Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-11-27
ELECTRIC WIRES.
Public Spirited Citizen Speaks on the
Idea of Guards.
Some Means Should Be Adopted to AIay
Accidents by Electricity"

One of Augustus most prominent bust
ness men, referring to the killing of the
horse the other day by a live wire,
spoke about electric wires to Journal
man as follows:
1T was fortunate thing for the people
in Augusta that the late accident by cleo
trio wire happened as it did, as no severe
loss resulted, but it has called the atten-
ton of the citizens generally to the fact
that there is extreme danger in electric
wires. What might have been very seri-
GUS accident is really trifing, but it opens
the eyes of people and serves to teach
them to be watchful of the certain dan
ger. 1t is one of those cases in which
your imagination can run riot The
proximity of the accident to a public
school, from which 200 or 300 children a
very short time after, We're let loose, rem
dered it a particularly dangerous place.
We all know what children are, and can
but shudder at what might have been the
result had they been the first ones to reach
this dead wire, which had suddenly be-
come alive. AS it is, comparatively little
harm was done, but the lesson should not
be lost
81 am talking as person who knows
nothing of electricity, except in casual
way, but l think the advice of Edison,
who once said that everyone should look
on an electric wire exactly as if it were
heated red hot, is something that everyone
should remember. No one will doubt
that there is a great deal of danger from
the current which goes over an arc light
wire, a trolley, or in fact any wire that
has strong current, and wires, which
of themselves, might be harmless become
exceedingly dangerous when crossed with
d wire carrying one of these powerful cur
rents. A community is apt to let such
matters go until its attention is awakened
by some tragic accident instead of taking
time by the forelock and putting in the
proverbial ounce of prevention.
"Our city is very heavily wired, and the
wires are net work in great many
places 1t is for the interest of every cor
poration as well as for the citizens gener-
ally, that proper restrictions and guards
should be provided which will insure the
citizen from any danger and as far as pos
e. i.
diced feelings against the companies.
Anyone that notices will see that there is
more or less carelessncss in the stringing
of the wires. Very often they run direct
ly over the sidewalks for long distances
and under trees, whereas falling boughs
would carry them directly to the sidewalk.
Added to this are many wires strung from
house to house, and over roof tops for
private purposes, and which often are said
to be placed there without authority on
the part of anyone, and under the direc-
ton of no particular person. These can
not but be source of more or less danger,
where they are not carefully watched, and
often these wires are abandoned for use,
but left hanging as worthless.
at would seem to be for the common
good that the companies interested in cleo
tricity, and the city government, confer
together and formulate some reasonable
plan which would be a protection to every
body concerned Such conference should
be without prejudice and with a desire on
the mart of all to work for the best inter
csts and the best protection of both cor
porations and citizens. A thorough in
spection should be made, dead wires re
moved, and wherever it was necessary, and
large wires crossed each other, which
might fall and cause trouble, guard wires
should be stretched.
81 do not think that corporations should
be put to the expense of maintaining
guard wires, excepting as at such points as
they are necessary, and where there would
be a probability for these accidents.
"In addition to this the city should in
some way supervise the stretching of new
wires. and, without putting companies or
persons in unusual restraint, should have
the power to restrict the stringng of wires
in new and unusual places without per
mission. This would de perfectly fair to
everybody, and would seem to be within
the rights of the city.
"It must be remembered that electricity
is in its infancy, and with its greater use
for light, heat and power, more wires
will be continually used. 1t is not prac-
teal in a city of this size to bury them in
conduits, but SO long as they are in the
air everything that can make them as safe
as possible should be done Sooner or
L L.