The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-09-05

the seckner Contracting Company crossed
q wire of the city police and fire telephone
service. The wire of the Seckner Contract
ing Company was stretched across Eightn
street about east and west from poies' ono
of which was on Eighth and the other on
Carr street. The police and IRE teiephohe
wire was stretched diagonally across carr
street from poles. one OF which was on inc
southwest corner Of Eighth street ana eho
other on the northeast corner OF Carr.
The electric light wire was above the teie-
phone wire, and when taut topped IL oy
about one and a half inches. AS a result
Of the yielding of the poles to the STRAIN
upon them the light wire sagged. coming IN
contact with the telephone wire about M
teen feet from the pole on the southwest
corner of Carr street and seven feet from
the pole on the same corner OK Eghlh
street. -
A. tha point of contact the insulation was
burned away. and as a resui. .he ,e,s noits
age as the electric light II
COMPANY FOUND
SOURCE OF TROUBLE.
The lighting company Is said to have dis;
covered ihs crossed wires Monday night anu
imnediateiy relieved the contact. Linemsn
q the CITY saw ,t the s0 IoSatsd the as'e crossing
and noted the fact that AL osnseI Wa
moved. postponed further action unuI Gay,
itnht when Supervisor OF Guy Lisntiis
n9Reniv went to the scene and cut the
wires, taking to the City Hall those im me
diateiy engaged: These clippings snew t Was
!! completely destroyed. New wires WI Tere etS Ser
wires. ,h. nub-
liz mind is whether The same frightful ac-
cident might not occur In other sectsonn %
re city. Supervisor OReiIly insists that
such NAV be the case, and declares II the
irnperative duty Of the author1ties 70 pro,
coed with the greatest possible uspa ~ ner.
feet public safety
O'REILLY TALKS
OF THE REMEDY.
Mr.. O'Reilly sand:
.As / told you Monday night. before l
fatalities are due to a crossing OF an cleo
trio wire of the Seckner Contracting Com
pany and a police telephone wire. ,,u,,,.
1.-THE high voltage used by the ngnuns
company is responsible for the catastro-
phe.No Insulation known can Withstand the me
P]Tss9u,rs, Of o 500 Iar ySlss; Z, So the sdT bcsrd o os
that the voltage be limited to 1900 volts;
! now you nave the result. A similar loss
| OF life is liable. to happen just as ions as
this high voltage Is ma may nef be emo po,iceo
men. A Bell or Kinloch telephone wire
may be Just as easily charsed with the
Comes in contact with one Of the electric
| light wires charged with such a high pres
sure.
1.-The contract between the city and the
| seckner company REQUIRES that, all neces-
| sary precautions, whether required by or
dinance or not. to protect life and prop.
erty. shall be taken. 1t also provides that
| ali electric light wires and conductors shall
| be furnished with approved safeguards
| and ehan be efectually insulated. The
| loss of life and injury sustained Monday
| night is conclusive proof that the wires
were not effectuaIy insulated. Yet I am
ready to say that the very best Insulation
proves wha I nave already said-there IL
no such thing as an effectual insulation In
q case where the voltage is as great as
was used by the company. This being the
case. the remedy Is plain. Reduce the volt
here an electric light wire strung only an