Evening star., 1898-10-28
CLOSING SESSION
Proceedings of American Society Of
Municipal Improvement.
PAPER READ ON ELECFROLYSS TESTS
The Topics Presented by Delegates
for Discussion.
THE GARBAGE QUESTION

in the banquet hall OF the Arlington Hotel
| this morning.
| Mr.. Andrew Rosewater, city engineer of
Omaha Neb. was expected to make re-
port from the committee on municipal fran
chises, but President Van Dwyne read a
letter from Mr.. Rosewater saying he had
Eeen unable to attend the convention or to
prepare a report from his committee.
The report of l.. w. Rundlett, city en-
sineer of St. Paul, Mimi, and chairman of
the committee on coating of cast iron and
steel riveted pipes, was read by George H
Eeazenberg.
Harold p. Brown, electrical engineer
New York. chairman OF the committee on
eiectroly5is read a paper on "Eiectrolysis
Tests at Dayton, Ohio" He had a section
of an eight-ipch cast iron pipe that had
been taken from the streets of Dayton
The iron had been so affected that it could
be scraped in holes with knife. The ef-
feet of the electrical current to turn
the outer coating of cast iron pipes into
black material resembling graphite. and
readily cut with a knife. Stones and peb-
hies, he said, between these pipes and the
current were actually electroplated with
II etai. whether iron or lead. This was the
nfst time, SO far as he knew. when such ac-
ion on stones had been reported,
Test of Electrical PRESSURE
F1fteen excavations said Mr. Brown,
were made in different parts of the city
TO determine how much electrical pressure
is required to seriously injure the cast
iron. A pressure of three volts and less is
found to cause a graphite coating not ex-
ceeding 1-32 of an inch in depth. The iron
beneath seems to be uninjured. From three
to four and half volts the thickness of
the layer IS increased in a ratio depending
upon the length of time which the pipe
has sustained this pressure
At Irr1if 81
found in pipe from 1-1G of an inch to "a
OF an inch deep. With higher electrical
preSsureS the extent of the injury is even
greater. In all cases the damage is di-
rectly proportional to the pressure and to
the length of time during which the cur
rent has been flowing. while it is inversely
proportional to the distance between the
rails and pipes
In my opinion all mains and service
pipes in Dayton are seriously injured where
submitted to three volts pressure OF more
Tor two or more years when within feet
OF the rails. This would mean less than
one mile OF mains, but with lead or wrought
IRON service pipes the pressure limit should
be as low as one volt. Mr.. Chase E. Rowe
secretary of the water works however
feels that 11,3l3 feet OF mains should be re-
placed, at cost of s77OOO.
TO determine wha, percentages Of ma
cnanlcal INJURY had been sus aimed by the
pipes 1t was intended to compare the nv
uroStatic pressures required to rupture the
Cd fair test r. >
The 9th street pipe at 80 pounds pres
sure leaked through the corroded spots.
lie the other pipe was able to stand 3.E,
pounds pressure. Test bars were cut from
the best portions Of both pipes and broken
on Richie testing machine
Inc average transverse strength of the
Logan street pipe was 1900 pounds Der
square inch as against l,os5 pounds to the
otheT TIE tensile strengths wer. respec-
livery 1900 and 11.t2o pounds, ard the de-
fiectiors were O.25 and 90 of an inch
Your years of electrolysis had robbed
the 9th street pipe of about 30 per cent of
its transverse strength and about A. per
cent of Ks tensile strength and had caused
1t to leak at 100 pounds pressure"
Conditions on Electric Roads.
Speaking of the conditions on electric
roads in Dayton. Mr.. Brown said:
4 found that two of the rails were carry
ing no current whatever, while the other
two carried but one-twentieth of the
amount of current on the pipes below them
And yet some men will tell you that
Weld can be made by pouring 60 or 40
pounds OF molten iron around 20 or 30
pounds Of cod steel rails buried in moist
eartn! feel confident that if the railroa is
would unite in the expenditure of five to
seven Thousand dollars for the proper else
'ricai apparatus and connections, all the
water pipes in Dayton could be maintained
negative to The rails.
Then the pipes would harden, as IS the
case with the section OF pipe which |
brought to show you. Moreover any fur
ther electroiysis that might occur would be
In the opposite direction. and would, there
fore. add layer of etal to the pipes in.
stead of iIjurirg thsm.
Il VIII not herr enter into discussion of
the electrical methods required in Dayton
to obtain this result but it is evident tina
no r!an heretofore suggested for elactroly-
sis prevention will effect cure there ow-
ing to The unusual conductivity Of the soil
and the peculiar division OF the city.
But would like to offer a few comments
and four or five practical suggestions Do
not imagine because your pipes are not
leaking and bursting that they are safe
tions are against them they are getting
DO not anita gonize the railway companies
the moment that the subject of electroIysis
comes up in your city. They are not inten-
tlor ally inJurins your property. and IL a
| friendly talk is had and a joint inyestiga-
tion is made you are likely to get the speed
lest and most satisfactory action.
The railway manager is as much inter-
ested in stopping the trouble as you are
Every pound of metal taken from your pipes
means to him a heavy loss of power, in
creased investment for engines, boilers dyn-
amos and conductors. And if II is finally
established by legal decisions that his cur
rent has injured your property he will have
| to settle the bill.
Suggests Best Course.