The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-07

below the surface.
A subway IN New York conslsIl
merely OF O deep trench through which
pass number Of iron pipes from two
to three inches in diameter. These
pipes are the receptacles OF the cables.
The pipes, which number in some cases
as many az twenty-tour in the trench,
are laid in bed Of hydraulic cement
concrete; each pipe is separated two or
more inches from every other pipe. AT
every street crossing these trenches
open into q manhole, which may be en-
tered from the surface of the street.
Through the pipes pass the cables oil
the various electrical companies. In
the manholes the cables can DO easily
tapped when desired by the workmen
OF the various companies, In this way
an electrical company, with headquar-
ters downtown, can send any number
Of main lines OF wire uptown through
the snbWays for as many miles as Is de-
sired, The subway company, which
has built these suhways ut its own ex,
pense, rents the pipes to the electrical
companies. The companies may hire
US many pipes as they choose and may
run through them whatever cables they
choose. The subway company makes
its profits from the rentals. The cleo
trical companies need only hire as
many pipes as they actually need, The
city is entirely independent, II cost
the city nothing to have the subways
laid and it profits the city nothing to
have them occupied, The advantages
to the city are manifold, Its streets are
no longer unsightly. But this object
has been gained at no expense what
ever
Each pipe Is able to carry ono large
telephone or telegraph cable, or from
two 10 three electric tight cables. A
large telephone cable, sufficient 10 fill a
single pipe, contains l04 wires. A tele-
graph cable contains from twenty-five
TO fifty wires. An electric cable nova
days contains but one conductor, con.
sIsting OF q number OF wires wound to.
gether; but several electric cables may
be contained in single pipe The tel
ephone companies require moro indl-
yidusl wires than all other electrical
companies combined. They are, there
fore, the best patrons OF the subway
company, and hire the largest number
OF pipes. The telegraph companies arc
next AS patrons, and in the principal
thoroughfares pay rental Tor half a
dozen or more pipes. Next after these
are the signal companies. The city Is
by law furnished with free use OF such
pipes as it requires for its fire aud po-
lice wires,
The question OF distribution was q
serious one with the board OF electrical
control, 1t was not until two years ago
that the present system was perfected.
AS now arranged there has been laid a
system OF distributing ducts above the
deep laid main line trenches, These
ducts are close to the surface, in many
instances Just beneath the cobble
stones. They consist Of from two to
six iron pipes laid in hydraulic cement
concrete, and opening into the same
manholes, into which open the pipes OF
the main lines below. These distribut-
ing pipes are reached by hand holes at
every building line, When a telephone
company, for instance, wishes to make
connections from its main line upon q
certain block, 1t taps its main line in
the nearest manhole and passes wire
up into ono Of these distributing pipes,
and from this ii sends wires into what
ever building it desires upon that
block. The same method is followed
by tho telegraph, signal and electric
light companies.
Distribution, without resorting to
overhead wires in tho street, is affect
cd in several ways. Telephone wires,
for instance, are run from the distribute
ing ducts under the ground into the
center OF a block. They are there rails
cd upon q pole, and from q pole are run
into all buildings desired by back win
dows. Sometimes telephone and tele-
graph wires Nre run from the distribute
ing pipes up to the top OF the nearest
building, and from there distributed
overhead to all the buildings on the
block. Electric wires arc never run
overheard. From tho distributing
pipes they are run into the lamp post,
II the street is lighted by electricity.
II the electric light is private ono the
current is run into the building under
ground, and from there out to the light.
All incandescent lights in buildings
are connected with the current in the
subway by underground wires.
What has been accomplished In the
matter OF sinking the wires in this city
since the movement was first origin
ated is shown by the report OF the SUBJ
way company for the year 1892. The
company reports that forty-eight miles
OF trenches, containing 74S miles OF
pipes, have been laid for the telephone
and telegraph companies OF the city.
What this means can DO guessed when
1t is known that these 74S miles OF pipe
hold cables which contain from % to
l04 wires apiece. For the electric light
ing companies have been laid rs miles
Of trenches, containing COS miles OF
pipe. For the Edison company have
been laid no miles Of piping.
At the close Of last year the Metro
politnn Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany reported that II had 28, l9l miles
OF wire under ground; the Western
Union Telegraph Company, l,113 miles
OF wire; the City Department, for fro
and police wires, 677 miles; the United
Electric and Power Company, $50 miles
the Manhattan Electric Lighting Com.
pGny. 1859 miles; the Thompson. Hous-
ton Company, 95 miles; the Mount
Morris Electric Light Company, l2O
miles, and the Edison Electric Lighting
Company $40 miles.
A Terrible Doatil.
ri