Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-04

ians, as where is McGinty's body. The sub
| ject is the sole topic of conversation among
the city fathers on the Northside and is
being discussed in all its phases and FORMS
The cause of the agitation, is on acco unit of
the Pleasant Valley Company about to run
their cars with electricity. The wires are in
position and the trial trip will be made in
about ten days.
A meeting of the Street Railway Commit
tee of Allegheny Councils was held last
night. The object of the meeting was to
| discuss the advisability of granting the
Pittsburg, Allegheny and Manchester Rail-
road Company the right to change their
motive power. Before they got very far
into the meeting, the members lost sight OF
the object for which they had assembled
and began to discuss the electric accident on
Christmas Day.
The Pleasant Valley officials were on hand
with their expert electricians, who practi-
cally demonstrated to the committee that
the death of the horses was not due to the
Pleasant Valley wires. w. L. Emmett one
of the electricians of the company, testified
SIS to the system to be used bT the company.
He said there were about 130 electric rail-
ways in the country. Between 60 and 20 of
them were run by the Sprague system,
which the company had adopted. With
900 volts of electricity to propel the cars.
These 500 volts would be exerted between
the trolley wires and the rails upon which
the cars would run. He SAID these 800 volts
were not sufficient to do any human being
any harm. II a man touched one of the
wires he would receive an uncomfortable
shock, but not enough to do him any harm.
COULD TAKE 500 VOLTS.
At this point Mr.. Emmet was interrupted
by Mr. Wertheimer, of the Third ward who
asked him if he could take shock of 500
volts without feeling any i'll effects. Mr..
Emmet replied ''Yes" that he could take 500
volts at any time. This led Mr.. Vert
heimer to ask him if he was ready to do it
now. The reply was in the affirmative, and
was given SO promptly that the other MEM
bers began 10 think the electrician could
take such shock every morning as an ap-
petizer. and feel good over it.
Mr. Emmet continued, saying that he had
put up six Sprague plants in different
cities, and had no knowledge that any per-
sons had been injured by a shock from the
wires. He said it was common occurrence
for the workmen to play jokes on each other
by setting traps and giving shocks when
they were not expecting them. OF the so or
20 plants in operation not one man had
been killed. The fact of the workmen play
ing with the current and showing an utter
disregard for the voltage, was sufficient evil
dence that 500 volts would not kill any
body. The current from their wires could
not kill anybody, as the wires had not
been run into the powerhouse. The
machinery also had not been set
in position, and their wires could
be handled with perfect safety. BE said
the arc and incandescent electric light wires
had a voltage of between 1000 and 1000
volts. The former number had frequently
killed men. With the Sprague street rail-
way system they could not go beyond 500
volts, as the wires used could not carry
greater number. He thought the horses
were killed by leakage from an electric
circuits. This charged the latter, and per-
son coming into contact with it would re-
ceive powerful shock.
Colonel w. H. Stone, the solicitor of the
company, stated that the idea of the COM
pany was to have full investigation. They
put on the system after it had been success
fully used in dozens of other cities. II the
system was detective or dangerous, the
company wanted to know It
ELECTRICITY IN OTHER CITIES.
4 similar investigation to the present
one has just been concluded at st. Louis.
The city authorities brought up everything
they possibly could against the Sprague
system, but it was finally allowed to be put
in on the most important streets of the city.
Mr.. Hand, another electrician of the COM
pany, stated that very often, while their
men were working at night constructing
their lines, they received heavy shocks by
having their wires crossing with electric
light currents. This, he SAID, was the cause
OF the accident to the horses
After discussing the electrical situation
the committee turned their attention 10 the
object of the meeting. John Dal1ell, Presi-
dent of the Pittsburg, Allegheny and Man
chester Traction Company, stated that they
only wanted to change their motive power to |
either electricity or cables and had nothing |
to ask from Councils. They had the right |
by act of Assembly to run over certain |
streets.
Mr. Hendricks, of the Eleventh ward,
said the ordinance giving the company per- |
mission was indefinite wherein it referred to |
the lower end of Allegheny. It gave the |
company the absolute right to say how far |
down they should run. If they wanted to |
they need not run their cars to Woods Run,
and the residents there would have to walk |
up to the terminus if the company chose to |
make them do so. Hisremarks were backed |
up by Mr.. Hartman, of the Ninth ward, who |
said they did not propose to get lett on the |
rapid transit scheme. He objected to the |
four tracks on Ohio street, and said the |
Pleasant Valley and Manchester lines should |
use the same tracks. The ordinance was |
finally referred to a subcommittee consist |
ing of Messrs. Lindsey, Lowe, A. Hunter, |
Muehlbronner and Neeb. They will confer |
with the City Solicitor and make a thorough |