The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-30
THE PREVENTION
OF ELECNR0LYSIS.
A Richmond Boys Invention viii Do
Away With It.
TRACTION COMPANY TO ADOPT IT
Provided ID is Approved by the CITY
Interesting Address by MIR. r. J'
neutrality-suspicious. st the
Two Pumphouses.
TRACTION COMPANY TO ADOPT IT

! session last night the greater pofnoh OIL
which was devoted to a discussion OF
electrolysis Mr.. r. j. Willis. superin-
tondent Of the Richmond Traction Com
/ pany was present and exhibited to the
Committee new style Of copper bond
which. ne vas OF opinion, would pracu-
/ cally do away with electrOlysis' ana
which the Traction Company Is reiiay
% put in along IFS entire system snouiu
| IL receive the approval Of the council
The Committee met at 7.45 o'clock. In
tho unavoidable absence Of the chair
man and sub-chairmln Mr. FERGUSON
was chosen TO preside. Others present
were Messrs. Montgomery, winston
/ Whittat Whalen.
gHIP-BI-ILDfNG COMPANY.
A request was received form the W. X
! Trigg Ship-Buildng company Tor me eH-
/ tension. down the south side oil DOCK
! street 20 their plant. Of % f0ur-inch pipe
/ The application was endorsed nv the SUI
| perintendent and unanimously recon-
! mended.
The application Of Mr.. A. p. Thaw for
/ an extension of pipes 60 his residence,
/ corner OF Cedar and Grace streets, was
/ recommended ON motion of Mr. Mont
/ g0mery with the understanding that ne
should pay besides water rent, six per
/ cont. Oh the cost OF construction
Mr. Winston made an effort TO secure
/ an extension 10 the Home Tor lncurab.es.
I Tie novel that the Home De granted free
water provided The management were
/ willing to pay six per cent. on the cost
/ ~ construction.
| il was uoiuted out that the Home could
; not be given free water. but could be put
on "a footing with other charitable instl-
| tuuons. which pay five cents per 100 gal
/ Ions.
Mr. Winston was requested to confer
/ with tho ladies of The Home and have
| thelr application put in proper form.
| Mr.. l.. J. willis. superintendent or the
| Richmond Traction Company appeared
! before the Committee and delivered an
+ interesting discourse ON tho subject of
| electrolyss Tie had with him q section
| of the rail used by his company which
| had been cleaned and highly polished. I'm
! order that the Committee might gain
/ clear idea of the matter
CAUSE OF ELECTROLTSIS
lie said that electrOlysis was due I'm
/ large measure 20 loose Joints. and insult
! hcient bonds when the rails wero
/ hrst leld. be said. the copper bond used
| was mo best on the market IL was put
on az each joint outside the fsh-plates.
! This bond" was intended 20 carry the
return current back 20 the poWer-h0use,
and where they proved insufficient OF
became loose The current M each joint
deserted tho rail- and passed around
through the ground 10 the next rail. In
its course if q lead pipe was oncoun-
tarcd. The current followed g. electrolysis,
or eating away " the pipe being the re-
suit
The section e. fho roll exhibited By
Mr.. Willis was .-o,ided with q double
bond beneath .e dah-plates the carry
LG cdpac. which is many times
greater than H- outside bond and ar
Willis sand that under normal conditions
10 would carry the total current gene
rated oy the Traction C0mpany's plant.
This double bond. Mr.. Willis said. when
secured firmly between the fsh-plates.
would De practically immOvable and
would reduce electroysis TO "a minimum.
though DE was OF opinion that nothing
would prevent 10 entirely.
Mr. Willis Said further that q bad bond
would not result in the water or gas
pipes being damaged in that immediate
vicinity, but i.s effect might be seen "a
mile away. The course of the current
he said. in leaving the rail was guided
by the character OF the soil principally
Mr. Willis. in reply 10 questions from
Mr. Winston. said 81 vas very difficult
TO discover broken bonds by tests on ac-
fNNNI Oh WIFE, VI. AS kIONM as CROSS
bonding and great expense was entail
ed IN finding gbroken bonds \ general
test would show that there was 2 break
somewhere on the line, but Il was very
hard 90 locate the place
How long would 10 take 70 bond your
entire track iu the new Manner asked
Mr. Boiling
"a few months" replied Mr. Willis
"Do y0u think the adoption % the new
bond win stop elec,rolysis?' asked Mr..
Winston.
a PREVENTATIVE.
81 think n Will replied Mr. Willis. III !
the COMMITTEE on Electricity, which l. 10 |
be created 81 .l DO It's duty and see that |
the proper tests are made"
Tho rew bond. said Mr. willis. was the /
invention or Richmond man. Mr.. At |
ltus0n uow in Chicago. tho same meet |
ing with general approval by the electric |
companies. 1lr Atkinson IS son OF !
1lrs. A. ID. Atkinson, proprietor Of the /
Lexington Hotel
Superintendent OF pumphouses Alex. |
Delaney presented list OF repairs need !
ed 10 the pumps ard buildings az the Ola |
and New Pump-h0rses aegregatlng some !
81 c10 They We're approved by the COM
mittee
He also submitted plans and estimates |
for enclosing fnn 1870 exposed sides or |
the pavilion m the New pump-house with /
glass Superintendent Boiling stating that |
lhis was necessary 60 protect the ma
chinery beneath
Mr. Boiling was instructed 20 secure |
bills and submit them at the next meet
ing.
The Superintendent in reply 10 ques-
ton stated that the Richmond Railway F!
and Electric Company had not as yet |
begun its promised work on Seventh |
street
Returning 10 the subject Of eiectroiy- |
sis. Mr Polling expressed the opinion |
chat every tap along the old company's |
lines ,as more or less affected and many |
on Broad stree. ON the Traction Com |
panys road.
Mr. Winston exhibited to me commit
tee "a machine for she detection OF cleo
trolysis and explained i,s workings. The |
committee then adjourned.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Tho Committee on Schools met ar
O'Clock with Messrs. Winston, Ferriter |
Williams and King present. The bills |
and payroll of the Mechanics Institute
We're approved.
The Committee on Police will meet this /
afternoon AT 1870 o'clock.