Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-27
MIR. SCHOEN'S REPORT
SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION INTO
EXISTENCE OF nLEcTRoLYsIs.
LOCALITIES THAT ARB APRECTED'
New Ordinance TO He Framed to
Meet the .situntfen-Commit on
duits Of the Development

what steps may be contemplated by
the city government. for the recovery
or damages caused by the action OF cleo
uoiyss on the water and gas-mains Of
the city, was not indicated at the meet
Ing Of the joint committees on Water
and Light. held last night.
The report of Mr.. Schoen the electrical
| expert engaged to make an Investigation
as to the extent OF this damage, was
submitted, and summary of his con-
illusions is given below.
Upon the recommendation Of Supcrln-
tendent Boiling, it was decided TO urge
the repeal Of the ordinance which was
designed TO protect the city against the
effects of electrolysis-whieh has. how
ever, been, practically, dead letter
| since its passage-and TO substitute a
| peremptory ordinance in IT'S place, call
| ing upon the companies Ito prevent cleo
| trolysis under penalty"
What action Will be taken by the COM
mittees In the future, in regard TO Ex-
pert Schoen's report, remains to be seen.
The Committee on Streets met last
| night, and authorized the Virginia Flee
trical Railway and Development Com
pany 10 lay its conduits along certain
| streets, In accordance with the terms Of
its petition, subject to the approval OF
| the City Engineer The matter has been
hanging fire for the past two weeks,
| owing 10 the fact that certain members
of the committee believed that the Coun-
Gil had granted this franchise without a
| proper understanding of its scope and
| significance.
The Conclusions of MIR. schoen.
The report Of Expert SchOen on cleo
| trolysis was read at the joint meeting
of the committees on Water and Light
last night. The members present were
| Messrs. Tanner Ferriter, CARRIER,
Whalen, Hardwieke, Winston, Mills. Fer
gusson. and Miner.
Mr.. Schoens report is a very bulky
document. He summarizes it in this
language:
"a. Cas- and water-pipes in this city
are being damaged by electrolytic corro-
sion.
"2. This electroytic corrosion is due to
stray currents leaking 70 these pipes from
the tracks of the trolley systems ope-
| rating in the city.
80 The greater part of the damage
done has been due to the current OF the
Richmond Railway and Electric Com
pany.
Broad street, between Seventh and Twen-
| ty-first streets, should be borne by the
Traction Company, though the only in
jury disclosed in this area by examlna-
ton was that done to the mains between
Jail alley and Union street.
30 The areas in which most injury has
thus far resulted 10 pipes are: The north
side OF Broad street, between Hancock
and Seventh streets; Seventh street, from
| Grace to OvertOn, and Broad street, be-
| tween Jail alley and Union street.
80 The areas subject to this action, but
which have thus far shown but slight
damage, are: Main street from Beech to
Rockets, and Franklin street from
Seventh to Ninth.
~ The areas which. according TO the
sign Of the reading, should be subject TO
electrolytic action, but which. judging
from examinations made after excava-
| ting, have as yet shown no indications
| of 1t, are: Cary street from Beech to
| First; Broad street from Seventh TO Jail
alley. and Broad street from Seventeenth
| street east.
"S Water-pipes have suffered to n
| much greater extent than gas-pipes.
-. Serious damage TO mains mas &C.
CURED only in a small area.
| 10. With a ground return system il will
be impossible to absolutely prevent all
| flow of current on pipes, but by good
| bonding and sufficient return copper, 1T
can be minimized."
In his report on the examination Of the
gas-pipes, Mr. Schoen says that iron cor
rodes four times as fast as lead pipes.
The gas-pipes are ircr and water-service
pipes are lead.
J Mr.. gchoen says the current scales
wrGught-iron, and pits lead and cast-iron.
He finds that I'm many instances the gas
pipes are shielded by water pipes, cleo
tricaly speaking. The gas-pipes are also
we'll away from the car tracks. On Broad
| street, where services have suffered most,
| the gas services do not cross under the
| tracks. With a few exceptions Mr..
| Schoen finds that the gas-pipes are posi-
| tive to the water mains. which makes an
extremely large superficial pipe area,
| from which current will leave the gas
mains. and has much to do with prevent
ing noticeable corroson at points where
it might be otherwise expected.
SUPERINTENDENT BOLLING'S RE
PORT.
Mr. Charles f. Boiling. superintendent
of the Water Works, made a report
which accompanied that Of Expert
Schoen In his report Mr.. Boiling says
that Mr. Schoens report only refers to
| specific damages which he had seen In
his tests. Mr.. Boiling says 1t Is impossi-
BE to ascertain the damage caused 10
pipes. The mains are subjected to low
pressure. while they were tested to
destroyed. however under present condi-
tions. lie calls special attention to that
part OF Expert Schoens report at which
| he saws that the concrete under the Trac-
| ton Company's tracks has been great
protection against electrolysis.
The area In which the greatest injury
has been done. Mr. Boiling says Is on
Main street. from Beech TO twenty
eighth streets; on Seventh street, from
Broad to Overton streets; on Broad
street. from Hencock to Twenty-hrsl
streets.
An especially dangerous place is under
the Traction Company's tracks at Broad
and sixteenth streets, where the two
mains. which furnish Church Hill with
wafer mass under the tracks OF the Trac-
ton Company.
superintendent Boiling recommended
that the ordinance for the Prevention or
electrolysis, adopted January 70, 1876, be
repealed. It's terms have never been COM
piled with by any OF the companies ope-
rating trolley lines. He believes II 1t had
been done. the present evils would not
now exist He thinks, however, that IL
is best not TO prescribe the method but
10 simply require that the eVll be STOP
ped. Mr. Boiling recommended mat the
railroad companies be required to 20 oond
their rails that the electric current VIII
be removed and kept from the water ana
gss-mains and that the damage alreauy
done. or that may be done, shan De p'iiu
for by the company az fault. lie suggests
the examination OF the pipes al suitaoie
intervals by an electrical engineer 10 as
certain whether the damage Is cohtihueu'