The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-15
TELEPHONE EXCHANGE FIRE.
Thu Causes Of tie Recent CCnNaSTatlon
Explained.
n,yCERS OF TIE RlGE- CHARGED WIRES.
,.i.,fricii, 20 bn Conducted Through the ar
without the Aud of Wires-one se'
Of ROLES Cheaper Light

NJ Charles 7. Child an electrical engineer
ofb.s r,ty. was interviewed Yesterday by
T.,.,. repor,er IN reference 10 tie recent IRE
echo Telephone Exchange, and various other
electrical. matters.
Ia Icp.Y 20 q question regarding the cause
~ Che ire Mr. Child said
.uo system OF electric railways in use ~
p.hrona consists. as every Quo knows. OF
.--aer e wires suspended overhead and tho
-k and earth beneath The oYei"eaa
e,-.ltalo is kept constantly charged WIN
So. pressure electricity. which ltH.7
.ua so Che earth below on1 % uAlo'
.r. Uy that means 10 tAe oFH""l'-
-...h.re 40 the power p.nnt lle Io.4'1 ."..
motors on the car. furnish tAe u''"l 800
l-ts escape. but ally conducting VIC ~.
substance opening path fog tNo o'oS '..'- -'',
lru the high pressure Tt-ei on w.. 49,
a We O. the tracks is lnmealhieiF lo'
NTH ia current. Should this me -uHi "o li-
sufficient 20 carry the flow ot ele.tI'c oilci ~
D. becomes hot and me.ts or burns a. ."o D,''o
may be. Tins Is what hanpcAe" 4"'e No.N
when ~ telephone wiTe came I'D Con.@. N'.5
fhe trolley v,re ou fourteenth sueet anu
f-r.,e3 ,stl ar the current through the
euitci hoard ir fhe central office. he dell
cato f,..l.nt-rn of tire swltch-board beng IN
-|e,..... ,-th.taud toe powerful railway
current melted and set fire 90 Us surround-
iugs
TELEPHONE WIRES.
.no.r.r think 10 safe for so many telephone
,~.rs. t. cross the streets ln which the cleo
fur railways run without some protection
,rT.sr- is a nominal protection 10 tie guard
,s.re- which are strung above the trolley
we. ,n some streets of tho city hese
s.-q- ere intended go hold tie telephone or
.fI.r wires away from tie trOleYwre I'D
ca.e of the breakag8 of the former ihey
4ro NOT very reliable devices, however a-
though as good as any means OF Inc pIo'oc-
zion yet devised. So long as the railways ein-
uo. what is technically known as GROUND
creut that is. system of CONJUNCTION lu
vI.h the earth is used as part Of inc clr-
rr.t accidents are liable 20 happen. an
ATTEMPT was made early m the history OF
electric railroadlng o. use "a double oFeIHt"'
slstem in which there were TWO trolley wires
and "a double troll ev running on them 10y
his arrangement The current passed from
one " the trolley wires through the cars ana
hack bv the other. 10 was found, after
inr and rigid tr.a. of this method
u many places that It's expense
rn..rhtluess and general mechanical mem
rerrv more tlan balanced any gain over the
single trolley system now IN universal use.
again tle attempt was made To- put the con
Ir.tor- in Is conduit below the surface OF the
r-r1rd. something after the fashion OF cable
railway construction. but tins method has re-
reatel.y failed and is no longer IN use ID this
country The trouble found IN keeping the
.onduits free from mud and DIRT ana
.Ieir GREAT expense operated from the
first against them Storage batteries seemed
40 one time o. offer "a satisfactory solution 10
the difficult problem of electric traction. but
heir popularity WAS shOrt-dved. Extensive
experiments with them have shown that they
cannot be depended upon, and their iraglity
md EXPENSE have made even the most adyen-
furious oXpelmeutors regard them with as
favor lu such place as Richmond. with
tie difficult grades and sharp curves made
necessary by its c0niCuratl0n, doubt II
storage. battery cars could be operated az all.
IHF GREAT DIFFICULTY.
$50 the difficulty remaining TO be overcome
.s the danger due 90 the presence OF highly
charged bare wire among the almost number
less telephone and telegraph wires Since
f.eralw4v wires cannot 90 underground, ana
as ths trolley wire must, of course, be bare
tle most natural solution would seem 60 ne
ir tlo placing of the telephone and other
smbl wires out If harm S way IN the ground.
This plan is perfectly successful but exceed
llf.y expensive when operated on q large
s.ae The telephone wires are safe enough Ia
streets i'm which there are no railways or
even where they run parallel with the
re-Igsvs on poles near the curb lines. The
dangerous points are where the two wires
cross IN tle telephone wires crossing the
streets in which the railways run could DE
gathered together IN groups OF nifty ana one
hundred and led across IN conduit, or even
SD IA securely and firmly susy ended aerial
cable. the problem would be largely solved.
SEQ no reason why this could not be done.
u east in tho central districts of the CITY
where the small wires arc so numerous.
There are no really efficient protective de.
vices which could bo placed Ia the central
station and at the subscribers instruments.
These have been. j believe. tired and found
wanting. A proper disposition OF the wires
would DO the most certain and reliable means
u overcoming the danger | say danger adj
Veedly. because there ls serious danger OF
freoccurriug from these crosses" not only
lt the Telephone Exchange, but at any tele
phone ln the city.
ONE SIT OF POLES.
What do you think Of the suggestion Z.
pu, All the wires ID the city on ono set OF
poes"
"Ihatitis agood one There is very ltti,
danger from pr0perly-lnsulated wires form
il- parts OF metallic circuits, or circuits III
which the ground Is not used. This category
includes AN the electrc-Lght power anc
fre-alarm wires. These wires are tor the
most part of large SIZE. and have suihclen
strength o. resist high wind and the weigh
Of Ice and sleet forming upon them II
winter a properly pole ln'
could Do made very safe. The crossings o
tile other wires over the bare railway wiz
are tle points requiring special care.
DO you think 10 Is likely that the presen
steam railways viii be operated 10y electricity
ID the near iuture.'
lat depends somewhat upon the moan
Ing ~ near. 1 think IL is almost certain tina
ilcy will DO SO operated some time ia th
itlre bat we are not vet ready 20 under
take such large work. The difficulties o
gearing and the reduction of the high spec
% fhe motor 20 the more moderate speed 70
tle wheels have lot vet been OvercD m
ia TO case OF the street-cars. an'
these difficulties become vastly multi
piled when the amount of powe
SO te transmitted IS increased. An electrl
locomotive for trunk-llue railways SHOULD
n0i have less than / 200 horsepower. OF fortl
tines as much rs is required on q street-caF
Then the difficulty of safely handling the enor
nous currents which such work would reQulr
ere almost insuperable. The whole question
r. Ike all engineering questions to-day, on
OF olsl If Il can bo shown that such raj
Ways can be operated al less cost than b.
iie present means we may depend upon SEE
i-i them very shortly"
CHEAPER LIGHT.
What improvement can we look for IN tn
tecre light"
A very great reduction of the cost of 1t
Production, aud possibly a total reyoluto
i- ils character and use. The indication
see'l 60 be that tho lncAndescent lamps WI
le soon replaced by an arrangement cor
t4IIIug no flaments 10 burn out-a globe ful