The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-25
BAD WIRING
AT'..ClAPI.T'
Is Condemned by the s. E. T..
a. Inspector.
MR.. THOMPSON .CoN {;
CITY electrician Takes Same View and
Insurance Companies Give Sixty
Days for Rem edylng the Evil.
likely Be Fixed BY Then
|.MR. THOMPSON CONCURS

Tho wiring In tho Capitol building has
been PRONOUNCED defective BY a special
electrician of the Sou heastcrn Tariff AS
ISOLATION. and companies carrying iiisur-
ance upon It have asked that tho defects
bo renedled within sixty days. or the
nnttor Of withdrawing tho insurance Will
be considered. "A @
secretary Is. @. 1ggeston, who has
charge Of placing tho Insurance on the
building, Is In receipt of the following
letter from Messrs. T. L. Alfriend & Son:
Richmond, Va, September 10, 1903.
Mr.. D. @. Eggeston, Secretary Common
wealth. Richmond. W..
Dear Sir,-We are this morning In re-
celpt Of tho southeastern Tariff Assocla-
lions inspection report on the electric In
rtallntion In tho state Capitol. and beg
These defects should DO rcmcdiod prompt
.ly. and II tho corrections arc not made
within sixty days We shall then deter
mino ns to tho ndvsabllity OF continuing
our Insurance on the risk.
Very truly yours,
r. L. ALFRtEND & SINS, Agents.
a INSPECTORS REPORT.
Following Is tho report of tho ngont
who inspected tho building:
Wires, nttnchcd with wood clents.
staples or nails; wires OF opposite polar
ity in contact: too many lights made de-
pendent on final fuse block: lamp on
gas fixtures not provided with insulating
Joints; wires In contact with grounded
pipes; wires not protected where liable
to mechanical injury: light wires In con-
tact with heel or signal wires flexible
cords too long. and used other than as
pendants single lights not protected by
rosettes: wires not pushed properly
through walls, floors or partitions: joints
not soldercd: fuse blocks not covered:
weather proof wire used in concealed
work; wires not properly supported; no
fuse block whore change Is made In size
Of wire; fuse blocks In attic"
MR.. THOMPSON CONCURs.
Secretary Eggieston sent copy Of the
report Of the expert Of the Southeastern
Tariff Association to Superintendent W.
n. Thompson Of the Richmond Fire
Alarm Department and city electrician
and the following ls an extract from
Mr.. Thompson's opinions:
II beg to state in reply that tho above
mentioned subject Is not new one In
the department, and that 1t Is only by
the merest good luck that the electrical
conditions In this building have not re-
suited seriously before this In our opln-
ion tho defects noted In tho enclosed re-
port should all be remedied at once and
the current in the building be cut off
until these alterations arc properly made:
and, If the building was In the Jurisdiction
Of this department, the current would be
ordered cut off Immediately md would
remain of until we were satisfied that
all defects were rectifled. All OF them
are more or less dangerous. and some Of
them extremely so.'
ACT m CONCERT.
T0ach ono of the companies carving In
surance at the Capitol have written Mr.
Eggleston a letter containing the follow
Ing clause: s
you should see that. these corrections
are made promptly. as some Of them are
quito serious and are In conflict with
the electric light and power permit at
tachcd to your policies.
This company will waive the existing
violation Of that permit for sixty days.
so as to give you an opportunity to make
the corrections, and If at the end OF the
sixty days they have not been made. we
will thank you to advise us. so that we
can determine the adyisability of con-
tinuing our policy
Colonel John ". Richardson, Register
of the Land Office. who is also supern-
tendent of grounds and buildings, had
Mr.. W. G3. Chandler. nm expert Of the
Passenger and Power Company to ex-
anime the wiring on May 4th. and he
reported that he found no wires con-
sidered in dangerous condition" It is
likely that the evil will be remedied
thin the nIlottod sivty 1aya