Information on Brooks insulators

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 22, 1866.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TELEGRPAHER:

As most of the testimony in favor of the "Brooks" Insulator has been given to show its qualities as an insulator, I offer the following, which will give some of its merits as a substantial fastening for wires:

There is between this city and Pittsburg ten hundred and thirty-eight miles of wire insulated with the glass and bracket, and twenty-seven hundred and eighty-eight miles insulated with the "Brooks Patent Insulator."

A careful record of the casualties of interruptions upon each wire kept from August 1st to November 1st of the present year, including breaks, crosses, ground connections, show one hundred and twenty-six on the wires insulated with glass and bracket, and one hundred and forty-two on that insulated with the patent insulator.

Now, by making a calculation, and increasing the number of miles insulated with glass and bracket, so as to equal the number of miles insulated with the patent insulator, there would have occurred three hundred and thirty-eight interruptions in the three months, or nearly two and a half times the number occurring on the wires insulated with the patent insulator. Carrying out these calculations so as to include the interruptions for one year, on a hundred miles of wire insulated in easy way, would give forty-eight interruptions on that insulated with the glass and bracket, and twenty on that insulated with the patent insulator. Suppose each of these interruptions to cost five dollars per annum to pay this item on the one hundred miles of wire insulated with the glass and bracket, while that insulated with the patent insulator would cost but one hundred dollars.

Most of the wires insulated with the patent insulator run along the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroads, and many of the interruptions are due to causes incident to rail routes, such as the poles being broken by freight cars getting off the track, or by wood being piled about the poles and taking fire, and thus poles destroyed.

These are interruptions not incident to the wires insulated with the glass and bracket, as they are entirely on the turnpikes, but parallel to those upon the railroads. There may be causes on the turnpikes to counterbalance these, but they do not occur to me at this time.

Let any one now make their own calculations, and see how long it would be before the original excess of cost of the "Brooks" Insulator would be absorbed in the increase expense of maintaining the other kind, not counting the loss of business by interruptions which is by far the greater item.

Yours, JAMES PARTRICK.