New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-20

purposes Unless great pfecaution h used ,Sroueb
ous lhe country In this respect many accidents viii
sSSvur. ~ - une the people cannot be educated to
t1is at once. do not think that there IS much
Hanger IN using tho electric wires II the wiring and
hurriedy or under pressure In thIs way much bad
Work results and fires Will follow necessarily"
AMONG THE INSURANCE MEN.
=. r. Kennedy, Of the firm Of Weed & Kennedy,
hre underwriters, was asked to express his Vows
and to give some Of his experiences OF fires which
had been reported TO have originated from electricity
oy reason OF tho wires coming In contact with metals
IN places where tho Insulating cover was worn away
and thus causing combustion Of any inaammablc ma
teral In close proximity to such points Mr.. Ken
nedy said Tho electric light or indeed any other
electric wires do not necessarily increase the risk
Oh insurance II the equipment is put into the building
ana protected under the proper rules and regulations
ot the Fire Underwriters Association II proper
cure IS taken to insure Insulation the electric light
VIII DO less dangerous than gas Undoubtedly a
good many fires have been started from electric light
wires, but In most Of the which occur the
accidents which have been the Of fires are not
key 10 occur again, owing TO the great Improvement
In the equipment which all the electric lighting CON-
panes OF recognized respectabIlty are now introduce
Ing.
when the Produce Exchange was opened, the
fixtures for Illuminating purposes were what we call
combination that IS for both gas and electricity and
the wires ran In contact with tho brass fixtures
After the fire which occurred in that building some
Two years ago, saw portion OF one Of the gas
fixtures whore an abrasion OF tho Insulation
OF wiro had caused a leak in tho current
which had come into contact with the gas fixture
ana nred the piping, thus setting fire to the gas.
SOME DANGEROUS ARC LIGHTS.
Inere was another Gre In the large retail dry. goods
s'ore OF Wechsler 6 Abraham, No. 432 Fulton-st,
brooklyn, where an light used for Illuminating
show window. The equipment had been in
over year when FIRE discovered in tho wood
work at tho top Of tho window where the insulating
material had worn away and tho naked wire had
como In contact with some iron work and caused
the fire.; One night in front of theatre. noticed
an arc light suspended over the sidewalk, which,, not
OF The wind Ike a big pendulum. At every swing
in ono direction tho lamp came in contact with
another wire and shot out brilliant flash, which, had
there been any combustible material at hand, would
certainly have set fire, to tho building. It is only
psnes have always shown peect wngnsss to
cooperate with the fire underwriters in perfectIng
their systems OF equipment to avoid the
dangers which arc only the result OF careless or
cheap, and in some cases reckless methods"
DO hto underwriters a rule think that electric
Hight adds 10 the risk In edecting insurance2' was
asked
passed resolution some years ago that any electric
lighting equipment which was In accordance with
me OF sarsy ana rules OF me Boara %
that time certain discoveries have been made which
show that the Board rules were not SO complete as
they ought TO be In order TO cover inferior and de-
fectivo workmanship and materials. and committee
was appointed by the Board which is now engaged
work expepmen mt With ana The Tew Of IMPROVING
the present systems OF insulation
A SURVEYOR POINTS OUT SOME DANGERS.
ono OF The surveyors for tho Board of Fire Under
writer's asked whether the electric light in build
ngs was, In HIS experience dangerous than gas
lie said The electric light is yet In It's infancy but
II proper precautions are taken In laying the wires
and the insulation Ia carefully attended 10 think
there is more risk Of fire than from gas fixtures.
Tho trouble in the laying Of electric wires Is tho EN-
plOyment of cheap and inexperienced labor. have
known Of bellhangers being employed who knew alb
soluely nothing about electricity. In surveying a
building 10 Is impossible TO everything done, and
one Of the greatest dangers arises from what are called
and not on the surface under moulding.
Tho. insulating material Is liable to get chafed
OF and leave the wire exposed and IL that part OF the
wire touches any metal or other conductor spark
will DO emitted from which fire may be started Eec
time enough has not elapsed to develop its resources
It's dangers and the safeguards against them, but the
present material used for insulation viii lose Its power
after lapse OF time and thus the danger will BIO In
creased. We.are now engaged in series of expert
which will DO perfect and retain It's power. We are
also endeavorng 10 md some process Of making nex
BILE silk cords .eOmbustble without the chemicals
employed affecting the insulating material underneath
ihe silk regard the flexible cords as dangerous
fro, they arc NO better than slow match. In con-
junction. with the expert electricians now experiment.
ssss % vi e es q ho Board rcsas
tho methods OF supplying the electric light IN build
nss as The old rules which were framed zee, Tesot s ,s SO
requirements OF the present day"
RULES OF THE BOARD OF UNDERWRITERS.
Tho rules now enforced by the Board OF Under
writers require that no ground circuits DO used and
that tho wires shall not connect with any water or
gas pipes that all wires must have coating OK
Insulating material and another coating OF some ma
teria outside protect the Insulation from ABRASION
that whera electricity is carried into building from
outside conductors cut out' must be placed near
the entrance OF wires: that arc light wires shail be
at least foot apart at the entrance 10 buildng
and eight inches apart on the inside Wherever wires
arc carried through the walls, floors or partitions IN
buildings, they must be surrounded py a speclai
inSnIaine time Of substantial material All Joints in
wires must be made In such manner as to secure
a perfect and durable contact Continuous wires
mnst be projected by glass globes, enclosed at the
bottom 10 prevent the fall Of gnited particles, and
where infammabo materials are present below inc
OF the globe In place in case OF Its fracture during use
For incandoscent lights wherever connection Is
madN between q larger and smaller conductor az
the entrance 10 within a building, some approved
autc2.ic device must be introduced In the circuit OF
the smaller CONDUCTOR whereby t shall be interrupted
Whenever tho current passing through IL Is In excess
Of ih safe carrying capacity. Tho safe carrying
vey without becoming painfully warm when grasped
nj tho closed hand Companies furnishing electricity
with the NewYork Board Of Fire Underwriters, bind
ing themselves to test their lines for ground
Hons AT least once every day land preferably three
timss dayl and 10 report the result OF such tests
no tic Board weekly. Means by which those In
AZ Inc dynamo electric machines will be warned
ne any excessive flow Of current. or means whereby
fho same will DO automatically checked must in all
cases be provided.
AN INSURANCE MAN WHO is NOT AFRAID.
several officers Of tho fro Insurance companies
we're seen with a view to learning their opinions on
the subject Of electric lighting and in nearly all cases
thew expressed opinion that with proper and,
as far as might be, perfect insulation, the electric
hight "a the best method OF illumination at the
present time A. Colson, secretary Of the New-York
Insurance Company, Of No. az Walst., said: Per-
sonaIly, / have not given much attention to the
"details OF the electric light plant as supplied to build
Inrs or 10 the methods employed In putting II In,
hil 7 think that when tho new rules OF tho Board
of Underwriters in force and the experiments now
in progress are completed safety from fire viii DO
much increased Tho custom Is for the electric light
ing companies TO advise the underwriters when they
Infend TO place electric equipment In building.
The underwriters then send surveyor who lnspecs