The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-27
ELECTRICAL DANGER.
Overhead Trolley system HIS an En-
feet ON Many Things.

New York, October &c A \. Knud
sen read paper before thp last meeting
of the American InstItute 0, Electrical
engineers on vagraut electric currents ami
tbs vast amount OF dlmlgc that may b.
] inflicted by them on all metallic struc-
| tunes In whole or in part Of subtcrraneaa
character.
Mr.. krudsen showed series OF exhnus
tive tosts made BY him which proved that
the escape OF the electrical current from
overhead trolley exercised = damaging In,
tiuchce on the elevator structures ami the
system OF water pipes IN tn upper parts
Of the city.
He also shove: that currents escaping
from trolley lincs 10 Brooklyn found thelr
way into all the lower section % New
YORK, affecting by oloctToiysis not Only
ilss pillars OF rhe eli yatel roads. hut pas
SILLY the very anchorage OF The bridge II
self He recommended that legislative az
tion be taken 70 check the Danger, declar-
ing that unjess regulations were adoptel
the NE OF public property would be great
~ shortened
Dealing WITH the iesults Of olectrolys,s.
the action on the terminal rails OF tae
trolley system. II was founI that a large
amount Of metal h3d been removed by el,;-
irolysis. the bottoms OF the rails having
been cut down 10 KNIFE cigca for several
fer back Of the ends I. was also found
mat 10 many Instances the Tie rods or eros
bars, which keep The rails 10 position. had
been eaten entirely through.
In describing one OF the mos, remarkable
Of his discoveries. Mr. Knudsen said
"coniny down the west side OF the city
] was surprised 10 encounter fall fladged
trolley current - the extrem lover par,
OF tho cay. Tho first inlmasion Vas
found at Rector ami GreoHwlch streets 1t
becomes more pronounced in tn, vie. uity
to the ferry, @hers, Ia testing between the
rails OF the metropolitan cable ROAD and an
L. pillar, variation o; oas-thrteenth 10
eight thirteeaths volt was fouIsi the rails
positiye. and the same reading between the
rails and the water pipe
AftsF making further tests the current
was found to come from the Brooklyn
bridge
Having pointed out how al overhead
trolley, using the water pipes and inc,-
derfally tne rails as q return eau spread
Ns influence for twenty blocks north |
ana souih the existonce Of this current
through tbs bridge is accouate Leor.
me very serious question presented |
Itself, he continued. ia what condition
night we expecs 70 find the anchor bolts |
and iron Foundations % tbosa pillars, TO,
previous to any use az electricity on ihs
bridge II had beel know1 that cnrrsnts |
iscaping over that structure f.Sn trolley |
irra ~ BROOKLYN and pissinx over, would |
Iin1 their way throsra the CITY by uuier- |
ground pipes and thgree rscrossing the
river arrive back 10 the power house In
Kerr avenue
In conclusion. he said: at appears To
Do tho duty Of engineers 10 exercise every
arecautlon against the effects OF this in
dsible element Of destruction. which. II
ef; 10 iisc'f, viii certainly shorten tae
III 60 yNuable city property
The tamszc. already done by elaciroly-
rs 10 y olir works In EagIgnd has led
20 The <-ablishment OF regulations 10
nrevert syef action in the futurs aui slim
liar iegrGsion may bp cxpsctsd la this
a these conditions be. allowed 10