The Pennsylvania railroad and Brooks Insulators

The Pennsylvania Railroad and Brooks

Insulator.

ON the representations and recommendation of the Superintendent of the Western Union Telegraph Company, General Manager of the Pennsylvania Railroad was induced to discard the BROOKS Paraffine Insulator then in use on the telegraph lines of the road, and adopt glass insulation, and issued an order to that effect on 12th of July, 1870. For nearly two years the glass insulators were tried but with most unsatisfactory results.

On the 26th of July last he issued another order, revoking the one above referred to, in which he states the above facts, and that about a year since a SIEMENS galvanometer was placed at Altoona, and careful tests have been made of the relative insulating properties of the BROOKS and glass insulators. The tests show so great a superiority of the BROOKS that it is again adopted as the standard, and will hereafter be exclusively used for repairs and new work.

It should be understood that the tests referred to were in comparison with the old BROOKS insulators in use for years, which are very much inferior to the improved patent insulator now made by Mr. BROOKS, and the difference between them and the glass will be far greater than anything before used on the lines of the road.

We are informed that Mr. BROOKS has already received a considerable order for his insulators from the road, which he is now engaged in filling.

We congratulate him upon this vindication of his insulator, and its restoration to favor with the intelligent managers of the Pennsylvania road. The action of that road has been constantly cited by the advocates of glass insulation as an argument against the superiority claimed for the paraffine insulator, and we hope that they will be as prompt to concede the credit which its restoration, after a thorough trial of glass, entitles it to.

The Pennsylvania Railroad is fortunate in having for managers of its telegraph department gentlemen of ability and experience in electrical matters, who are not governed by old fogy notions and prejudices, and who are not afraid to submit to actual test the relative merits of telegraphic and electrical inventions presented for their consideration. Galvanometers are in favor on that road, which is fortunate for Mr. BROOKS, whose insulators are meeting with the general approval of intelligent electrical and telegraphic experts, notwithstanding the factious and stupid opposition of General Superintendent ECKERT, Division Supt. BATES, and certain other officials of the Western Union Company.