The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-12
FIRES FROM THE TROLLEY
AN EXPERT DESTROYS A WIDELY
pRopAGATED EALLACT.

studied. Here they are as they present them-
selves to tho expert. whose authority on the
subject Of fire risks is universally admitted:
CoTToy AND WooiLEN MANurAcTuREns')
MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY,
81 MILK ST.. BOSTON. Oct 20. 1892.
DEAR SIN: In answer to your inq uires as to
whether the Introduction Of the trolley system
by tho West End street Railway Company In
Boston and othor street railway com panies in
New England has increased tho fire hazard or
caused an increase in the rate of insurance on
property situated along tho line Of their tracks.
l beg leave to make the following reply:
The trolley system was put In operation In
the city OF Boston In the winter OF 1888 and
1889. From May I. 1888. TO May !. 1892. there
have been 3.179 fires. OF these forty six have
been charged to electric light wires and lamps
and electric power wires and motors. and but
nine to the trolley or other street railway
wires. or these nine fires. eight were In the
81 ns vhSs
was on cars OF the West End Railway Company.
These figures pretty effectively answer your
first question 80 far as the trolley system 10
concerned.
Insurance rates have not been increased BY
reason OF the introduction OF tho trolley syS.
tenn in Boston or any other city in New Eng
The tota. amount Of insurance on the prop
s s5 NAY Ia wien h Es Sas sFS% sMey
s for the troIsy s f.
The losses and insurance from May. 1883. to
fs y a srs ss t0 Of ST.
caused y slss{risitS. s6sGi2s: from Ii. troll
GTotaI s ss1s IN, Ct Ct, Insurance.. sla.:
BY tHss ia :0 s9o ss:
isS;lSoIl @ LIN Insurance. . .se44eo51s:
electric current. S7Se53.G2: trolley system.
1857 5sS Sss sTHpns &, .sero,;
sti.ssdl33:;H%3}; caused by the trolley system.
You, will notice by, the, above figures that the
to The electric in 1880
Is to Per-
My hs CHARGED
tricIty was because No other could be found.
On tho night previous to the FIRE and on the
morning Of the IRE various electrical disturb
fess 81 se oce o. w ns
situated in " stth llS9I q thIs building, and
nd
other lines. which In the absence Of positive
to as psoG9 e, ehs s
Tho building was : very large one. Allied
tin apon tie same. and iisht shafts .ssenddine
system my .! automatic alarm foP i sivns warm
| in case Of fire. and on this occasion was Left
ono on the premises. Thereby giving a IRE that
| might start from any cause an opportunity to
SeaaWay before it Was discov e Seiuf' great
1t has been assumed that current from an
ths Tme nta
| the building. setting hre to the relays or mag
grafton In ord to detsrmine neither this was
the fact to- not in VIII the nspse,
RxDRFtmant1
| nets contained in these clocks and the mag
of the n WITH synsgs sh in
In zach case the covering on the wire o,
thus reducing THO resista1ce Of the wire on tn:
magnet. Increasing the flow Of current over
Ing post to the magnets suiiicient to melt tho
same and thus open the circuit. In no case
s,%ap III T i; Esson Az
mating COMPANY and, on tho circuits ior
tfHHrnshng ESower With the ,s same result In
a wsy9 Iuo
the mas1sts back to the other The
rived circuit the lamps went out. showing
that all current was passing through the mag
as to Ss
magnet was melted. opening tho derived cir
sn tho n6% q
With the Edison low-tension tncandssceht
system three Wtre) the current was passed
giving a pressure Of no volts. then between
the the. Two 9utside Wires giving pressure OF 20
on the power circuits tho pressure was 500
volts. the result being the same as in the
These tests were, made with the ma gnets on
The IN s
flame to ignite anything in the immediate
In these tests no fuses Of any kind were used.
My purpose was to see II tre could be commu-
OF the Insulation on eeetro magnet y and L
was clearly deponstrnted that ordinary dry
connect directly to the wire on the spool Of the
For For this reason and others not necessary to
mention here. l have never believed that this
coniiagration should be charceable to tho
Of New InEqTa
men composins the New England ins %un e,
With tEs am" and
nns s q e ttS wSa T Oh @
prosress, and are we'll aware hSt i womb "
be unwise and extremely foolish to at
Pprop By on &. @ the Of raGs
railways IL prevent thH cir cons consstruction;
y c cs stT"
is se End oee TI
and the people generally that this sge is too
progressive and the inventive skill and genius
Of tho people in this country must BE- held In
check.
We're they to do so they know they would
meet with the same SUCCESS that Mrs. Par
tington did when she attempted to sweep
back tho waves of the rising tide OF the Allan.
tic with her broom. Yours very truly.
WILLIAM BEOPHY,
Electrical Engineer and INSPECTOR.
Associated Factory Mutual
Insurance Compauies.-Adu,