The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-26
TO PUT IFS WIRES UNDERGROUND.
Electric Light Company Is willing
to Do 1t COnditionaIIy,

Electric Light Company Is willing
to Do 1t COnditiOnnIly.
The prospect of competition in electric
lighting, either by the cltys establishing
an electric light plant of it's own or by
the entry of a new company to the field,
has naturally brought up the subject of
requiring all electric and other wires, so
far as possible to be put under ground.
The move made by the Southern Bell
Telephone Company in this direction is
generally approved, and although It's new
competitor has been granted permission
TO use the above-ground system, it is only
a question OF time when it will be re-
qured to go under ground also.
The Brush Electric Light and Power
Company is understood to be ready to
place it's wires underground, provided an
ordinance to that effect is framed by coun-
ell, so as to require all companies enter
ing the field for electric lighting in Savan-
nah to put their wires under ground. This
would serve as an additional protection
to the Brush company, as the work Of
constructing underground conduits and
placing the wires under ground is said
to be quite costly.
President 5. p. Hamilton of the Brush
Electric Light Company, when seen some
time ago, in reference TO this matter said
that the cost of the change to the Brush
company would be $4,000 This is for the
business section alone, and does not in
clude the residence section, where IL
would be impractcable at present to re-
quire wires to be placed under ground
While the willingness of the Brush COM
pany to put its wires under ground ap.
pears to be due TO a desire to keep out
competition, new company entering the
field with large capital could hardly ex-
pect any different treatment, and as 1t is
well understood that the electric light and
power business can only be successfully
conducted on a large scale by means Of
large capital. this requirement would
hardly serve to keep out bona fide compe-
titors
The immense advantage to the city in
having all wires underground Is apparent.
To say nothing Of the removal of a con-
slant source Of danger to life. the i'm
provement in the appearance of the streets
by the removal Of large number of un-
slightly poles and a great number Of over
head wires would be a decided gain A
live electric wire Is not only a source Of
danger IN Itself, but the numerous small
telephone, call and messenger service
wires multiply this danger as any one
of these wires falling across an electrical
~ charged wire, diverts the current and
DeNoulcH hseil source 81 udngef. Dur
ing the last severe storm, IL was ncccs-
sary for the electric light plant to shu.
down before the damage done by the
storm had made IL compulsory 10 do so
because Of the danger to life from the
numerous fallen wires of other companies
coming in contact with the electric wires.
Had this not been done loss Of life would
certainly have been the result. For the
same reason it was necessary for the city
TO 80 without light for nearly two weeks
until the general tangle Of wires through
out tho city could be removed and the
electric light wires cleared Had the
wires Of the electric light company been
under ground the damage suffered by The
company from tho storm would have boon
small. ana the danger from contact Vlfb
tho wires Of other companies being remoy-
cd, the city would not have had 10 DO
without Hight FOR such length Of time.