country. Cleveland is now commencing to
put in the copper wire service, and that is
merely following our example.
Gas for putting the wires underground
that must necessarily be an affair of the
future. You can only put one district or
circuit at time underground, and it would
take 10 or II years to get all the wires here
below. By that time the number of wires
would have increased so much that it would
make changes in the buried part necessary,
and, judging from the rapid strides made in
later years in electrical discoveries some
better method than either the cable or the
boxed wire system may by that time be
nraeticable" :"