Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-05
A MENACING FLUID.
What Citizens Think About Elec-
trieity Aerial and Subterranean.
GEO. A. KELLY'S VIGOROUS VIEWS.
BE Thinks he Prefers Walking After
Personally Thrilling Experience.
THE INSURANCE RATES ON LINEMEE

sible death dealing agents by which they
were surrounded at every step, have begun
to think seriously of some way to meet the
problem which all admit must be met
sooner or later. The advantages and dis
advantages of having the wires under
ground having been discussed by electricians
and telegraph officials, and although they
are not agreed, conclusion to be derived
from their argument would probably favor
the underground plan.
George A. Kelly was found in his store,
nue. yesterday afternoon, and when the ques-
tion of wires was broached he Immediately
laid aside his business, and without any un-
necessary verbiage began to give his views
on the matter.
A CITIZEN WHO WILL WALK.
Mr.. Kelly gave the following expression
of views in his usual clearheaded manner:
"This question of wires has been bother
ing me for some time, but it is only since |
have been reading the articles in THE Dis
PATCH that / have given 1t serious atten
tion. 1 was recently IL ormed that the roof
of my building here, which is fiat one, is
covered by a perfect network of
wires, but who gave the companies
permission to put them up is a matter
know nothing about. They are up there,
however, and 1 have been very uneasy
recently for lear some of them are not prop
erly insulated, and may ignite the roof. If
the building ever took tre on any of the
upper floors it would be almost sure to be
entirely destroyed, as the upper stories are
filled with paints, oils and materials which
10 hrsr 10
which are running over and around the
building would seriously interfere with the
work of the fremen. went to see the
companies who put up the wires and told
them that unless competent parties, other
than their own employees, would assure me
that the wires were properly insulated they
would have to be taken down.
AN INSURANCE ADVISER
next consulted an insurance agent as to
the best course to pursue, and he advised to
get an ax,pursue a ladder to the roof and cut
every wire which 1 found attached to the
building, but every public improvement is
for the public good, and I do not wish to do
anything which would probably inconveni-
ence hundred men who were benefited
by the wires which would cut
1.-THE streets are getting worse and worse
every year, and the trend of public opinion
is slowly out surely working toward that
point when the wires must 60 under ground.
81 am opposed to these electric railways,
and I'll tell you now that when can get
home without riding on them will let them
severely alone. Why, every few days we
read about somebody being shocked while
getting on or of them in other cities, and 1
don't propose to run any more risks than
can possibly help
III, - l.
our existence on this terrestrial sphere as
it is.
CHANCES OF INJURY.
''Why, just think of the chances of being |
knocked down, run over and mangled a pc |
destrian takes in going, from this corner,
say, to the postoffice. Then when you enter
the Manchester street cars you are liable to
be killed before you get home by having the
car collide with a cable car, or West
Penn or Fort Wayne train, as a
car did a few years ago, in which
I happened to be passenger when two peo-
pie sitting beside me were killed. Then to
think of putting the danger of instant death
on top of all this is more than human en-
durance can bear.
"The electric light and telegraph and
telephone companies would no doubt stub
bornly fight any effort which would be made
70 COupel lueHu 70 pidCe InelT wires uQQer
ground, but believe that they would ulti-
mately be benefited by such a move. Sew
eral companies have wires under ground,
and I believe they are working all right.
There are a few telephone and telegraph
wires which could not conveniently be
placed below the surface, but these would
not, nor did they ever harm any one.
LINEMEN DID DAMAGE.
tffa
subjected here was the fact that the linemen
when placing the wires on the root of our
building wore climbers on their shoes, and
.hese tore holes in the roof, and whenever it
rains heavily the water leaks through these
holes into the floor below. If THE DIS
PATCH continues to keep the matter before
he public L believe that it will be but a
short time before the electric companies will
be compelled by the force of public opinion.
f nothing else, to place their wires below
;round."
W. r. Thompson, the banker, as the
lext citizen encountered who had time to
ak on the subject
''That accident TO those horses in Allie
gheny is only a forerunner of what we NAV
Ipect. and instead of horses it will be
human beings. If such improvements are
o be a menace to citizens in the EVERYDAY
yaIks of life some action should be taken
Whereby the people will be protected.
1uman life must be protected above all
Use.
''The proper place for the wires is under
round" he tontinued, land no better ex-
mple or argument for such theory can be
ited than the city of Paris.
PITTsBURG DIFFERS FROM PARIS.
There the wires are underground. Un-
Ter all the principal streets of Paris are i'm
nense sewers through which all pipes, lines,
nd wires pass, and it would be blessing if
Ee only had something of a like nature in |
'Ittsburg. Sewers could be built through |
III the principal downtown streets large
nough for man to get through easily, and
Ill the electric, telegraph and telephone |
7lres could be run through them.
The danger from the wires coming in |
ontact with water pipes and gas pipes rum
ing into houses, If the former were under
round, would then be obviated. and be-
des the company would get better ser
ice, as the wires would not be subject to
he influence of weather as they are now, !
he placing OF the wires in Paris under ;
round was done during the time of Ma
oleon III, and 1t was probably the best
hing he did during his reign. 1t would be
blessing to Pittsburg, and the sooner il is
one the better for the companies and the
tizens" s
OBSERVATIONS ABROAD.
Manager Johnston, of the Exposition So
ETY., was asked to give the public the ben
it of his opinions in relation 10 the wire /
1estion. 4
II do not care to talk about the wires in |
ittsburg," " he said. 81 have not been here I
ng enough to place myself on record in the ,
atJer-let the older inhabitants do that :
ut 1 can state from. observations in London
I'd Paris that they have the wires under
'ound in both of those cities, and, besides {
npIoving the telegraphic and electric |
rYice, it adds wonderfully to the appear (
ice of city, and 1 would like to see the
wer or underground system adopted in
ittsburg"
Frank X. Kohler, Secretary of the Peo-
les Mutual Accident Insurance Associa-
on, was asked if the overhead wires were
garded unfavorably bv insurance COM
anies in general. /
''Well that is question that can hard \