Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-24

to have taken the entire current from a
sixty-light machine and lived; somehow
IL is a hard matter to get one OF these
modest fellows 20 come ont and give an
exhibNion: they always do this sort OF
thing when they are alone. As for my
self. I am perfectly willing for them 10
have an Of the fame if they want It,
PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN.
"How all these dangers are TO be
guarded against is a pertinent question
Chicago. Boston Philadelphia anu lh
fact an northern as well as great
many Of the cities south of Washington
have inspectors Of wires, whose uuE ~
Is TO personally inspect and pass upon an
electrical construction within the city
limits lie carefully considers the posi-
buitioe MS well as the probabilities IN lne
COS, and orders such changes ana dlspo-
eftione MS he deems necessary ana pr
,c~ before Granting a permit to start lhe
- In addition to this examination
electrical measurements are mace 10y MN
to insure the removal Of GROUNDS c.0'
81 must strongly urge upon an w
necessity as "a precauion ana H't
49,, ,,oos,,re of having all Of the wires
,1ocr5 underground. The method OF ac.
cororlisbinp this is simple and II an eNoi
b, ,,.5e can be successfully carried OUT
Tho fire departments and the lnaui .'iIO,
,,,..,, are natural allies and If they but pun
t-,ofbar for such purpose Wou1
d.. very amt 20 succeed. and no STONE
should be left unturnod. In my OPINION
until every wire is placed In supWdES'
"Esuecially IS thus true or the IRE "',
nolieo wires. for IN system from Wll''l
o., much is expected and where n broker
,,.irs ,nirbt cause "a delay IN giving an
alarm involving a loss of thousands o.
/ l0llrrs il seems TO me that we shoul,
+ nav. the wires in a place where Wind
le.t and sulphurcous gases cannot hain
them.
THE FIRE-ALARM SYSTEM
.r. l. perfect 81 hre-alarm system
INNS. D.. certain. and it should be am alb
s.luro certainty that when the hook IN
r,.-.l7rm box is pulled an alarm viii b
..r.r 10 which the department viii re
-.ouI. - 49,,
owe cannot have this certainty in on
rr.-,nt system Of aerial wires, strung ]
fh. neichborhood of hundreds OF othe
wires subject to the destructive action q
wind and storm and 10 accident iroi
countless causes.
"Tbere is no reasonable certainty tina
~ the time a. box is pulled the line
which IL is connected is not open or eros
Cd I'm such manner that II is LOT the 'lIL
being useless ,,..
'''With q wire Of suitable conductViU
Wei insulated and protected from ms
chanical injury. and placed undergrouu
we win have the certainty that an al
lire cannot give.
"This is the way that l feel about Ut
derground wires. and ! have backed u
NV opinion by placing all of the city
: wires underground where they lead mn
4 the CITY Han. We have never since inc
I were So placed had a particle OF troup
{ with them. and if they will keep perlec
{ IN free Of trouble for this distance the'
p is no reason why they Will not keep
e. for am indefinite distance
10 "The matter of putting wires unde
{ ground IS not an experiment as Chlca'
BE- MS far back as 1871 buried part oil h
3. wires underground. and now there
scarcely northern city but what has
r conduts of subways I'm one form or a
- other. Even Norfolk has started TO Du
p IT'S wires.
"Even we're the overhead wires on
- an obstruction TO the firemen in the oil
q charge of their duty in saving lives al
~ ,,rorertv from the flames. they would q
/. serve removal. 10 say nothing OF the da
IS GER constantly incurred by every ciuze
m who rs liable AT any time TO be shocNt
e burned. or killed