Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-04
THE DAILY RECORD.
Electric Lighting May Have a
Serious Effect
ON THE RATES or INSURANCE
Against Flres-A Very interesting sudosl Of
the Daily meltnge is Served Up This
Morning for the easaile's Many
Thousand Readers
TLEcrRIc MArrrns


Recently. at the instance Of the Tex-
~ survey and rating bureau Of which
=. w Jaloncick of Dallas Is the mana
ger q survey Of the electric lightlur
plants Of this city was made aud the
report Of this inspection wns ubnitted
on the 10Th of February. 1898 The con-
ultions presented are OF serious nature
hhd 80 serious that Manager Ialoncick
m sending out the report accompanies
it with circular In which be states
that he has sent copies OF the report
70 aii tue companies doing business IN
TINS city and has notified them that the
uciectiye wiring must De ramedied with
I ~ - days. or he will advise insurance
( companies subscribing t0the rating hu-
| rehq TO cancel al electric light permits
/ IN All buildings where the wiring has not
/ been approved by the electrician.
The report gives a list of the electric
I companies doing business va the city and
I describes the conditions of their plants,
I and thus summarizes the conditions
he inspection was made by Henry
/ Jarrett electrician, and be- writes that he
/ thus.
! Poes-All lengths. sizes and shapes.
Wires Underwriters. which ~ very
/ ItuO better than barb wire Slices. max
| cd ana unsDldcrcd, are 10 be- found every
/ where, under awnings aud on the lines
Al wires need pulling up. STRENGTHENING
/ out and ovorhuulinR generally.
There are two circuits of Underwriters
/ carrying 500 volts ON a ground return.
These are run mostly undor awnings
aud go In aud ont OF buildings with the
| most reckless disregard of an rules Of
safety. No tubing OF any sort vs. used.
aud In many eases the wires are fastcn-
ed on ceilings and walls with tacks.
/ cents and staples; generally grounding
] fu al Inn ftfN tHu ftfp
The motor circuit of 800 volts is IN
q like condition, grounding on the near
est pipe generally for return circuit
Reporting ON the railway wires, he
found 40 guard wires are used. and the
span-wires supporting the trollios are, In
most cases, charged. The network at
foot Of Main street is almost wholly
charged. and Is constant danger to
telephone wires
Wires cross these trolics nc al au-
giles.
INSIDE CONSTRUCTION.
Wires Most Of the wire has Under
writer's insulation and Il is very old and
rotten; pat UP In any manner TO get
there: cleats are used throughout: very
few use blocks Of any kind an ceiling
cut-outs have wood base in most casea
branch blocks are rot used; the wires
are loose and hanging down, sometimes
crossed together No socket bushings
ia the whole city and scarcely any ruiz
Der tubing IN use. All switches have
wood base Of the old style. long dis
cardcd There are no Insulating joints
In use, except In a few isolated cases.
There are number of large buildings
with concealed wiring that Is very bad
Absence of sufficient fuse blocks and
passing through same hole ms gas ppo
Is the general rule. In some of the finest
buildings the feeders are punched unt
run up through the floor in cahlos.
In the Cameron Touring mills Their,
n not u brunch block or Individual cut
ont IN the entire building. Underwriters
wire throughout, 4ud many other de
fccts. This mill should be- rewired a
once.
REMARKS.
Nearly all inside wiring, especially con
cealcd work, requires immediate ant
complete overhaulmg, and the use O
the 500 volt grounded current for light
should Dc prohibited permanently an,
only allowed for power whore pu
in according TO the rules governing tina
class of work. Insulating joints shOul'
he required ON all gas fixtures touche,
| 10y the wires
would recommend that all eectri
ears Ia the ear houses have tr0llies hep
clear of tho trully wiros during IN
: nirbt. There Is more or less danger %
cars taking fire by not being properl
switched OIL when run In, aud irot
strokes OF lightning coming in ON tn
r trolley wire,
Messrs. Stratton q White promise
remove the 800 volt grounded clrcui
and replace II with a proper system a
soon az they can obtain the necessar
machinery TO make the change.
Mr.. j. G.. Lord. superintendent Of IA
p Fort Worth Light and Fuel company
{ agrees 10 abide by the rules adopted b
q me Texas Survey and Rating bureau
md place his wires in a safe condlto
MS soon as practicable. He proposes
+. mt in a rev motor circuit which wi
y nliminate the objections to the preser
Y system. ,-
Mr. Winthrop, secretary OF the Arlini
ton Heights company, says his compan
has ordered a special survey. and write
g rpport on their property, We Inn, pa
fieuInrly. ann they viii at once rcmed
an defects and this Is the general sent
ment of all.
The city ordinance on this sublec
adopted at the last session ot the en-
council. makes ample provision Tor q
r. tbe protection claimed Ia the Care
p report to be needful.
SOCIAL EVENTS.
Mrs A. j. Roe entertained a lara
at "a htuh fIIur