Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-22
EXPERTS AGAINST IT.
THEYAovIsE SEPARATE POLES FOR
LIGHT AND HEAVY CURRENT WIRES.
Electricians Appear Before the Stree;
Committee and Discuss the Matter
Fuily-Uoderground Condai.s.

The Council Committee on streets last
night again tackled the question os reauirine
telegraph, telephone, and electrlc.iight and car
companies, to place their wires uron orc set OF
poles Those who attended the meeting wers
Messrs. Curtis tchalrman). Dahen, Gray, STRAIT
ton, Turpin, Brauer, Thomas, and White. oi the
committee, tho CITY Attorney and Engineer.
Major Robert stiles, Judge A. n. Holiday, Mr.
+. c. Mcclure, and others representing the tele.
phone company
Mrs. Webster. the chief operator at the Tele-
phone Exchange, was placed upon the stand,
and she testified to tho damages which hal re-
sulted n the "a 10 the telephone company from
induction. She spoke OF an accident In whis h n
teephone-wire fell scross one OF the arc-iight
wires. and the switchboard aud q number OF
phones were burned out Letters were read
from 'phone-subsctihers complaining thas their
instruments were useless by reasln of the wires
being strung upon the same poles with those OF
strong current.
AFFTpAvIrs or EXPERTS.
A long statement was read from Mr. Thomas
ID. Lockwood, OF Boston, vice. pI esident OF tAs
United States Board OF Electrical Engineers, Ia
which he argued that heayy-current wires
should be placed under ground and should nn-
der no circumstances be put upon the poles
with the weak-current wires
The committee also heard the depositions OF
Frederick II. Stubbs, district superintendent Of
a Western Union Telegraph Company at Chi'
csgo. and others upon this question OF induction.
Mr.. Stubos states that the placing OF the two
classes of wires upon one set OF poles was a con-
stant and serious danger and interference.
AGREED WITH TIE CITIZENS.
Mr.. Pickereil. chief engineer of the Long Dis
tance Telephone Company OF New fork. was
introduced 20 the committee and practically tooA
the same grounds aud entertained the same
views expressed in the afiidayits. He very Iuliy
| illustrated the dangers attending such system
| OF polling as suggested, and said that the tele-
graph and telephone repairmen were much
more iinperlled by climbing and working upon
poles containing the strong aud feeble current
wires. Mr.. Pickerell was OF the opinion that q
was Just a. Objectionable 20 have the lines upon
the same side'of the street as 70 have them upou
the same set Of poles. he argued that tho sio-
gle-pole system would give tho maximum
amount OF trouble.
He explained the enormous underground
system In New York, where he said over 3O,OOU
miles OF wire was In use, and the heavy
and light-current wires occupied eonduits on the
opposite sides OF the streets. Mr. Plckerel
showed the details OF the underground sys-
tom and portrayed its many advantages. tie
asserted that he knew VI no case In which the
same sub-weys were used for both currents.
ONLY KNEW or oSR SYSTEM.
The next electrical expert 10 testify before the
committee wss Mr.. Hayes, electrical engineer OF
the southern He'll Telephone Company. tie
stated that In only one city-Salt | AXE City--was
tho system proposed IN use. lie conceded with
given 10 the questions OF the CITY Engineer and
others were practically the Same given by Me-.
Pickerell.
Superintendent ". Il. Thompson, OF the Rich
m0nd Fire-Alarm and Police Telegraph, was re-
quested to give his version OF the troubles under
discussion, and he also was OF the opinion that
it was more dangerous 10 put the heavy aud
weak current wires upon one set OF poles than 80
| separate them. He greatly preferred tnat they
should be lar apart.
REFERRFD To A SUBCOMMITTEE.
After vast amount OF discussion upon the
matter. Mr.. Turpiu offered resolution that a
! subcommittee OF three. together with the En-
| gReer and Attorney, be appointed 70 take into
consideration the question OF requiring all light
| aud heayy-current wires 10 be buried In ducts
80 far as practicable, and TO report an ordi-
| nance II they think II proper to do 50.
| THIS was adopted. and, on motion OF Mr.. STRAIT
| ton, the committee 90 be named viii look into
| the manner IN which the electrician companies
are connecting their rails with view 20 prevent
| ing 80 many horses from being shocked by STEP
| ping upon the tracks.
1he committee adjourned at ti:15 O'Clock,
after having beeu In session nearly four hours.