Evening star., 1896-10-08

greater degree probably than any other
purveyors of electrical service from the
fault Of others. 1 refer particularly TO the
damage caused by electrolysis resulting
rents. In Washington we are happily free
from this trouble In comparison with balu-
more where we are under constant md
heavy expense in keeping up our conduits:
owing to the number and the cheapness or
the overhead trolley lines.
The surface railroad system OF Baltimore
is shabbily built. In order to save original
outlay the projectors of those roads utilized
adopted electricity, and they may not real
ize fact as powerfully we do, but IT
Is fact nevertheless, that one of their
heaviest items of loss is the waste of cur
rent that results from this insufficient con-
struction. The electricity, not having an
adequate means of return to the generating
dynamo after having passed through the
trolley wire, the trolley, the switch and
the motor to the tracks and thence to the
ground seeks a near escape, and, as a rule.
the nearest Is some underground electric
our own, and We have lost thousands of
dollars In repairing our metal coverings to
conduit mains and in supplying the loss of
current which we ourselves suffer owing to
these leaks thus caused.
Tho underground electric system used
on the Metropolitan line in this city is prac-
tically perfect in this respect. We have al
most no difficulty whatever with the con-
ground system uses metallic return cir
cult, and consequently there is no leak, no
loss OF power to the railroad company and
no damage to the surrounding wires, pipes
or other metallic occupants of the ground.
FROM my point of view as telephone man,
as well as patron of street railroads, re-
| gard the underground electric system such
az Is used in Washington the best in ex-
istence.
But here We have some trouble from the
overhead trolley on the suburban lines The
Ienleytown road is especially disastrous to
| US IN this respect, but the evil here is of
minor consequence when compared with
| that in Baltimore.
We are of the opinion that the damage
mat We suffer should be paid for by the
| companies that cause it. There has never
| feen case decided by court on this pa ar-
| ticular point, but We understand that a
case is now pending in Tennessee involving
| the liability OF one electrical company for
| damages done to the property of another
| and We are watching the outcome of this
| suit with great interest, for If the principle
| be once established that redress may be-
| II woke the law in Baltimore and perhaps
in this city.
| Electric Light Condufts.
| Before leaving the subject of eIectrolysi,
1t is only right to state that in Washington
we suffer a good deal from leaking con
duits Of the electric light companies. /
/
Hies that it is easier and cheaper, wheneve
leak Is found to exist, to overcome tn,
difhculty by switching on one or two NOR
| dynamos to that circuit and forcing NOR
current through the main than to send on
gang to locate and repair the trouble
The consequence is that the leak, which in
variaby finds its way to our conduit
anywhere in that vicinity, does much NOR
damage under the heavier pressure thai
before and We are constant sufferers O
iris policy. OF course. ii costs a good dea
of money to haul oct length of electri
cable in order to find and repair a leak
Tut the other way Of meeting the emergen
| cy often costs US much more.
returning to the matter of our over
head service, i think it is safe to promis
our subscribers that by Saturday evenn
| every telephone in the District will be i
| good working order. This may seem a Ion
time to those who are not familiar with tn
difficulties of telephone construction an
repair: but in view of these difficulties an
also OF the experience of other cities in thi
respect. think we are getting off compare
lively easy ''f