Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-12
TALK UNDER EARTH
Method of Placing Telephone Ca
bles in Buried Conduits
Explained.
REALLY VERY SIMPLE MATTER
Steam Roller Used to Even the Irrec-
ularities In Pave
ment.

ment.
Many who have observed the way
in which the underground conduits
are being laid by the Union Electric
Telephone q Telegraph company
have been curious to know how the
wires are placed in the little tunnels
from one manhole to another. The
latter are always a block apart and
sometimes further. and to the ordin-
AIRY person the matter of getting the
heavy cables drawn through those
small openings appears a rather diff
ficult proposition.
AS such mysteries usually are,
however, it is all very simple, the
method being so commonplace. in
fact, as to he almost disappointing.
1t is done with a rod made up of
steel joints, much like the cleaning
rod of a Krag-Jorgensen rifle, with
the difference, however. that it can
be heightened indefinitely. These are
screwed together as they are pushed
through. Then wire is attached
and drawn through after the rod. the
latter being taken apart as it is
pulled out. After the wire comes a
heavy rope, and this is made fast to
the end of the cable.
The cables are made to order and
come in segments and are exactly
the right length to reach between
the manholes where they are intend
ed to be placed. Each is wrapped in
a coil and the latter is placed above
4 ha
wound as the rope is drawn through
from the other end. The pulling is
done by a capstan run by hand and
care must be exercised that there be
no breaks caused.
The Cables.
The cables are put together in an
interesting manner. Each contains
100 pairs of copper wires completely
insulated and enclosed IN heavy
lead casing. The whole is about two
inches in diameter. The insulation
is accomplished by means of n curl
Gus fibrous paper. which is wrapped
about each wire in strips. The pairs
of wires are distinguished by their
colorS. y different and heavier kind
of paper is used inside the lead cas-
ing. There will be 100000 feet of this
cable used in the three cities, and it
alone will cost $4,000.
In the manholeS the cables will be
spliced and divided, if it is desired.
Each pair of wires will be joined to
another pair and the insulation care
fully looked after. Then the whole
will be saturated with melted par
affin to drive out every bit of moist
ure and prevent its return. The
joints will be covered with lead
sleeves" enough larger than the ca
bic so as to slip over it, and the COW
ering will be soldercd so as TO make
ed with water, as often happens, no
damage will result to the system.
Distributed on Poles.
in the part of town where the
wires are placed under ground,
which will be done somewhat beyond
the fire limits, the surface connec-
tions will be made through the man
holes at the end of each block, 80
pairs of wires usually being brought
up at time. The distribution will,
of course, be effected by means of
the manholes without regard to po-
sition, and after they have been
brought to the surface at the end
farthest from the central office, they
are tested and numbered.
The conduits are arranged to carry
from one to four cables, according to
the number of openings there are.
They are laid in concrete their en-
tire length, and when once down they
are never disturbed except in case of
extraordinary accidents. Owing to
the request that has been made in
this city that but two blocks of each
trench be kept open at a time, the
fills are being made temporarily.
The company promises to remedy the
irregularities in the pavement that
result from settling by relaying with
more filing in the depressions and
then putting on the heavy street
roller.
Il. II.