The times., 1897-12-26

prohibit the repairing OF existing coDduits.
The United states Electric Lighting Com
paDy was one OF the original pioneer COM
panies in this country to make use Of an
underground system, aud, owing to lack
of experience, some of their first-laid con
duits are how in poor shape, and often
it is found that the duct capacity is too
small for the increased business. With
these faults in view, the president, a.
the last nntlal meeting % { the Stockholders,
held in the early part of November l SJT
secured tie passa ee of a resolution au-
thorizing the board of directors to rec n
struct, rebuild and moderniZe the more than
fifty miles of Conduit and ca bic system
owned by the company. This work las
been begun, and conduit repairing and the
hauling i'll OF large quantities of well in
sulated ca Die is going ON daily.
what S known as the Lynch-Lake four
way glazed terracotta pipe is used, and
also the Camp glazed terracotta single duct,
both witt round holes three inches IN
diameter. This is laid at "a depth of 80
inches from the top of the top duct TO
the surface of the street, on a base Of
four inches Of Portland cement concrete,
with one ii.ch " the same material laid
between each layer of conduit, and four
inches of concrete is placed IN both sides
and on top of the last layer before the
trench t. filled All conduit is laid with
broken joints, and where each length of
duct joins, a strip of cotton cloth is laid
directly over the seam, and that is plas
tered over with Portland cement mortar
befoIe any concrete is put upon it. Before
another length Is laid, mandrel is used
to make perfectly clean the inside of tha
joints. thus ins uring clear and waterproof
conduit
''Aianholes are usually bIilt five feet by
five feet square and six feet deep, with SiN
inches OF concrete on the bottom; nine
inch walls of good, hard brick laid in Port
land CO ment mortar, and where the cond lit
pierces the manhole wall, round cornered
brick is used. A three-nch iron pipe is
built in the walls of the manhole about
four inches from the bottom and al rig at
angles to the conduit. This is used for
bracing he winch when nece eSsary to be used.
Castirou tops used ma de five feet square
with cast lion covers, two and one half feet
bytwofer:- All manholes are draiDedeittt.r
to the nearest sewer or to the next ma hole,
and iron back-water valves re used.
-''All cable used has an insulation of 532
of an inch thick of best rubber compound
and 3-32 of an inch lead casing, the whole
being covered with a cotton or jute braid
saturated in some preserving compound and
soapstoEed, ends OF cable sealed before
shipment is made. All cable instalie
is handled in most careful mann with
particular attention paid to the ma King
of joints, usually made in manholes.
with the completion D { the new station
and rebuilding and undermining the ca BILE
system. tic &C mpany viii have n scie III .ie
and practical plan second to none in the
country Throughout the new plant the
greatest simplicity and dura bility of de-
sign and arrangement has been striyrn
for, con hir ed with a desire to obtain, If
possible, the highest and best types Of the
various mechanical and electrical service
to be had, cost being considered secondary
to efficiency. All wasteful steam n TX
iliaries have been discarded as far as pos
sible, ard all power which cannot be CD
tanned direct from the economical and
and efficient main units is furnished by
electric rnotors.
The station, will be equipped through
out with automatic coal scales, hot and
cold water meters, electrical recording
apparatus, ETC., in order to afford the most
complete reports anil systematic records
from the oDerating force. thereby enabling
the closest supervision to be exercised over
the cost of production and distribution, and
requiring the highest Intelligence aud ef-
ffciency from the employees.
1.-The building committee consists of the
president, MIR. A. A. Thomas, and Ne ssrs.
Seymour W. Tulloch, James L. Norris and
John Cammack.o