New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-28
WORKING ON THE WIRES.
THE SITUATION SLIGHTLY IMPROVED.


The inconvenience suffered By business men vester-
day. owing to the lack Of telegraph and telephone ac
tiles. was almost great as it was on Monday but
there was a slight Improvement the day before
in both branches of the service. The present rate Oh
progress in making repairs indicates that many ua's
will eapse before either the local long distance tee
phone or telegraph systems will be completely re-
stored. There is great deal Of cause for cDngrat
Iation in the fact that the Metropolitan Telegraph
and Telephone Company has decided not to put up
new poles in many Of the important streets WHERE
they broken BY the late Storm
Colonel David Ct. Parker. the general manager said
yesterday that the company had intended to take
down in the spring many Of the overhead wires t"V
were destroyed on Sunday-all Of them. in fact that
ran through thoroughfarcs in which subways had been
provided. They would have been taken down ana
substituted by underground wires long ago. ne saiu'
had ii not been for the delay in having the caoes
manufactured. New cables were now beng receINeu
from the manufacturers however. and these wouid 10
placed in the conduits rapidly as possible lNi'
might take q longer time than it would require 10 re-
build the overhead lines but it would make the service
more satisfactory in the end. and do away or Ioo"
and all with much of the overhead system that was
affected by the storm. The only places where ne"
overhead wires would be strung. he said. would be
those in which the company had subscribers so far
away from the subways that they could not be served
in any other
so far. he said. not Of the company's broken
poles had been reset and it not intended TO pul
up any until 1t found Just where such COURSE
would be absolutely necessary. Colonel Parker saiu
that he unable to Just how many OF the SUD
scrbers had had their service restored during the ud
but he believed that to least 200 of them had peeh
furnished connections. As there were 3.7Oo SUD
sorbers without telephones Monday night ths
would leave $500 still deprived of their facilities 10
is regarded by many peculiar that so many Vi 'no
oompany's wires should be made useless. Ill VIC" "a
the fact that its officers have said that over W per
cent of the companys system was underground areoV
With 90 per cent of the wires buried 10 per cent %
the whole number of telephone subscribers III inc cry
were deprived of the use of their instruments by INC
storm This is partially explained by the fact tna'
great many wires, after they leave the suD"dNs' No
10 be run over hOusetOps to reach the SUBSTITUTES
over 200 nemen were Ell gagged in the city making re-
pairs to these housetOp lines Most OF the WeehaSo
was cleared away BY Monday, and the work now belhT
done consists entirely of restoring connection Gangs
OF men worked all Monday night, the moon being SUI
fcently bright to enable them to work with facility
The telephone company could use a great many more
linemen than they now have although they have en-
ploycd all Of the available men in the city and III
the neighborhood. The officers of the company said
yesterday that they hoped to have their system In
fairly satisfactory condition by the end OF the week.
but they would venture no prediction as to the date
when the full service might be restored
WIRES YET DEMoRALIZED.
Mr. Humstnne superintendent of the Western Union
Telegraph Company. yesterday afternoon said that that
company's wires were practically in the same de-
moralzed condition Monday. Later in the DAY.
however, there was improvement. Nineteen
wires were secured with Albany. and these were used
In reaching various important Eastern ana western
cities As many of them as possible were equipped
with Wheatst0ne ard quadrupleX instruments. In
this way Boston Buffalo, Chicago Cincinnati and Ptts'
burg were reached, and all messages destined Tor
nd ed Western
having southern connections. Not direct southern
wire was secured during the day. but late In file after
noon Mr.. IIumstOne said he had hopes OF being able
to get a wire through to Philadelphia and perhaps
Washington during the night Repairs had been made
as far a. Elizabeth, and gangs of men were hard at
work n, both directions from Trenton. The wreck was
so complete, however, that ii would be Impossible To
saw when there would be thorough restoration OF tho
uSua service Messages destined for all points in tho
United states were reJG al yesterday subject TO
DELAY but as great number of business men refralned
from using the telegraph, peferng to depend upon
the mails for their correspondence, the volume OF
busuess was not greater than could be handled without
serious delay.
The greatest difficulty which the telegraph company
is experiencing is with its southern wires which run
+bro,rh The state of NewJersey. Many OF the West
errI wires also follow that route to Philadelphia and
baltimore and all these are still down. When the
lines have been rebuilt through NewJersey the com
many will be able TO handle all through business with
ont DELAY Within the limits OF the city falr progress
has been made in restoring connections with the branch
Offices As many Of these Offices are reached by the
trunk lines which run through cables hung under the
elevated railway structures the local service, at least
as far north a. Fiftynnhst has been much improved
The Postal Company is stll effectually tied up, but
gangs Of men are hard al work making repairs North
and SOUTH and good progress reported yesterday
The company unable to handle outside business
Yesterday and through connections not be secured
for day or two longer
READY TO SHED LIGHT AGAIN.
The electric lighting companies were the first to re
cover from the staggering effects OF the storm and all
Of them reported yesterday that they were ready TO
turn all their currents. They were afraid to DO So
however unless informed that il would DC safe by Mr.
Wheeler the expert Of the Board Of Electrical Control
Mr. Wheeler sent inspectors 10 the headquarters OF the
various lighting companies yesterday, with instructions
10 accompany the lnemen Of the companies over tho
lines and report to him. As result the Brush Com
pany was authorized TO turn its currents for about
500 arc lights, and similar number authorized
for the United states Illuminating Company. which is
under the same management. This is nearly one half
OF the whole number Of lights supplied by the two
companies. In addition both companies were allowed
10 supply some OF their private customers in districts
where the wires through the subways. As
suit the downtown streets lighted by electricity
again last night, and TO the casual observer there
seemed be many lights burning as usual. Similar
action taken by Mr. Wheeler the cases Of all the
other companies When the inspectors reported certain
wires to be in safe condition the companies operating
them authorized to turn the currents on only
on wires specifically reported upon. As the currents
which supply the public lamps through the sub
ways, wherever there subways, the lighting com
panies able last night almost completely 10 re
store their service in most Of the principal thorough
fares Private customers. however, compelled to
60 without their lamps, and will have to do without
them until the condition Of the wires leading them
has been officially reported upon by the experts Of the
Board Of Electrical Control. Tie officers Of all Of the
companies say that it would be safe at turn on
all the currents but all are determined to comply with
the Mayors letter. and let the Board Of Electrical Con