Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-23
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
That in the Post Office Building
Said to Be Worthless.
WIRES ARE OF INSUFFICIENT Size
Additional Defective Work Con-
stantIy Brought to Light.
PROBABLE COST OF REPAIRS

If the discovery of defects in the post
} office building continue at the present ratio
1t will not be very long before the building
will be condemned. Not day goes by but
some defects are found in the construction
and thousands of dollars are being expend-
. ed monthly in repairing conditions which
under a strict compliance with the con-
/ tract would never have existed.
Perhaps the most serious defect that has
, yet been brought to the attention of the
( post office officials Is the almost absolute
! worthlessness of the electrical system. and
! when Congress shall have begun its in
vestgation of the building there is little
doubt that big steal will be discovered in
this particular. For some months. espe-
cially during the days when the sun was
obscured and 1t was necessary to turn on
the electric lights. it was found that there
was not sufficient candle power, and requi-
sitions went pouring in to the proper Off
Gals for additional light Then it was dis
covered that the wires which conducted the
lighting power throughout the building
were of insufficient size, and that it was
impossible to put on any additional lights,
as the system at present is taxed to its ut
most capacity. In other words the miles
of copper wire which have been put into
the new post office building were of INSULT
Client size, and there is no telling how much
money was saved by the installation of
this one defective feature.
In a Wretched Condition.
1t is estimated that there is lost each day
by this insufficient wiring 10 per centum in
voltage Add to this the enormous leaks
each day, and 1t does not take much of an
electrical mathematician to figure out that
the electrical system is in a wretched con-
dition. But the serious part of this entire
problem Is how the officials are going to
rectify this bad work. 1t Is practically i'm
nOSSfbta tn NJ
wires which We're inserted when the build
ing under construction because it has
been found that many of the joints in the
conduits have not been soldered, and the
very moment an attempt is made to draw
these wires the entire construction will Jam
and be rendered absolutely useless. Again.
1t has been found upon investigation that
the wires which were put into these steel
tubes and distributed throughout the build
ing were virtually hauled in by block and
tackle, practice that is condemned by all
practical electricians. for the reason that
any friction exerted upon an insulated wire
is apt to destroy the insulation and bring
about grounding of the electricity with
the tncloSfng pipe. There is no doubt that
the time will come. and very shortly, too
when the entire system will have to be con-
demned and system installed, and
the only way it can be done will be by
system of holdings; that is, to put the cleo
trical construction under moldng. which
will more or less disfisure the building.
Some Startling Facts.
"A representative OF The Star today
learned some startling facts regarding the
installation of the electrical system which,
il true, bring to light a condition of affairs
that would not be tolerated or excused in
municipality of 10000 people. From a most
reliable source it was learned that the
specifications relating to the installation of
the electrical system were drawn by the
supervising architect of the treasury and
found upon examination to be defective.
They were defective, 1t is said for the rea-
son that they were at direct variance with
the rules and regulations promulgated by
the Association of Fire Underwriters which
prescribes the rules and regulations for the
installation of electricity in buildings
This matter was called to the attention
Ot the supervising architect it was said by
the contractor who did the work The re-
suit was that the supervising architect
with great magnanimity, so the reporter
was informed simply gave the contractor
carte blanche to install whatever in his
mind and opinion was 4 proper system and
the contractor. 1t IS inferred proceeded to
do a little business on his own account
The result has been, so The Stars in
forman- said, that the Post Office Depart
ment has the most outraged system OF
electrical construction of any in his recol-
lection II 1t is true, and he had no rea-
son to d0ubc the allegation, that the wires
were used for lighting the building had
been forcibiy drawn through the steel con-
Quits. he ventured the opinion that it would
he but short time. perhaps less than a
year. before the entire system would be
useless.
Why the Clock is Not Lighted
The reporter. in the course of his in
qury. learned another important fact 1t
was the reason why the great clock in the
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