The Washington critic., 1890-02-01

It Was Used In the United states Sem
ate What is said by tho Expsrts
Who Examined It-Sharp Criticism
by Them.
On last ThursdayyrHE CRlTrc recited
The facts in the case Of the struggle be-
tween the local gas and electric light
companies and foreign electric light
company, the two trying TO retain their
franchise for lighting the city and the
other endeavoring to underbid them in
their contracts, for the purpose. IL Is
said, OF getting q foothold in the city.
The foreign company is the Electric
Heat and Power Company. 1t is al
legged 10 be a branch OF the Westing.
house Electric Company of Pittsburg,
Pa
The officers of the parent company
are George Westinghouse, IT,, presi.
dent; II. M. Byllesby, vice-president
and general manager; John Caldwell.
treasurer; A. T. Rowland, secretary; |;
w. l.. Mccullough, auditor. The sys.
tenn used by this company Is what is
known as the alternating system. A
powerful current Of 900 volts is gen
given point. where 1t passes through
converter" and the voltage reduced to
minimum figure, rendering the cur
rent safe by the time it reaches house
or lamp, 1t 10 claimed.
This is the system which the Electric
Heat and Power Company proposes to
use in lighting this city if they can get
the privilege.
This system has been on trial in the
Senate wing Of the Capitol for over two
years. and it is understood is to be re-
moved therefrom on account of its dan.
gerous character. The whole story is
as follows In October. 1887, the Saw
yer Man Electric Company secured per
mission to put up in the Senate wing of
the Capitol, at their own expense, a
generator and number of lights to ex-
pertinent with. The system used was
the Westinghouse. The plant was put
in and all was lovely until the president
of the Edison Electric Light Company
wrote the following letter to Senator
Edmunds in September, 1887:
DEAR SIR: have been recently advised
that the system of electric lighting now In
use in the United States Senate Chamber is
supp lied by what is known as the "alter-
mating" current, by which very danger
ously high-pressure current is generated by
the dynamo, distributed through wires in
the Senate Chamber, and reduced in pres
sure by the intervention of what is known
as converter" before the current reaches
the lamp.
i am also credbly informed that consid-
cradle dampness exists on the wall of the
Senate chamber, and l am therefore i'm
PEELED to call your attention TO the exist
ence OF very serious danger which
threatens not only the destruction of the
building by fire, but the life of persons
coming in contact with the lamps, wires or
other apparatus. The object of the icon
yerter," above mentioned, is to reduce the
dangerously high pressure before it enters
the lamp, but the prevalence of moisture
Will cause condensation IN the converter
itself, the result of which will be that this
high-tension alternating current will be
transferred directly to the lamp, in which
case instantaneous death will be caused to
any one handling the lamp or its attach
ments. ! would further call your attention
to the fact that the only object in using
this high-tension current is to effect small
saving In the cost of the copper conductors
In the first installation of the plant, while
the cost of operating the plant is increased,
thereby incurring an additional annual ex-
pense IN perpetuo by reason of the loss of
1t is claimed by the adherents of the
alternating system that their current is no
more dangerous that the direct system, but
recent exhaustive experiments have proven
that while 200 units of pressure of the
direct current may be taken with impunity,
2C0 units of pressure of the alternating sys-
tenn will cause instantaneous death.
TIE FEELING OF THE SENATE.
The feeling of the Senate is well
known in regard to exposing Washing
ton to the dangers of electric wires.
Senator Edmunds is one of the most
violent opposers of any experiments
with the deadly electric current. He
Immediately sent the letter over to
Senator Aldrich, chairman of the Com
mittee on Rules, with the Endorsement
that the matter needed "strict and early
scrutiny" 1t did receive early and
strict scrutiny. The architect of the
Capitol called in ewo experts, who ex-
amined the system and made the fol-
lowing reports:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY,
WASHINGTON, ID. c.. Oct. 90, 1888.
SIR: Referring to the subject contained
in the accompanying papers, submitted by
you for my consideration and herewith