Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-12
SUNDAY FEBRUARY -, 1899.
FROZEN FACTS.

There has been q wide range OF diversity
a. the readings of the thermometers III
1,,r.i,ia for some days past, but there
can be no doubt of the fact thal 'he Nc"
,her has been bitterly cold. Even ac'oiu-
ing IN the conservative and mild-lnaHile'-
y, thermometers at the Weather Stauon
- q &c recorded that the temperature
has been at zero. in many other s'c-
80 ~ Virginia records of from u 10 I'D
,o,roos "below" are reported. Yet more
ostonishing figures are given from O''e'
localities. but we presume they "''7
-, from unreliable instruments OF
.,.o rerresent the fan Of the mercury De
,o,y the freezing point rather than DeIo"
zero. However. Il must be conceded eve"
~, "tbe Oldest inhabitant" that we nave
"a reol "old-fashoned winter
So far as this city is concerned he
snovy and sleet have taught us some III
rortant lessons. The first Of these Is inc
so,eer Of electric wires becoming en-
cosed with ice and falling to the ground
20 the great danger Of the public ana tne
o,her & the difficulty and cost of operating
,ro,lev lines OF street-cars when the
tracks are covered with snow ana tue cur
rent-wires are sheathed In ice.
Richmond is behind most cities OF Us
eize IN legislating upon the subject OF
,orduits for electric wires. The reason oil
,his g that our Council has thought l'
,rv,ise TO act upon the subject before the
,o,,din, litigation I'm reference 10 teIe-
,,hore lines has been concluded. The case
=, question IS now i'm the United States
sunreme Court, and we suppose VIII O'
decided in a year or two. Then cei'a'H-
+, Richmond will be at liberty to pre-
,or,bo how telephone and telegraph wires
.ho,r he carried through the city 50 as
90 he least dangerous to the lives oil the
people. 80 u... u.,ros
MANY other cities require all I'VE "lres
o. he placed underground, ana IA'hinoiu
,bonld make the same requirement. Ih'
,e,enhone and telegraph companies eN-
oect q All they would ask, we guess
voula be that the ordinance should MOI
,nrose an unreasonable expense and
should allow the work TO be done gradu'
suv-the wires in a certain section TO D'
hurled the first year; those in another
section another year and so ON.
Another fact this cold spell has frozei
into our minds IS that the overhead troll
lev system is al its worst in periods whei
.nov and sleet prevail. Recently-equip
ned lines are able to contend against TN
,,ork Of the elements better than old lines
hui general results incline us TO DeheN.
that the overhead system must 60
sooner or later a better power VIII De re
ouired Whether the underground troHe'
g inst the thing needed we cannot say
but American inventiveness VIII suIci
supply the need. ~.
In awarding the street-car irahcnlse
she is 10 give out in year or t"o' NJ,
mood viii probably make conditions loon
,rp IN the ultimate Introduction Oh d.
other motive power. We think 1t woul
no wise 10 do so. our city 'epght not
be tied down TO an antiquatea sSs'O'
years and years after better ones nav
been in use elsewhere
When the time comes FOR GEM"
burylnr Of the wires in Richmond our en-
will have 10 provide for her nio-'',''
and police-telegraph wires. When o'h
wires 20 down there viii be no reason i
these staying out. They are as ooJe.uo'
atlo as most other wires. Besides III
spch movements as this our city shou
be a leader. ~, e.,,
We suppose that but one CONDUIT l'"'
chise viii be allowed and that the hoi
orc Of IT will be required 10 make rooi
upon reasonable conditions for all wire
Harsh as has been the weather mere
late Il will not be without good resul
q Il has impressed upon the Richmo'
publlc the necessity for adopting an u
dereround conduit system. The time J.
legislation on the subject is nearing al
we suppose the proper departments OF o
city government are fully informing ther
selves on the subject IT IS a work IN
we ought 20 go at intelligenuy ana q
lberately. When II Is done, II should
wen done. II possible, our conduit syste
ought to be made 10 last for many year
and be pIeseiug not only 10 us but
future generations OF ftichmoncers.