Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-10-24
RESTRICT THE voL7AuE.
Edison ON the Regulation OF Dau-
gerous Electric Currents.

gerous Electric Currents.
Mr.. Thomas A. Edison, in an inter-
view printed in an evening paper, says
that the currents on electric light wires
should be regulated by the poiics, inst
the same as steam boilers are now subjsct
to police supervision. He Jays;
There is no such thing as insulation in
these enormously high currents. Take the
Atlantic cable. this highest case OF insula-
ton known. Millions o. dollars are spent
In erscting the Insulation. The cable COM
paniss have one iron clad rule from which
they never deyiate, which H. II l remember
rightly, that 90 more than 40 volts pressure
ehould ever be used. l. Is always the aim
of the cable elsctricians 10 usg the very
smallest volts OF pressure possible. They
are afraid OF iplnrinR the Insulation by In
creaslng tine pressure. Did you see the
account OF NJ D'Arsonval, the French
scientist, In which he gave cat 3,OCO volts
continuous current without killing her A
est can be killed by 22l volts alternating
current. Yet a cat na5 many times the
tenacity Of lie that human being has.
With five VOLT nj Alternating current can
throw man into violent commissions. 1t
Ioogs to ne az II Feees was killed by an
alternating current, Independent Of the
more deadly character OF the alternating
current, tns system which is used for dis
tributiOn makes It Tar more dangerous than
most cases With an arc light current only
portion Of the current can pass through the
body, the arc circuits being closed circuits,
while with the alternating system the cir
cult Is open and the whole Of the current
dus to the pressure passes through the body.
The constitutional authorities Will have
to adapt similar rules to those governing
gGs and steam companies
The public can never get the truth OF the
matter as things are now. When the
pressure Is restrained, the people have the
certainty, not until then. Is there moi
law in New YORK against the Manufacture
Of nltro-glyceline within the limits? We'll,
there must os one against deadly currents.
Let the mayor keep the pressure reduced
TO 100 volts continuous current and to 200
alternating. am not prepared to say that
even 200 volts alternating pressure Is safe.
They say am preiudlced, but II had any
thing to say ] would abolish the alternating
current. Let four or five practical men get
together and frame some practical rules.
Tbs legal detail Is easy enough. Only take
the legal Measures. AS far as the Edison
company goes Il wants legal rate OF
pressure. How many men have been killed
by steam bollers2 There havs been 10
times as many by deadly electrical cur
rents. II boiler restriction "a necessary,
how much more is Il needed for electricity
As for Insulation, when one.half dozen
experts testify that ona method Ia all right,
another that II Is all wrong, you can judge
that there ia little agreement. As for me,
know there is no sate Insulation OF deadly
current. There may be those that differ
from me, but this public has only one
couree-thst Is 70 make the companies dis
tribute their electricity so that It would ss
perfectly Indifferent whether or not the
wires had Insulation.
In France the president Of the Council
has asked the academy Of science 10 inves.
tigate this very matter. The municipal
authorities give the franchises there.
The English have considered the ques.
ton. There was, as / remember. an act
there preventing pressure above 800 volts.
The gist Of the matter Is this, let electric
lighting go ON, but take active legislative
measures TO render II safe. The safe eiec-
trical method is simple enough ..e legal
course ought to be as simple.