The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-27

The Commissioners have under consid
Grafton statement made by James c
Simpson, Superintendent of the telegraph
and telephone service of the District, rela
tive to the injury done to cables of tb,
underground system by the driving of
pipe into one of the conduits at 1905 1
Street northwest.
In letter 10 the electrical engineer
Mr.. Simpson says: "On Monday. June 4
about l o'clock, wo-kmen engaged in put.
ting in water service at 1905 E Street
northwest. attempted 10 drive an Iron pipe
wedge from an opening in the sidewalk t.
an opening in the roadway over the Dis.
trict of Columbia water main. In making
this attempt they struck the Chesapeake
and Potomac telephone conduit, entering
| the duct used by the electrical DEPART
ment for the fire alarm and telephone
| cables, driving the point of the wedge
through the signal cable, severing tie COLI
ductor used for No. alarm and badly
grounding several others. The telephone
cable was also badly damaged, cutting out
the First police precinct and grounding
many other lines.
ITO repair the damage 1t was necessary
TO remove two lengths of pipe and open
both cables. The insulation in both cables
was SO badly damaged that a section of
each conductor had to be cut out. nscessi-
tating a splice. The location of this trou-
BILE was not known until about o'clock
Monday evening, too late to make any re-
pairs that day / made arrangements with
the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company to have the repairs made as
early as possible. but it was 5 o'clock
Wednesday morning before the splfcers fin
ished
''As all of our fire alarm and telephone
service east OF Seventh Street is made
through these cables. the cutting OF the
same was serious matter, and might have
caused not only great loss of property,
but of life as well.
Il would invite your attention TO the
rules governing the driving of such pipes.
there apparently being no law prohibiting
the same, and as plumbers are not notified
and have no means of knowing the loca-
ton of conduit, would respectfully rec
ommend that the driving of pipes in any
sidewalk, street or alley where there are
conduits be prohibited"
The Electrical Engineer in transmitting
Mr.. Simpsons statement TO the Commits
sioners said that the repairs which have
been made to the cables can be considered
only temporary. SHOULD any trouble de-
velop in the future owing to the presence
OF the moisture in the cables or from other
causes due directly to the damage they
have sustained, it will be necessary TO
replace them with new length This can
only be done at considerable expense. The
lengths of each of these two sections of
cables is $40 feet between the manboles
At the contract price this would amount
to 1923, to which should be added $50 for
drawing in and connecting up. After this
is done ii VIII be necessary to open the
street again where the temporary splices
have been made, cut out these spices
and entirely remove the damaged sections
This would cost in the neighborhood of
$40 additional, making total of 1915.
We shall be extremely fortunate ~
further trouble does not develop in these
cables during the coming winter. The
insulation over the individual wires con-
tanned in the lead sheaths is of dry paper.
which is susceptible to the slightest moist
ure. and moisture having once entered the
cable will rapidly creep throughout its
entire length, so that it might not he
possible to utilize any portion of the cable
Should 1t be necessary TO draw IL ont. and
these lengths, therefore, would be total
loss
In forwarding the matter TO the Com
nissloners Tor their consideration, Captain
Beach, the Engineer Commissioner. made
the following recommendation: THAT a
letter be sent TO N Pruitt. the plumber
Under whose direction the driving of tho
pipes was done, informing him that the
direct and immediate damage CT his at
tempt has been the cost OF repairing tho |
cable amounting to s2054, which he must |
pay within ten days, or further nermits |
must be refused, ard that as a result n, |
his action 1t was necessary to splice two |