The sun., 1897-12-12
The ELECTRIC PATROL.
Little Known, But Of Great
Value and Efficiency.
HE HAS TROUBLES OF HIS OWN.
Vicious Dogs, Worse TOu2hs TrcacE-
erous Current, Are Only ln-
cidentS in His Nightly
Work.
HE HAS TROUBLES OF HIS OWN.
Lights out at A and Head

On stormy nlSnls scarcely Ill oiiittI
makes his report to headquarters, but re-
ports light out. &
On receiving the report the electric
patrol is notified.
Very few people know anything about
the eIectri, patrol. But here goes 1t
is the police force, fire department, and
emergencies corps OF the Wilmington
City Electric Light Company.
Very few people know that while they
sleep in their warm rooms, that there is
an electric patrol out, no matter what
qhe weather, looking after the lights,
which have been more powerful in pro-
tectng the city than the strongest police
force in the country could hope to be.
The electric patrol was first instituted
from the beginning OF the company,
seven years ago, and up to the present
time has given very good service to the
city, to the police, to the fireman and to
the citizens in general.
The duties of the patrol require man
of courage on the start and to be a line
man, pole climber an all-around cleo
trician, a special policeman, Il peace
maker and Il man to stand the snarls Of
the storms. He is out in all kinds of
weather. In rain, snow, slcct, hail
wind, any and all kinds of storm, he
can be seen on his rounds at all hours Of
the night in the garb Of spurs, gum coat
and rubber boots, Very often he is
d,vnchcd to the skin and shocked by Il G
The duties OF the patrol are, keeping
the electric lights burning during the
night. both arc and incadcsrcnt lamps;
attending to broken circuits, grounded
lines, and other line troubles. lie goes
to all fires, in case wires have to be cut.
or circuits to be disconnected. lie alsC
attends any other emergency case tnal
NAV arise On his rounds ne has tc
endure hard-hips Of every nature. such
rs. being shocked and knocked off ol
poles, by going up the poles with lls
hand. on the damp side in wet wcM her
rendering him sometimes useless for :;
few moments; and vicious dogs, Of all
sizcs, from the snappy terrier to the
largest nu~tiii. which seem t. consider
him the iarrSt kind oi guulr.
In certain localities he has truuhI" will
malicious people, who ior reasons o
their own don't want light. No s"unc
is light put in than it is broken hy ;
stone thrown from the shadows. >un'
times they do not wait for him t. dr
~crnd the p lc and the missile hUrICs pas
his ia.c ir III ont the darkness. TIN
worst vitinitire for broken lamps are Ih,
"Ilu~lr." being destroyed hy n"gr
crap shooters to- cIuIr titr police, uvV,ag
Ing about five lamps a week, "Vrl l'lr'
street bridge, Ey malicious boys. ab"U
six lamps per week, and over Washing
tom street bridge, between Fifteenth AM
Sixteenth streets, they average abou
three lamps Il week.
The Electric Patrol is under the sUpcl
vision Of "poc.' Walker and opcrAtr
hv Jacob +. ;~chru. who Ia+ been on til
patrol for three years and Il half. lie
a ''Sworn in oniccr,' with authority t
arrest any offending person deStroyln
the company's property. J.. Scott >hIIin
was about the first to man the patro
bit in his day, and until two years ag'
the city had to hc patr"IIcd on foot an
more Indifference Of service had t" b
put np with as only one sid" Of tow
c"rl bc gone over in a night.
The 10 Glowing gentlemen have been i
the service Of the patrol: Scott >hiiIn:
Richard ru~ry, William jackson, Grprg
IIannahs, John +. Simmons, Joi
TruaX. Harry Bay,i- and the prcScI
man Jacob f. s+cho,l William :. Re,
mond will start on the patrol this "r"l
ing to succeed Mr.. ~"hru, who has =,
signed to take charge OF the electric liGl
plant at Newark, DEL, on January l$
1N9>.
The electric patrol consists If dog cal
at present, thc regular patrol, Il irD
Whocl wagon. being ONT for repairs +
year and six months, cart WH- use
in which the pWruIman had to stan
up only hciug about a ioM lIn" Il
ground. later = ipur vince! Wagon ";
uscI, which was much more ~'Jitab
THE pulroimun'S r kit is Of tools, dlirrrr
guHgo~ Of wire brackets pins, iu.uatu,
sctrWs, nails, to Ir used in r.poir,I
work.
Tie patrol renders some excellent -
vice, by Keeping our lights lii, p--i-tM
thrppIjcc in preventing clino~, t'at l.a
hp ruluuIillcl in the dr%plajr Und drrHD
virMitIps and 3utskirtS 81 lhc cit.
Trouble calls are received mostly ut II
electric light station, and reported !
the police station. There are $50 Il
Lights. and 50S inrHndrScrnt lamps
keep lit during the night The inca
descent lamps are in twcnty-six cirllt
twcnty-thpc lamps to a ciruit through
out the city.
CIarcs Ennis, Of Georgetown, is visi
ing in this city.