The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-03-20
DAEonRs FROM mLnoTRIoITY.

Inc prORfbBh OF oltclllchl boltnCo III
Que OF the wonders Of this wonderful
age. It's applications, brought into our
workshops, our streets aud our homes,
aud becoming more and more numer.
Gus, varied aud Indispensable, compel
attention and study, A glance there
lore at some OF the points presented IN
q popular and instructive article on the
above subject by John Tr0wbridge IN
tho current number OF the Atlantic
Monthly may prove OF Interest ana
value.
Mr.. Trowbridge compares this agent
10 II magician VINO, tho story goes, was
bought by an Eastern prince ~ u slave,
lle at lrBt fascinated his muster with
his countless tricks ana wonders, but at.
ter q while the prince became terrified
40 the evil resources OF his slave, ana
giving him his freedom bes0ught him
10 depart. So electricity the slave Of
man, bids fair W times 10 become mo
master
Our horses may be said TO reflect
public sentiment IN regard To ono OF
tho common applications OF electricity,
that OF the propulsion OF streelCara, Az
first, In many cases dreadfully fright
ened, they are now becoming used TO
the mysterious motor. "lhe inevitable
has come ana II rs perhaps horse sense
to acQuiesce'
Itis true that there are dangers lurk'
Ing In the electric Bystemi but " IL
probable, says Mr. TrowDrldge, that
the inside Of an electric cur rs sater
place than the outside. The chances OF
anyone getting u deadly shock from
the current which is conveyed through
the car TO the motor, are lnllnltesimm
for the iron work Of the car affords u
far better connection with the ground
than the human body.
With reference TO danger from light
ming, it Ia asserted that II u bolt should
strike the overhead wire, II would find
such an easy passage through the
trolleys, motors, rails and thence TO the
earth that the passengers would be IN
the condition of persons on the Eillel
tower who were not Injured IN tho
least when IL was etrck by lightning,
Neither is there danger from contact
with the rails and, any day workm0n
mounted on scailOlde, may DO seen
grasplng the bare trolly wire when re-
pairing II.
Wherein, therefore, asks Mr.. Tow.
bridge, consist the dangers to life from
the overhead wir62 Birds can rest up
on 10, men can touch IL; II gives while
intact and continues, no evidence OF
the mysterious power contained IN II,
gaye when the overhead trolly bounds
up aud down. The answer is, the dan
ger TO life comes not from the steady
ilow of the current but from It's sudden
cessation. The plain statement OF
facts not clothed in technical language
Ia this. II the overhead wire should
break between the bare hands OF q
workman, he would be killed, IL would
be necessary, however, that the wire
should be cut between the two bare
hands with which he grasped H. The
current would then pass through the
body and life would cease with the cur
rent, Should the wire break or be cut
beyond where Il was held by the hands,
and the one grasping II have no con
nection with the ground, no injury
would result, AS has been said, should
one, standing on the ground touch the
rails Of an electric railway he would
not receive q shock. But II this person
were, by any possibility TO touch the
overhead wire and the rails Mt the same
time, thoinbtant he released his hold on
either, he would receive u shock, which
the writer says, he has no doubt would
be deadly. He would be In the posi-.
tion Of u man grasping the two ends Of
q severed wire. Regarding the result OF
coming into contact with the dangling
end of u telephone or telegraph wire
that has fallen on the over head wire Of
the electric railway, Mr.. Trowlrldge
says. IL the person should be standing
in rubbers or dry shoes, II Is not proba.
BILE that he would receive n deadly
shock from touching the wire or from
releasing his hold Of IL. IL, However,
his shoes were wet, he might In Btrug.
Cling to escape receive mortal injury
Horses, because Of their iron shoes
and absence Of clothing are better con.
ductors than human beings, and the
manner In which they are killed is
thus explained. Tho dead wire falls
upon bare wire carrying current, u
horse runs into the wire and contact Ia
made with the ground and broken
through the animals body, IL is the
breaking of the connection which Is
deadly. In binding snow storm IL
would not be pleasant to find ones self
In the embraces Of q dead wire, yet
with the present practice or allowing
wires to cross the bare over head wire,
such embraces promise TO become too
common. Out side OF cities and crowd
ed streets OF towns, the use Of the earth
as q return circuit 10 not dangerous for
wires are not apt 10 fall upon the over
head wire. In cities, however, the