The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-11
PROBLEM OF THE WIRES.
TIE PROPOSITION FOR AN UNDER
GROUND SYSTEM.

work That Now Covers the City
over 900 Niles OF Electric Wires
IN savannsh-The Plan to Put the
Telegraph, Telephone. Electric Light
and Fire and Burglar Alarm Wires
Under Ground Greatly Approved
Alderman Carson's proposition before the
last meeting Of the city council to put the
telegraph, telephone and other electric wires
under ground attracted considerable atten-
ton yesterday.
The proposition threw the telegraph and
telephone mon into a state Of consterna
ton, and they were buzzing around
like bees. The proposition to put
the wires under ground met with very
general approval. IL has been a common
complaint for some time that the overhead
wires were a nuisance, that the poles are fill
ing up the streets and both wires and poles
are uusightly, and that there is a constantly
growing danger from the promiscuous
stringiug of wires All OF these complaints
are justified in fact. II Savannah could
put the electric wires under ground it would
| advance one step ahead OF any city in the
south.
The removal Of the poles from the streets
and the wires overhead would acco uplish
an Improvement In the appearance Of some
OF the streets that could hardly be realized.
A THOUSAND MILES OF WIRE.
| There are over 1000 miles Of overhead
| wires in Savannah The Southern Bell
| Telephone Company alone has nearly 400
/ miles of wire stretched throughout the city.
| The electric light company has a large
amount, perhaps 100 miles. The Western
| Union Telegraph Company has about IS
| miles of overhead wire and the Postal Gable
| Company less than half that amount The
burglar alarm has goodmany miles Of wire
| and the city fire alarm service has nearly
| is miles. The electric railway COM
panies have over 50 miles OF overhead
wire of all descriptions The latter could
not very well be put under ground.
! On Bay street overhead there is a perfect
cloud Of wires on both sides Of
| the street, and on some Of the mar
rover streets, particularly Drayton
! and Whitaker, there is a regular net work.
There are any number of places on the bus
mess streets where, in case Of fire, the work
of the firemen would be seriously interfered
with by the wires. This was the case al the
| Guckenheimer fire, where the wires had to
be cut away before the aerial truck could
be used. The burning end Of an electric
light wire also swung across Bay street for
time during the fire, endangering the
lives Of the firemen and spectators.
THE MAYOR APPROVES 1T.
Mayor McDonough heartily approves of
the proposition to put the wires under
ground.
THE overhead wires are becoming a
nuisance aud an eyesore," said the mayor
They are running the appearance of the
most prominent streets with their wires and
poles. II allowed to remain and the wires
increase as rapidly in the next ten years as
they have in the past ten it will become a
SlFiOng OueakiOu iDHaad The mir
will have to be put under ground
some time, and the sooner we begin
the better. The provoking thing about it
is that the companies come in here and
obstruct the sidewalks and injure the ap-
pearance Of the streets with their poles and
wires and they object to paying their taxes
and complying with the city ordinaac ices.
The city levies specific tax Of $500 upon
every telegraph company doing business
In the city. The Postal Cable Company
has not paid its tax yet and the Western
Union wants its tax refunded because the
other company has not paid up. They do not
seem to realize the immense privileges allow
ed them in granting the use of the streets for
their poles and wires. Thou it is very diff
cult to get the companies to comply with
the ordinance with regard to the painting of
poles"
Alderman Carson said the wires will have
to 60 under ground some day, and the
sooner they go the better for the city and
the companies.
AN OBSTRUCTION TO FIREMEN.
Chief Firemen Puder is strongly of the
opinion thet all wires should be put under
ground where it is possible to put them
there. Their interference with the
firemen in their work at fires
is very great and there is a constant danger
of serious and fatal accidents from contact
with broken and heavily charged wires
In his annual report to the mayor year
before last the chief fireman called special
attention to Drayton and Whiteaker streets
where the wires were then very low. High
poles have since been erected upon these
streets. greatly improving the situation.
Chief Puder says great deal
might be gained by a proper regulation
of the present overhead system At present
the lines Of telegraph, telephone, fire alarm
and electric light wires cross and interlace
each other in such a manner that a serious
accident is likely to occur at any time. He
recommends that the electric light,,wires keep
on one side Of the street and the telegraph,
telephone and fire alarm on the other.
WIRES IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
Chief Puder also objects very seriously to
bringing the wires diagonally down from
the poles to within a short distance from
the ground in making connections He saws
the wires should be brought straight across
the street to the building where the
connection Ia to be made and then
down the side of the building.
In this way there is less danger and inter
ference In case of fire. He also thinks the
companies should all be required to use very
high poles, as there is very little danger
from the high wires
The chief says q most Objectionable feat
ure of the overhead wire system is the
number of dead" wires that are allowed to
remain on the poles wires that have been
disconnected and are no longer Ia use. He
estimates that there are not less than 100
miles of dead wire in the city.
The question arises in this connection.
could not the wires, or all tho:e running
east and west. be run through the lanes in
stead Of along the streets2 The poles could
be placed in the lanes as well as In the
streets.
Some time ago board of engineers was
appointed by the President to consider the
location. arrangement and operation
OF electric wires In the Dis
trict of Columbia. The report
OF the board was unanimous in it's recon-
mendation that all electric wires should be
placed in conduits run under ground. and
that the conduits should be built and
owned by the city and the electric com
panies should pay for the use of the oon-
dults. That such an underground system
OF conduits Is practical and feasible was
fully demonstrated in the report.