The morning call., 1894-11-20
STANDING MENACE
Fires From Defective
Electric Wires.
NOTE OF WARNING SOUNDED
Fire Marshal Towe Makes an
Important Discovery
NOTE OF WARNING SOUNDED
IN THE RUINS ON PINE STREET.
The Mystery of the Origin of the
Conflagration Fully and Salts
factorily Cleared Up.

Since the disastrous fire on Pine street
which destroyed the premises of Goldberg,
Bowen d Lebenb baum and the Press
Club rooms Fire Marshal Towe has been
bending all his energies to discover the
real cause of the conflagration.
He had a strong suspicion that it was
due to some defect in the electric wires
1t will be remembered that The fire &C.
Cured on Sunday morning, and ii flashed
into his mind that several large fires in the
East had happened on Sundays and holi-
days and the cause had been traced to too
heavy currents on electric wires in build
lngs, from cross currents or other defects.
One in particular has been stamped upon
his mind since he read the particulars in a
Boston paper. 1t happened on Thanks
giving day. November %. 1889, in Boston,
and the loss was estimated at So 200, 900.
After careful investigation the Boston
Fire Marshal produced ample proof that
the fire started in the Offices of the Boston
Electric Time Clock Company and was
due to the overhead electric wires and
heavy currents.
On Friday morning the Fire Marshal
called at the establishment OF the E ison
Light and Power Company, Stevenson
ofatory with Frank E. Smith, the chief
electrician. and Luke Battles. the ad-
juster. He showed them a piece of wire
with marks all over it ana asked them
what caused the marks
MIR. Smith promptly replied, IAN cleo
trio current" and added: whenever cleo
tricty burns wire it will leave globular
bah, SO that there is no installing it,"
They conversed for some time on electric
currents, and the Fire Marshal took his
leave.
Men have been busily engaged clearing
away the debris from the ruins and the
Fire Marshal has been paving particular
attention to the packing room, where the
fire originated. On Saturday his patience
was rewarded by finding three broken
electric wires, and on the end of each
where the break had occurred there was
small gIobular ball. He Immediately tele-
phoned to Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Battles and
they hurried to the ruins. When they
saw the wires they at once agreed with
the Fire Marshal that the cause of the fire
was no longer mystery.
The wires had been burned apart by an
overdose of electricity caused by cross
circuit. The three wires entered the
building on Pine street, ran along the
floor beams of the fist floor above the |
basement the whole length of the building,
turned up into the rear of the building, |
came through an asphaltum tubing and |
led into the packlug-room, where the fire
was first discovered.
Superintendent Brown of the California
Market was the first one to discover the
fire. he was standing on Summer stree
within ten feet of the packinR-room win
dow, which fronts on Summer street, when |
on looking at the window he saw a bright
flash of light. He Immediately gave the |
alarm. The suddeGness and brightness |
of the light was from the burning of the
electric wires.
"a WIRE" said the Fire Marshal yes:er-
day, sis like a water pipe. II will hold so
much and no more. A cross circuit caused |
by moisture or something else throws in to |
a wire more electricity than IL can carry, |
then naturally something must go.
81 have come to the conclusion that |
every citizen who uses telephone. mes |
senger-b0X or fire alarm signal In his place |
of business or residence Is liable at any |
moment 10 sustain a heavy loss like Gold |
berg, Bowen q Lebenbaum and the Press |
Club.
81 asked Mr.. Smith If something could |
not be done TO prevent these overcurrents, |
and he replied, nothing am not suffi- |
GENTLY skilled in electricity to suggest |
anything, but surely something can be |
done.
AT all events, l think there should be |
an ordinance providing that every wire |
should have a cutoff fuse outside the |
building, so that when the current is |
crossed it would burn the fuse outsida the |
building and not go inside at all. Either
that or some Other device. But electrical |
experts are more competent to speak on |
that point.
Il think, also, it is absolutely necessary
to appoint an electric wire inspector, now |
that so macy buildings in the city are be- |
ing tangled up with wires.
Il remember one night about two years |
ago, when l was living on Third street, |
near Harrison. / was awakened by fit of |
coughing l saw smoke in my bedroom, |
which was coming fr1m the fire-alarm box |
and the casing of the window, beth being |
on fire.
81 quickly made an investigation and |
found the wire leading into my house on |
top of the trolley wire on Harrison street. |
That showed me at once what was the |
matter. NY wire was charged with the |
current of the trolley wire.
Il have reason to believe also that the |
big fire in the Golden Rule Bazaar was |
caused by defective electric wires, but in |
that case no blame could be attached to the
electric company.
People are in the habit of emplo owing
bell-hanger to string more wires so as TO
get more lights without the electric COM
PAW knowing anything about it. This is
decidedly wrong, as so much electricity is
allowed for each light, and when that
amount is increased trouble may easily fol-
low. The best way is always to consult
the electric company.
''The gravity of this menace to property
from defective electric wires cannot be
overestimated, and the sooner the public
rise to the occasion and Insist upon some
reform the better II will be Tor the city
generally"