New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-16
A STARTLING POSSIBILITY.
WILL WATER PIPES HAVE TO RUN IN
THE AIR TO ESCAPE ELECTRoLYsIS?
THE EXPERIENCE OF MARsToN son IN OAi'-
RYINo WATER TO THEIR P1ER-PIPEs
DESTROYED REPEATEDLY-oNE
WAY OUT OF THE
DIFFICULTY.

The problem of electrolyss has not yet peer
solved by the trolley companies. although 'nes
naturally beliile It and allege that they are MOI
responsible for damages that seem 10 DC cau9e'
by the escape of electricity into the ground from
their rails. By number OF devices lhey haN'
succeeded in reducing the loss OF current ia '"'.
way the main remedy being the employment oi
larger rails and the making Of better connexions
between the joints. plan was recently proPoaoU
for insulating the entire roadOed OF Inc ''oiiS!
railways. While 1t was regarded by some eie'
trIcians as having merit, it has not been adopted
by any OF the panies, and Is scaTcei! NheE ~
be. on account of The great expense mat 1t wo'd
involve Some Of the railway officials laugh al
the idea that there Is sufficient escape 0. e.ec-
tricity 10 cause any damage, bar CITY onicias WIZ
have looked into the matter with care are con-
WINGED that a good deal Of injury 10 pipes DeioW
the surface has been caused IN this way. although
strangely enough the biz water mains nave 10,
been Impaired 10 any appreciate extent
In one case so much trouble has been occa-
stoned by the large amour. OF electricity leaking
into the earth that il seriously thought AT one
time that 1t might be necessary 10 carry water
pipe through the air, of course with proper piotcc-
ton keep the water from freezing. That would DC
a reversal OF natural conditions with vengeance
and suggests the possibility of "A system OF aerlai
water pipes. made necessary by the charging OF
the earth with electricity. Fortunately the heces-
sity has not yet arisen
The place where this arrangement was suggested
is the coal yard of Marson & Son. Ii Water-st,
few rods from Fulton Ferry. The Marston prop
erty includes pier. about four hundred feet from
their building in Water-st.. and they have long
had q water pipe extending for this distance TO
supply an engine-house the pier Previous TO
June. 1853. the pipe had been In use about twenty
years without needing repairs. on examination
then 1t found that the pipe was in poor con-
dillon. and In that month hrst-class galvanized
iron pipe was substituted for ii.
indicated unusual flow Of water, and the new
pipe proved to be honeycombed with holes and was
leaking badly along its whole length. The Mars
tons thought that poor quality OF pipe had been
supplied 10 them and called the plumbers who
had done the work TO sharp account. This time a
heavy lead pipe was laid it was placed in spruce
box coated with coal tar. which was nlled in
around the pipe with sand. In seven or eight
months more this pipe was found to be leaking
badly. and nearly destroyed in many places
BY this time the conclusion reached that the
electricity from the trolley roads had something to
do with it, Three lines Of trolley-oars run through
Water-st, and the network of roads at the end OF
Fulon-st. is only a few rods distant. The compa-
MES realized their responsibility to some extent
and made attempt TO shut or the escape of cleo
tricity into the damp earth in the vicinity Of the
1larston place. They dug a large hole and sunk in
II heavy railroad frog which was connected with
the rails hoping that this would attract the escap-
Ing current and keep It away from lis natural az
fnty the water pipe running nearly TO The waters
edge ihc device was of little a'ail.
Again the pipe was replaced, and again In snort
time IL gave out and the operation had 10 be gone
through more last fall Before this last at
tempt to prevent the damage. the idea was under
serious cons .deraton OF running the pipe down 10
the engine-house above the surface OF the ground.
This was done. but simple method was re-
sorted 10. which both Mr.. Marston and the rail-
roads concerned believe will prove successful II
was thus described by Mr.. Marston yesterday:
This time the pipe been laid in spruce
box. which FIRST thoroughly treated with coal
tar Then under and around the pipe Portland ce-
ment was allowed TO fow sufficiently thin 10 MI
all the creViCes ard inclose the pipe completely.
Of course. the cement soon hardened. 1t is be-
lieyed that If the pipe should still be corroded by
the electricity the cement covering will form
sufficient conduit to give us the water need. In
closed as IL >. it ought last for several years.
for 1t is almost impossible for the wooden box 10
rot"
Mr.. Marston refused to say whether not the
trolley companies were paying the bill for the lat
est attemp. 10 give him a serviceabe water pipe.
In another quarter il was learned that the compa-
MES had previously spent least $1,000 In dealing
with this particular problem. Mr.. Marston adj
mitted that he knew Of no case In which the trolley
peoples responsibility had been established in
court.