New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-08
The PERFECTED CONDUIT
OF BITUHINIZED FIBER.
1t Is EIectroIysis Proof and I'M
DejUiOus TO Moisture.

electric wires-telephone telegraph ught ana power
wires--underground, there should De an oEernoae
system left in the land; for the peril 10 he ana
n-o2srtv r,bicb is an evil characteristics OF
the latter is one would think, an unans~eTaois
argument in favor of the former Scarce Gay
passes but the press OF the country chr '9
hideous fate of some poor hneman VINO has CesH
literally roasted death in full view OF heiposs
bystanders the details of some disastrous con-
fagration started by the electric wire out OF ace
or condition, or the hindrance TO the business OF
the country when In the wake OF storm the wires
are down.
state that their hardness in burying their wires
was due less to their Discrimination TO incur the
expense than to the fact That. until now. no really
efficient conduit system to be found
When in 1857 the old Board Of Electrical ControI
began to agitate the question Of burying wires
there little underground work. the cleo
tricaI telephone and telegraph companies not then
operating through conduits. Mayor Grants drastic
measures of applying the axe 20 teiesfaYn DOses
In Ncw-York City drove the COMPANIES % a Sc,
vice no consideration could now induce them u
The telephone companies were me earliest to de
first service having been the old pump logs
such as Aaron IA Burr and his a T5ese conn
panes have also advanced faster than the o[her
While the cost of installation was expensive.
other things made the conduit cheaper n 1o- yns
alone, that in the spring Of 1890 and the recent
heavy one, demonstrates the losses tnat c9uIa .S
inflicted upon overhead systems. II IS estlInaIleu
snounsed ~ sornS s50 000 or I'm other words, the
loss OF interest at per cent on million cOliaF A
The old pump log was not long in use as u zen
The iron pipe was next tried. but this proved too
old pump log. So. later. the electrical companies
was the begtnning Of the clay conduits sim IN
use Along with The introduction OF the aver Yer
success, most of them falling into dtsuss one aItsr
the other. Tie clay conduit remained ior a Iong
objections to it; so it could not be supposed that
9TPfT T9ga 9e TG95snt e 70 60 s on n WIGS
multiply the joints and so increase expense o. -.
cumulate gases that, travelling Through the s.
tenn greatly increase the risk OF eIposog q. ana 70
ductors- This latter tendency alone would damn
other faults II is fragile and therefore liable 70
break in handling. and Of great weight, WnlGh en-
Cement on the inside of the joints which occur at
short intervals makes It dSu 70 aTa Ts coer
The aim Of engineers has been to secure con:
would be an insulator that would protect the
Wouid Be gh9. Strong u and durable you'd
permit the easy passage OF the cable tnToGgn I ~.
latter It was eventuSy discovered that ne elsc.
troysis proof oitUminiZed fiber conduit, whicn tne
American Conduit Company had been using IN Can
fornia and the Southwest. for irrigation was a.
especially prepared paper, saturated under pres
sure with bituminous composition. ana pull Up
This gives perfectly smooth interior and exterior
surface While the greatest length Of the vitrifed
clay conduit is three feet and actual average IN
use about eighteen inches the Americans SonGu5z'
while The possible diameter Of the clay conduit Is
comes in sizes ranging from one 70 zen inches.
There is little or no difference IN the cost OF tne
expense of Installation favors the latter by some Is
Per cent 10 . per cent Wnile tne items OF 30 ~
for this great differenoe its main cause is be
o1Ir7d in he q
Skilled Ia borers at g a day. lay the bituminous
while it takes bricklayer or mason who is paid as
duit and that laid under like conditions as to
To recur to it's transformation from an irIiga-
tbe 6rst service that there was absolutely Leak
age and that its endurance was wonderful tllLed
days without a drop in it. and would yet remain
water tight. and would be in 10 way lpa[eG 1,9
keep it out-and the latter has always oeen we
eIectroIysis tests it has come forth unscathed
der the conditions that have eTIectuaIy Es
stand exceptionally hieh vcltages has been fully
u This bit1nnized conduit was first tried, expert
mentally in California, six years ago. as condClI
and having proved Satisfactory in every way II
YVES then introduced into Chicago ana the MlaqIe
East It is now in general use in California. in
extensive in the Middle States and IS ma kinS
states Government in the navy yards on the At
f oTtfS st at New-London Conn and IN the
Congressional Library at MaSninst' he d G ~
Topeka and santa Ee Railroad by ne Iniye 5sI
pany in many cities; by the Penasyivania Rall-
road Company; by the Anaconda Copper Company
psnV' in almost ali the Pacific Coast cities: by
the Elgin and Aurora Traction CG f , az Esi
Denver. Col. by the Edison ELECTRIC ComPany in
fibbv' Of Princeton. y j.. one Of the most promi-
neut electricians in the country, ana oy many
big institutions OF which space will not permit
mention here -, -,
It is somewhat sHIPr s t that an s s9W3 f 9I
staIling their own conduit systems; foT these ad-
Passing over the setting Of fires by overhead wires
there IS the greater danger Q. tnelr sPreaa since
often frustrate the efforts OF the fremen to pre-
Then there is the matter of the superior appear
ance of the town whose architectural and other
aeh or other poles ard the security that IS found
when the severest storms pass harmless ana Win
course. There can be no "mixup caused BY fallen
sor In I the sGbways each cable has its separate
duct And il is for these reasons that all conven-
tons of experts have. OF late years recommended
putting all wires in underground conduits.
But there one c9nsidera ton that SURPRISES al
system under municipal ownership viii net city
electric service OF all descriptions in that will
be superior. for. being under one executive head,
where conduits are owned by the several eornpa-
MES and there eSs NO Walls in S 51ee
get better locations and would increase both the
The American Conduit Company, which has its
Offices az No. 10 Broadway. New-York, No So
Manhattan Building. Chicago. and No. 335 Macy-st
Los Angeles, and its factories at Philadelphia. Chi
cago and Los Angeles. IS Offered by gentlemen
of fine business attachments. who have had excep-
tional opportunities TO study eXhaustivey the
duit question. The president. Mr. John :. Crdvens
who is also president of the Southwestern National
Bank of Los Angeles and Of other companies. was
formerly president OF the Edison Electric Light
Company of that place. The vice-presdeut, George
II. Barker. formerly State Senator OF California
has also been president of the Edison Electric
Light Company OF Los Angeles while the secretary
.vaI ma