Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-09
A Measure Proposed for Avoidance
Of Electrolysis.
ARGUMENTS MADE IN ITS FAVOR
Reports by Assistant Commissioner
Burr and Others.
7 KIT OF THE BILL

noon transmitted to Congress the graft of
bill to provide protection to all metallic
Underground constructions. such as gas and
water mains. service PIPES, telephone and
telegraph cables, etc, from destruction by
electrolytc action due to the return OF
electric currents through the earth from
the point at which they are applied to the
place at which trey are generated.
with the large increase of late years"
explains Capt. lrr, assistant to the En-
gineer Commissioner, ''in the use Of cleo
tricity for lighting and power purposes,
the damage resulting to underground me-
tallfc constructions from the use of the
ground or uninsu,ated returns has greatly
increased, and the evils from such an in
complete system of distribution for cleo
tricity are beginning to be fully realized.
In many cities the question Of the preven-
ton OF electrolytic action on such construc-
items Is being very seriously considered
With the absence of overhead trolley roads
in the city of Washington, the question has
been an unimportant one until recently
markedly in the last two years that 1t
should have immediate attention. So long
as the trolley roads did not enter the city.
and while each enc had its Independent
rent to its point of generation was accom-
plshed through the ground or otherwise
without any material damage to gas and
water mains, etc.
Recently large central power station
has been established within the city limits.
from which nearly all the trolley roads in
the District of Columbia and some In Mary
land and Virginia obtain their power. This
station also furnishes current for public
and private lighting at various points with
III the District. Current so generated Is
constantly delivered to many points, some
Of which are a number of miles distant
In In a
it's way back to the station through the
ground and such metallic constructions in
it as offer the least resistance. no proper
metallic return having been provided
Where a metallic return has been provided
1t Is insulated and only partially serves It's
purpose. The following summary states
concisely the conditions existing In this
District:
Potomac Electric Power Company.
''In certain portions of their system they
have provided an inefficient and bare re-
turn The current is seeking return
through other parts than those provided
for it, shown by the destruction OF tele-
phone cables and the main and pipes of the
gas company. OF the current furnished to
the Brightwood Railway Company about
one-hundredth part is found to return
through the connection provided therefor
1t Undoubtedly takes the lead cover OF the
telephone cables near TIN street anu
L
X streets. At the latter point the telephone
company has been obliged. for the protec-
ton of their cables. to connect them TO the
Baltimore and Ohio tracks in Georgetown,
to which tracks the Potomac company
generator is also bonded.
Other Electric Currents.
"No return circuit being provided for the
WASHINGTON and Great Falls electric rail-
way, between the end Of the tracks and
the power station, the current takes the
path through the water mains, a direct
connection having been made thereto.
Georgetown and Terleytown Railroad
Company-The current from TINS ROAD mas
destroyed several gas service pipes IN
GEORGETOWN. Recent additions to the re-
turn circuit have reduced the amount of
danger to which the pipes are subjected
but have not by any means entirely re-
moved it; has also rendered useless the
magnetic instruments at the naval obser-
vatCry.
"Brightwood Railway Corlpany-The poor
condition of the return. us Lotad under the
head of the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany, renders the water pipes along this
road subject to severe electrolytc action.
Lexington and Soldiers Home railroad
trolley line)-Service pipes have been eaten
out along the limo Of this road, due to cir
poor return system. This action is going
on continuously. as shown by the condition
of pipe put in new at the time of the
first test, and removed during the second
test, and found badly damaged.
The method Of returning the current
from the railways in Virginia terInina tilig
at the Aqueduct bridge to the power sta
ton of the Potomac Electric Power CON-
pany renders the bridge liable to carry 4
portion of this current.
Evils Pointed Out.
1.-The evils resulting from such an unsys-
tematic careless and uneconomical system
Of distribution are many and varied. The
lead covering of telephone cables are de-
stroyed, water mains and service pipes are
corroded and caused to leak, thereby III
creasing the waste of water, and putting
the District to the expense necessary for
repairs. Gas mains and services suffer in
a similar manner, but with this difference.
that the leakage of gas does not SO soon
become evident upon the surface and in
many cases continues to such an ext.nt as
to destroy asphalt pavements and kill
shade trees. The observations of magnetic
force carried on regularly ut the United
States naval observatory for many years
past have been rendered practically useless
of late, as stated in a letter Of October 26
1877, addressed to the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia by Commander
Z. ii. Davis, superintendent of the naval
observatory.
The following are quotations from this
letter:
plated to insist on return wire for electric
railways. preventing the grounding of these
powerful currents. Should such an inten-
ton be carried into effect it would probably
remove the causes of disturbances affecting
our instruments, and its results would be
directly beneficial to science
The present site of the naval obserya-
tory was chosen, only about fifteen years
ago. because 1t was believed that the Ioca-
ton itself and the extent of the ground
were a perpetual guaranty against the dis
turbances of commerce and traffic The
electric railway had not then been perfect
ed, could the pernicious effects of its
close proximity them be foreseen AS these
railways are NOW managed, 1t would prob
ably be necessary to- remove our magnetic
instruments to1a distance OF at least two
miles before the effects of local disturb
ances would cease TO be felt. This would
retire the observatory from the national
capital, which, in view of the amount of
money already spent here and the beauty
and fitness of the site in all other respects.
is not to be thotIght4of. The only other al
tentative is tot discontinue magnetic OBJ
servations here This would be loss to
science. because there are only two mag
netic observatories' on the continent OF
North America: the iother one situated at
Toronto. being unfortunately in the same
predicament ourselves, owing to the
lolA UNITY of