Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-12
UNLESS ALL ARE BURIED THERE.
Discrimination Against These Companies
in Favor of Rapid Transit
Decried.
WHAT LOCAL MANAGERS SAY ABOUT 1T.
Telephone Lines Will Be Run Through Conduits in q
Very Short Time

| there is small probability Oh much reform
being accomplished in the present system Of
carrying the wires. The Central District
Telephone Company is preparing voluntarily
to place its wires underground, but it is diff:
erent with the telegraph companies and-as
far as can be learned-with the light com.
panies and the city itself If Councils pas;
the pending ordinance compelling the trans
fer of wires from the poles to the ground
there isn't any doubt that the Western
Union and Postal Union Telegraph Com.
panies will resist its enforcement. The
managers of the respective companies ad.
vance different reasons for Withstand,
ing the proposition to place their wires
under ground. One takes the ground
that if it is deemed necessary to place wires
under ground, all wires should 60 there, and
that no discrimination should be made
against telegraph and telephone companies
in favor of rapid transit companies. The
other says that underground telegraph
cables have been tried, have been proven to
be worthless, and, should the ordinance be
enforced, would delay telegraphic news to
an extent which is hardly appreciable.
The Western Unions Stand.
Manager j. D. Flynn, of the Western
Union Company, looks upon the suggestion
to move the wires from their longtime
resting place as grievance.
''The question in this matter" he said yes
terday, sis, why should these wires be
moved? Is it because they are public eye
sore, in the way of fire workers, or because
they are supposedly dangerous to the public?
If they are regarded as eyesores and it is
deemed advisable to hide them from the
public gaze, then let every wire in the city
come down and be buried. If it is held
that fremen incur unnecessary risk and are
prevented from raising ladders let me ask
from what source comes this risk? Before
electricity was used as a motive power tele-
graph wires were not considered an OBJ
struction, and they certainly were not
dangerous, such thing as a
man being injured through coming
in contact with telegraph wire being un-
heard Of Now, not alone fremen, but
linemen can no longer travel among the
wires without risk. No one can tell when
the extraordinary current from a power
wire may not be transferred to an innocent
looking telegraph or telephone wire. This
company, as it is, has its main lines under
ground, and the branch lines supplying
private users, hotels, etc, over ground, which
are many. am not prepared to say what'th
company will do should the ordinance be
passed, but can say it has certain rights
and privileges in the matter of its lines
which it will scarcely yield.
Power Wires Do tho Harm.
"The suggestion is one of utter discrimin-
alton in favor of rapid transit and against
other wires. If these wires must come
down, then they should all come down, and
more especially the power wires, because
they are the source of all danger. If they
did not exist fireman would have no more
trouble in cutting 2ewn telegraph wires to
raise his ladder than he ever had; few
blows of his ak would do the business, and
do no one any harm"
Superintendent John Campbell, of the
Postal Telegraph Company, would very
much like to see the wires under ground, if
it were at all possible.
Operating wires under ground, +" he said,
''has not yet advanced beyond the expert
mental stage. Let me give you an ex-
ample: This company laid down four
cables on Fifth avenue several years
ago. Two of these were used. A
short time ago we commenced to use
the other two which had been never used.
They burned out in three days How?
Probably through the current burning out
the insulation at point where damp had
entered. The difficulty in underground
cables is to prevent moisture from getting
at the insulation. If even as much as pin
hole exists in the lead casing it will allow
water to enter, and the insulation is de-
stroyed. The change from overhead wires
to underground would mean a good deal to
the public.
Underground Cables That Don't Work.
"Supposing some trouble were to occur
in the underground cable, it would take at
the very least "a hours to find and remedy
the defect During all that time communi-
cation, in all probability, would be cut off
between the points. To illustrate this, one
of the Underground Cable Company's best
electricians has been on the Smithfeld
street bridge all day trying to locate trouble
across there. When he just has it the
electric cars come along and knock
him out. If it were not that we
have temporary wires strung over the
bridge we should have been cut off from
western communication. A break in an
air line can be located and fixed in couple
of hours, but not so in the underground.
'What would suggest to the authorities
would be to use repression In this matter.
One-third of the wires running along Fifth
avenue is dead Why should they not be
along the streets they might be carried in
aerial cables, above the houses, where they
would be high above power wires, and fire.
mems ladders as well. The Postal will not
adopt the underground plan, because it is
perfectly impracticable, and would greatly
interfere with its business"
The Central District Telephone Company
is already preparing to place the service
wires running through the city proper under
ground. General Manager Henry Metzger
said yesterday that he was negotiating with
the makers of conduits for the necessary
supply. These conduits are made of vitri
fed clay, are square in section and about 4
inches square inside.
The Telephone Wires Going Under.
1--WE shall commence to lay the conduits,'
said Mr. Metzger, lust as soon as we get
them from the manufacturers, probably
about the middle of August. We shall begin
at the new building on Seventh avenue, and
lay conduit of 40 ducts along Cherry alley
to Water street. Another conduit of 49
change down Liberty street to Third |
street, and another of IA ducts from |
Liberty and Market along Market !
to Third avenue. A fourth line will run |
from the Office along Cherry alley to Penn
avenue, near Eleventh street. These four |
conduits will cover the district comprised |
under the contemplated improvements. |
Each duct will carry cable of 100 wires, or |
so pairs of wires Of metallic circuit. |
The total capacity of the conduits
will be $3.50 pairs of wires.