The Portland daily press., 1899-04-26

adapted to the purpose intended. 1t has
fine pole line and Is well arranged. The
power has d fine reservoir behind 1t and
has the reputation of being very steady
power. There are sixty plants of similar
kind, some of them enormously large. and
SONS small in the country.
Mr.. Hsle-whnt institution are you a
professor ini
Prof. Bell-In the Massachusetts Insti.
tute of Technology.
Mr.. Hale-Have you written some
books.
Prof. Bell-Yes
Mr. Hale--On high voltage?
Prof. Bell-Yes.
Mr.. Hals-Do you regard voltage of 10,
600 safe through public roads?
Prof. Bell-It is carried through public
roads and with safety.
Mr.. Hale-Do You regard 1t safes
Prof. BelI-Yss, that is to say 1 have
said that whenIths systems are properly
controlled they are perfectly safe.
Mr. Hale-What is the name of the book
you have written:
Prof. Bell Electric Power Trans
mission In that book I stated that the
transmission OF great voltage was danger
GUS unless properly controlled.
Mr.. Hale-You said 1t was dangerous
did you not in that book?
Prof. Bell was talking to men who
| knew something about electricity in that
book.
MIR. Hale-And you are addressing those
who know nothing about electricity nowS
Prof. Bell-Yes, perhaps so, but in the
book used terms which only those per-
fsctly familiar with the subject would
understand.
Alderman Smith-Isn't this line from
Great Falls unsafe because it has an OK
bow in its
Prof. Bell-It is always advisable to
run the lines straight, but 10 can be
carried on a crooked line without danger.
1t IL best to have the line near a road to
facilitate inspection.
Alderman Smith-What effect would 1t
have when the lines carrying high
voltage run through trees.
Prof. Bell-The number Of actual diff
culties from that source are very small.
Alderman Nannix-Do you consider the
main line of this company perfectly safe 3?
Prof. Bell do. The only danger from
it would be il any one touched it. 1t Is
we'll constructed and by no means q
menace to public safety. lave inspected
this line twice. 1t might be improved in
some places but 1t is we'll built and has
shown 1t in the last year.
Alderman Lamson-Where could 1t be
improved upon!
Prof. Bell-I don't know. In some
places perhaps.
Alderman Lamson-Then you haven't
inspected the line have your Why don't
You answer the question!
Prof. Bell haven't climbed every
pole, or looked OF. every insulator but
know this line is well constructed.
Alderman Smith, notice one Of the
poles of this line is set down in the
center Of school yard. Would you con.
slider this safe IN wet weather?
} Prof. Bell should consider 1t perfect
ly safe.
Alderman Mannix took up considerable
time in airing his knowledge Of electricity
and he obtained from Prof. Ball the state
ment that all voltages are dangerous, q
voltage of ten thousand more dangerous
than line of smaller voltage, but all are
more or less dangerous. He again stated
that he thought this line was perfectly
safe one and we'll built.
Alderman Johnson-I don't see that
this question Of high voltage has any
thing to do with the question. We can't
prevent the carrying of high voltage from
Great Falls to the Presumpscot whether
we grant thislpetition or not.
At this point Mr.. Fogg said that the
mstterlhsd taken a turn which had moth
ing to do with the question. A great deal
of time has been spent and much more
might be spent on the question Of voltage.
He thought the aldermen had best return
to the question of the petition.
Mr.. E. c. Jordan. civil engineer, was
called.
He said he had nothing to do with the
conpsny and came rs a citizen. He said
that there was no better power in the