Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-03-28
UNDERGRo wIREs.
Advocates and Opponents OF the
System Have IA Full Hearing
Before the C0umcit Legislative


System Have a Full Hearing
Before the C0umcit I.egisiaiiye
Committee.
The underground wire fight was In full
blast for over two hours Thursday after
pocn before City Councils legislative
committee. Messrs. Trump, Smith and
Lighthipe of the electric light company,
Mr.. Westbrook Of the telephone company
and Messrs. Johnstone and Eeclesine OF
the New York Underground Conduit Co.
appeared as contestants. The members
OF thecommittee present were Messrs.
Quinn, Chambers and Dillin.
Captain Smith, for the Electric Light
Company, opened the discussion with the
claim that the success of the underground
system had not yet been proved to an ex-
tent sufficient to warrant the company in
this city going to the expense OF making
the change. He Baid that in Chicago
some OF those who had their wires uuder-
ground complained of ineffective work,
and that the experience OF seven electric
light companies who had underground
cables IVES that the working OF their lines
was not atall satisfactory. In support of
hia position he read from the Electrical
World extracts from the proceedings of
the recent session OF the National elee.
tricai Association, showing that the un-
derground system had given rise to con-
siderable trouble, and in several instances
failed entirely. The difference in cost
ives given as one cent per lamp per hour
more for the underground than the aerial
system.
In reply. w. Fl. Johnstone Of the
Jobnstone Underground Conduit Com
n Natu Vf.eL aaf1 tI,a. D.,
telligent bnsis for the idea of the people
that underground wires should be as
feasible as overhead wires, and that the
public should not be longer subjected to
the many dangers of the overhead Bystem.
he said he was perfectly amazed At the
number Of wires he had seen in this city
and ut the general use of electricity here
for private lighting. 1t was fact, he
asserted, that the underground system
was not only feasible, but mora economi.
cal after the first cost, than the overhead
system, to say nothing of the much greater
safetyto life and propsrty. MIR Johnstone
said that eight years ago he entered into the
business OF furnishing underground con-
Quits for electric wires, and in the face of
bitter opposition had succeeded in demon
strating the feasibility and utility of the
system. 1t was successful in New York,
and could be successful in Wilmington.
Mr.. Johnstone said his company, If
given franchise to introduce their con-
duit system here, would agree to leave to
arbitration the ratea to be charged the
different companies for laying their wires
in the conduits, or If desired furnish
them with the wires, so that they would
be at no cost except for service. His
company, he said, was prepared to give
ample financial security for the satisfac-
tory working of their system.
| Mr.. Johnstone cited, numerous In
stances of fires caused by electrical
wires. Mr.. Trump claimed that the pro
portion of fires from this cause was
small, and that the cause assigned, In
many cases, was purely conjecture. Then
/ a rnnuing nrs on TechnfoHn qiesuons ror
lowed, which cir. Johnstone answered
promptly. Mr.. Lighthipe insisted that the
underground system increased the danger
to those who worked with the wires, and
said that conduit wonld be q perfect
death trap. Mr.. Johnstone said that even
ii this were true, il would confine the
danger TO those who worked with the
wires and not extend it to tho general
public. BIT still he claimed that the
danger attached to the underground sys-
TEN bore no comparison to the danger
arising from overhead wires.
In answer to Mr.. Trump, Mr.. Johnstone
said that from eursory view OF the city
he believed Is or 20 miles of conduit
would be sufficient to accommodate oil
the electric wires now in operation here.
The cost Of system of this size com.
plete, he said, would be about $l25, 600.
He further said that small conduits were
made, for conducting wires to remote dis.
tricts where the customers were isolated.
Mr. Westbr0ok held that the question
was whether the new system was neces.
sary in Wilmington or not. The tele.
phone company was very we'll satisfi I'd
with it'd present plant, aud it would entail
great hardship upon the company to
force it to put its wires under ground
now.
MIR. Ecclesine closed the discussion
with an argument in favor of the under
ground system.