Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-02-06
GROUNDED WIRES
HELD FIRE PERIL
Expert Reports on Investiga-
ton Conducted for Insur-
ance Companies.
THREATEN CANCELLATIONS
Power Company Is Requested to
Make Different Arrangements
in Conducting Energy.

The fire insurance policies held by
owners of the largest buildings in
the city are in danger of cancella-
ton, according to a statement made
public today by representatives of
the local insurance board. What is
more, ii develops that an expert
electrician sent here in the interests
OF the insurance companies, follow
ing the recent fire at the New Har-
per hotel, has reported that most of
the risks of the companies in the
city are extremely hazardous and
that it seems as though another con-
fagration were being courted. Most
Of the blame is placed on the Shout
ders of the Peoples Power company,
which is criticized for the method it
uses in conveying power throughout
the city. Negotiations are now pend
ing with the company looking to-
wards a change in the plan of car
rying power but should the company
fail to acceed to the request of the
insurance companies the result will
be stiff raise in rates or cancella-
ton of the policies now in force.
OBJECT TO GROUND CURRENT.
The fact that the power company
current to supply power for the num-
erous motors throughout the city is
the basis for the objections being
made by the insurance companies. |
These motors, including most of the
ones which run the elevators in the |
hotels and stores, are connected with !
the street car trolley wires for their |
energy. The return OF the current
grounded: in other words which re
turn to the rails. This method gives
a powerful direct current. With the
street car tracks being torn up con-
stantly for repairs there are many /
occasions when the returning current
is poorly conducted and the result /.
is that the motors are heated and T.
sparks are thrown off.
CAUSED HARPER HOUSE FIRE. I
It will be remembered that several /
days after the fire at the New Har- .
per. The Argus printed a statement !
from an expert electrician in which .
it was claimed that the fire was the
result OF the tearing up of the street
car tracks on Third avenue, as it
was there that the return wire of
the Harper house motor was ground
ed. The expert from Chicago who
came down TO make an investigation
on behalf OF the insurance cOmpan-
les, followed up this clew which he
found In The Argus, and finally de
termined that the local experts the
DRY was correct. II seems that the
powerful current from the trolley
wire could not get back to the rails
because of the 0orr connection at
Third avenue and the result was it
jumped off into space in the elevator
shaft and fred the hotel.
NOT ALI. INCLUDED.
This trouble was eradicated at the
Harper following the fire, but it still
exists in many of the other buildings .
in the city The only two places
whose elevators are considered safe
in the statement sent out by the in ,
surance companies are the Woodmen
and the Best buildings. Insurance
men say that there is no occasion
TO be alarmed at the present situa-
ton. for they will see that the owners
OF PROPERTY are properly protected
until such time as new arrangements ]