Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-03-26
UNDGRG RoUND WIRES.

UNDERGROUND WfRES.
superintendent Aydon Makes Reoommcn-
dation TO the Board of Police Commits
siuDers.
A meeting of the Board of Police
Commissioners was held Tuesday night,
when communication was read from
j. w. Aydon, superintendent OF the
police and fro alarm telegraph. After
advocating an underground system the
communication contained tho following;
In order that all electric wires in
the centre of tho city can be placed
underground, it would be far greater
advantage to the city to put in our
own system of sub-w ways and to rent
out ducts at nominal rental to com
panies having electric wires running
through the streets, which would pay
us fair percentage on the money in
vested, than il would to allow the com.
panies to lay their own sub-ways and
use them free of cost.
1t would be the means of obtain
ing far better system of fire and police
telephone and telegraph service.
The first outlay FOR an underground
system would bo somewhat greater
than for an overhead system, but il is
well known fact that wires once
placed underground can be maintained
at "a less expense, and will last great
deal longer than overhead. This can
be easily proven.
"We could lay our sub ways first on
Market street between Front and Tenth
streets for the police and fire telephone
and telegraph lines in one trench, and
for electric light wires, il necessary, in
tho same trench, but for better service
should be laid on the opposite side Of
the street.
Suitable manholes should be built
at every point where the conduits make
sharp turn, and at such points as
distributing conduits are led off from
the main line of conduits; they should
also be placed about 400 feet apart
whore the Conduits are straight away.
1t is customary to lay them up with l3
inch brick wall, cement lined inside
and out, and with concrete foundation
clear, is four feet wide by five feet
long, and five feet deep. Tho cast iron
manhole covers and frames would cost
about S25 each.
"frhe city would save considerable
money by installing tho system them
selves, under tho supervision of
someone who is thoroughly convorsant
with such work; however, there are
any number OF companies in the busi
ness, and tho competition is 30 great
that should we desire TO do so, no
doubt we could make contract that
would be beneficial to tho city.
after great deal of study and in
quiry find that we could buy tho
conduit al approximately the follow
ing figures, namely: The Wycoff con
duit, Il square log about AZ inches by
AZ inches with hole bored length
wise from end TO end, usually called
pump-log conduit, can he purchased
for about Az cents per foot for 215 inch
bore, and 8 cents per foot for 8 inch
bore. Tho Macdonald conduit, which
is wooden conduit similar to the
above, can DO purchased for about {
cents per foot. The cemontt lined iror
conduit, similar to that used on the
underground system of electric cablet
bv the Philadelphia Traction Co..
Philadelphia, Pa, can bo purchased
for about 10 cents per foot for . inch
bore. The terra Gotta conduits which
is used great deal for telephone, telo
graph and electric light purposes, car
bo purchased for about s cents per foo
for 3 inch bore, and 7ls cents per foo
for ~. inch bore.
81 would suggest that you take W
this important matter with the Stree
and Sewer Department at an earl,
date. "
Tho commissioners decided to obtair
data from other cities.
1t was decided to have three stree
sergeants on day duty and three oi
night duty instead of two on in da.
time and four at night.