The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-02-14
FIRE NOT CAUSED
BY DEFECTIVE WIRE
Manager of Light Plant Explains
Working of Wires to Show There
is No Danser Of Fire.
February IA, 1911.
Editor Chieftain,
vinita, Oklahoma

vinita, Oklahoma.
Dear Sir: The writer desires to
call attention to the article in Satur-
days Chieftain regarding the fire in
the Winner building It was stated
that the fire was supposed to have
been caused by defective wiring Also
that the fire started in much the same
way as the fire which destroyed the
buildings early in December, this being
equivalent to saying that that fire was
supposed to have been caused by de-
fectiye wiring. That there were those
who believed the fire on Saturday was
caused by the wiring we know to be
true. Knowing the popular belief
which amounts almost to a supersti-
tion, that electric wiring sets all fires
whose cause is otherwise unknown, the
writer made it his business during
and after the fire in December to as
certain by personal conversation and
inquiry upon the part of employees Of
the light company and his personal
friends, whether there was any such
belief among the citizens generally at
that time. 1t was the cause of COM
ment among those making these in
quiries, that there was no such senti-
ment.
The writer together with Mr.. Dap
pert, construction foreman of the light
company, made a personal examina-
tion the next morning after the last
fire and absolutely no evidence could
be found that the wire might have
been the cause. After this, a repre-
sentative Of your paper, who was re-
sponsible for the article, was accom-
panied to the building and asked to
stand on dry piece of lumber, than
which there is no better insulator, and
he placed his hand directly on the live
wires leading in from the street lines
and could feel" no current. When
he stepped from this to the water soak
ed floor and did the same thing, how
ever, he received a good supply Yet
the building was not alive, though the
wires we're in both instances. The
building, being water soaked. was
simply conductor of electricity That
is why some persons "felt" the cur
rent during the fire. It came from
the bare wires lying on the wet, char
red timber in the building where they
had fallen as the supports burned
away. We venture the assertion, that
Or. Burch did not feel" current at all,
as he thought, on the water hydrant
even if there was current on it. 1t
would be impossible because electric
ity always takes the shortest path to
the ground when on a conductor. To
have felt current it must have passed
through his body which is very much
less conductor than the iron pipe,
which is one of the best. Again it was
very hot, for when he opened it, steam
''blowed" out, not however from cur
rent as he thought, but from the fire
below. A very hot water pipe in the
excitement of the fire will be easily
mistaken for one charged wits electric
ity.
We do not deny that wires may
cause fires. They are however rare
instances. Almost invariably these
are caused from the careless handling
of drop cord wrapping tissue paper
or other light material about it which
the slightest spark will ignite. A com
mon electric lamp will If wrapped in
paper, become hot enough to ignite it.
We have even heard of people taking
a lighted lamp to bed in lieu of hot
fiat iron. This is very dangerous prac-
tice. Bare wire may be run through
dry wood with perfect safety. If how
ever they come in contact with each
other, spark results. This like any
other spark will set fire to infiamabIe
material like tissue paper, fine lace,