Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-08

may be caused by electric light wires.
The danger to life is one. That we en-
tirely obviate by using only low pressure,
ne higher than 800 volts, with which we
secure an excellent, clear, bright and
steady light Never complaint is heard.
we have $4,000 lamps in operation now
here in Berlin, and we expect to have l60,-
600 within a year. You see we attain
excellent results with this low pressure.
We use the Edison lamps, bat all the arc
lights in Berlin are also fed by our cables.
Formerly we used 400 volts for the arc
lights, but we find that 800 volts would
work as well. A current of that strength
is perfectly harmless. You would scarcely
feel it. There is absolutely no danger to
life. We have 1900 men in our employ,
who all have more or less to do with the
wires, but no one in our employ has ever
been killed or even injured.
cit is otherwise, however, with the Sec
sond class of accidents-6res. Low pres
sure alone will not prevent that danger.
But proper construction will. For five
years we allowed no one but our own men
to put in the plants. With proper care
and safeguards there is no danger. Now
we allow other contractors to arrange the
individual plants but they must work ac-
cording to our rules (here Herr Rathenau
produced formidable set of rules, regu-
lating every detail of laying and arrang-
ing the wires, insulation, safeguards, etc.
After the work is done it is inspected by
one of our experts, and only accepted if
properly done. Besides all this precaution,
we have everywhere automatic cutoffs,
which at once disconnect the current
should any wire become overheated. We
ALLOW no single wire to carry
more than fixed pressure.
We are responsible for all acct
dents, but we have none You Ameri-
cans are the best mechanics in the world,
and if you set to work in earnest to perfect
your electric light system, no more acct
dents viii happen. 1t would be folly to
discard electric light merely because you
have handled it carelessly and burned
your fingers.
eve charge for each new lamp (connec-
lions and ALI placed in a building, 90
marks (S5); such a lamp will last forever.
Then we charge marks Isl % per lamp
a year for keeping it in order, and pfen-
mig Il cent an hour of actual use for each
lamp of sixteen candle power. At these
rates we paid dividend of per cent. this
year, besides adding greatly to our reserve
fund. Commencing January We reduced
the rate per hour TO $50 pfennig (9-l0
of cent and still expect to make money.
Surely your New York companies can
do better than that, for we have a strong
competitor in the gas works, which sell
1000 cubic feet for FIVE marks, a much
lower rate than obtains in New York.
"Our rates for street lighting are some
what higher. The city pays US 100000
marks (S25000) for the los lamps in
Inter den Linden and $4,000 marks
$4,000 for the thirty-six in the Leipzi-
ger strasse. Blu. then these lights are of
immense power, and we had to erect the
lamp-posts, make connections and take
care of the entire plant The lights burn
every night in the year, moonlight nights
not excepted"
1t will be seen by the facts given in the
above interviews that electric light can be
furnished cheaply and without exposing
the public or the workmen employed on
the wires to any danger. 1t can only be
done by using lower pressure. 1t rests
with the New York companies to take the
proper steps, or, if they should prove OBJ
stinate, it remains for the authorities.
backed by the people, to bring them to
sense of their duty. Herr Rathenau also
said, in the course of conversation, that
his company owns and runs the electric
works of Madrid, Antwerp, Eisenbuch,
and other cities, and that their experience
there was the same as in Berlin-no acct
dents and no trouble.