The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-20
CURE IN DOUBLE Trolley
CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT SUG-
GESTS REFORMATION OF STREET
RAILWAY LINES
TO PROTECT WATER SYSTEM
Which 1t Is Pointed Out Is More
Important Even Than
the Street Car
Service.

The city's legal department yesterday
presented the water board with an opin-
ion relative to the means that should be
taken to protect the water mains from
gradual decomposition through the agen-
cy of the powerful electrical currents
which are crossing and recrossing I'M
derground on their various errands of
usefulness and destruction. The ques-
ton is very complicated one, as street
car and telephone and lighting serv-
ice are necessary to the citys welsa:e
as we'll as the water system.
Assistant County Attorney Stobbart has
had the matter under consideration for a
month and he advises that the proper
course to pursue will be to collect evil
dence and present such facts, as it may
be possible to gatheryGto the city's legal
department for a basis of suit unless the
offenders comply with all requirements.
His opinion is:
''Your request can be divided into two
questions, viz: Firstly what authority
these companies make such connections,
and to suggest some remedy therefore;
and, second, what should be gdone by the
board ofwateFn commissioners looking TO
the prevention. of this eleclytic action
upon the mains and supply pipes.
In answer to the first query, beg to
advise you that these companies have
absolutely no right to connect any part
Of their plant or plants used with any
of the mains, supply pipes or equipment
of the water department, and 1t is doubt
full whether your honorable board even
has the right TO grant permission to
them so to do in view Of it's knowledge of
the effect of electro!ytis. AS TO the pre-
Vention of such connections, L would ad-
wise that your board notify each of the
offending companies to immedla tely dis
continue any connections so made, and
to deSiSt from making any such in the
future and that in case said demand is
NOT ctr w
board will be compelled TO resort to legal
resources to fully and substantially pro-
tect it's rights. There is absolutely no
question as to the legal rights of your
board hereunder, and in view of the
probable dangerous results attending
such connections, it would be fully justi-
fed in adopting the measures suggested.
AS to the second query, 1t involves
some grave questions and merits a very
thorough investigation, both from prac-
teal and legal standpoint nave ex-
amined with considerable care the nu-
merouS pamphlets and correspondence
submitted, and from my Investigations
l assume that while some of the trouble
may be caused from telephone and cleo
trio lighting plants, the most serious diff
ficulty is brought about by the street
car system l take 1t that in the single
trolley system which is in operation in
this city the power used to operate the
motors under the cars is conveyed to
them by a single overhead trolley wire
and a single arm or pole attached to
which runs along and presses UP under
meath the trolley wire. The current
passes down the pole or arm to the
switch apparatus on board the car,
through the motors, thence to the wheels
and to the tracks. 1t then passes back
to the station along the iron rails of the
track, interlaced together by conducting
wires and firmly connected by a conduct
ing wire with the negative pole of the
DYNAMO the grea ter portion of the cur
rent following along this line OF the
track as a. return current; that the cur
rent traverSeS the rail until 1t reaches
a point of less resistance, when it leaks
into the latter and travels therein to
the next point of less resiStance; that
the water mains and supply pipes Of
your board offer less resistance than the
rail- and they therefore become the me-
dunn of return, but that no apparent
damage rounding said mains and pipes
offers less positive resistance than the
main or pipes, the tendency then exists
for the current to flow from them into
the earth, and at such point electrolysis
is produced. That the extent of corro-
Upon the nature of the soil surrounding
the pipes, and is, of course, affected by
tie amount of current then f1oWipg,- but
the authorities seem to be agreed that
the danger exists in some degree 1t Is
also indicated that the passage of the
current through the mains or pipes
causes internal corroSion, although in a
less degree than at the point where the
current leaves the same, and that the
results of electrolysis on wrought iron
and lead pipes are mere pronounced than
in cast iron pipes. Some of the author
tiles submitted intimate that a great
deal of the trouble could be overcome if
the connections between the rail ends.
which are called %bGnds," could be kent
perfect and were of the latest improved
design, but this claim is controversies
by the statement that even cast welded
rails feed heavily into the water mains
in some cities.
It would SEEM however, that the dan
ger can be overcome only by the adon-
ton of the so-calledi double trolley svs
TEN, by which twoet relly wheels are used
in connection with two wires. The cur
rent passes from one wire through one
trolley and into the motor. from 11hinI
instead of passing into the wheels if
passes through the other trolley into the
other wire and back to the generator
There can be noCdoubt about the legal
liability of the company for any damaee
done by its electric current, but preyen-
ton of any damage is the thing desired
and particularly in view Of the fact that
the water mains and supply pipes of
your board are NOT susceptible nf fro
Quent examination, and the Importance of
a constant and full supply of water 70
the inhabitants of this city is greater
than the necessity for a street car
service.
1t is my opinion, therefore, that-your
board should cause an immediate inves-
tigation to be made in this matter in
GLIDING complete electrical survey Of
the mains and supply pipes of the e:ty's
water system and to secure such facts
relative to damage already sustained from