Bisbee daily review., 1911-09-26
WHY ELECTRIC WIRES ARE
 COVERED

If you ask tbe ordinary lndlFloua why the electric light wires are al ways covered he will mutter some thing about insulation" and hurry away on a very important errand
 To insulate is to separate, to iso late an object, so \ can have no com municaticn with any other part or body. Therefore, wire is said to be insulated when it is covered or wrapped with material to prevent the leakage Of the electric current. Flee tric.ty is always in a hurry, it is al ways seeking a short cut to complete it's cycle It would not travel miles and miles through small wires, stop ping here to light a house, there to illuminate a street or factory, again to turn the wheels of loaded car. or to drive countless machines, if it could help it. It would be only too pleased to jump of the wire if it could and avoid this enormous work by hurrying back through the earth which is 3 good conductor.
 Electricity lights our homes, drives our cars, turns our wheels, cooks our food and does a thousand other tasks. This is work of the hardest kind and the electricians in charge have to be continually on the watch to see that the rascal does this work as he passes along and dces not sneak out and take a short cut home.
 Dry air is the best insulating ma terial, next rank glass, mica, porce- lain, rubber, lava oils and fats, and cloth in their order. The wires used about ordinary buildings are insu- lain, rubber. lava, oils and fats and this ombination being lasting fexi- ble and very durable. Some Of the smaller wires, designed to carry weak charges of electricity, such as those for electric door bells, burglar alarms, etc, are merely insulated with a GOV ering of closely woven linen or silk threads.
 One of the most interesting sights at the mammoth plant of the General Electric company at Schenectady, N. f, is the manufacture of insulated wire. Several huge buildings are de- voted to this important paFt of the electrical industry. The smaller wires are merely covered with a stri9 of par afiin paper. over which Is woven a close fitting jacket Of linen OF silk thread. This wire is usually employ ed in dry places for weak charges and such a thin insulation is ample pro tection
 For tue larger sizes, usually a num- ter of small wires twisted into 8 ca ole. ranging all the way from the size of a lead pencil to as big as a mans upper arm, more protection is neces- ssry. In most cases the wire or cable is first passed through a peculiar ma chine which winds a strip of psrafIin or waved paper it's entire length. From this machine it passes to an- other which covers it with sheets of rubber composition. This would ef- iectrally insulate 1t but this insula- tion has to be protected from wear and tear. First it needs a strong GOV ering of closely woven linen cord. This is put on by special loom which weayes a tight fitting cover ever the wire. If it is a small cable or merely 9 beaKS wlEs iss kssathfp inslses ln te tsng selEzj zjyfs st ;.< seiii < E 4 eazy xsf ss 8 E ft .ssz< wires are ain sfi z <. tl.Ef 4zG3; 2 lead sheath or a Ebvef q sAh 6 be<a cut into strips. and woven oFff she ea- tire length Of the wire hy q lafse hitting machine which co9sfs she wire with this protective coveffnsiai a surprising rate. The lead ags9egs is spun o. while in molten cord.tlpn