these cables and this has been accomplished in the following way: At the top of the well a heavy steel bar is supported horizontally, to which are fastened inch galvan

FIG. 6.-RESISTANCE COILS, MAIN SWITCHBOARD.

ized iron stranded ropes, corresponding in number to the number of cables and which extend down to the cable room. At each floor the cables are bound to the wire ropes by marline tow closely wrapped around both. Be

sary, the cables can be examined at practically every foot of their run.

In addition to the cable room devoted to the purposes of the Postal Telegraph Co., another similar room has been specially provided for the accommodation of telephone, messenger, ticker, and other similar service. The wires of these companies are also brought in by separate conduits from the street, thus leaving the company's service entirely distinct and separate.

VI. THE OPERATING ROOM.

To those who are accustomed to link the idea of a telegraph operating room with any space capable of holding tables and chairs, the superb operating room on the 12th floor of the building will be a revelation. It extends the entire length of the building-156 feet and crosses the whole front of the building, 70 feet, facing on Broadway, overlooking City Hall Square on one side and the Hudson River and New York Harbor on the west. The ceiling is 18 feet high as already stated; and, with the large windows provided, the light is practically equivalent to that outdoors. The floor space is laid out in standard octet tables made of cherry, which wood is also used for all the switchboards. Situated in the centre of the room is the main switchboard and directly in front of it are the tables containing the repeater sets. Directly opposite these, near the wall, is the manager's table, raised on a platform so that he can readily overlook the entire floor. Near the Broadway wall is the city switchboard. See Figs. 1 and 5.

VII. THE MAIN TELEGRAPH SWITCHBOARD.

Let us now return to the cables entering the operating room at the back of the main switchboard. Taking first

ing thus supported at each floor, as it were, the cables reach the top without any strain on them whatever and are taken under the floor to the back of the switchboard. The cable well is accessible at each floor, so that, if neces

the 14-wire dynamo cables, they are led to a small distributing board, at the back of the main board, and thence under the floor to the main switchboard, one to each panel of the board. They are there connected to a common ter

tutes a departure from the type which has been used for many years previously in the United States. The present construction will be seen in Fig. 9. Here, it will be noted, the lower row of spring jacks is inverted; this permits of the tablets and markings to be plainly seen by the chief operator, so that connection can be made with unerring exactness, while, in addition, it avoids the sharp bend in the connecting cords which frequently broke from that cause, as arranged under the old system.

Directly in front of the main switchboard are two tables, each 18 feet long by 4 feet wide, containing the repeater sets arranged in two tiers. The divisions between each of these sets consist of plate glass supported by small brass standards at the base, which avoids the use of the somewhat clumsy frames heretofore employed. The wires from the main board and other parts of the room are led up through the centre of each table and are distributed in a

It may be remarked that, as in the case of the dynamo board in the basement, the safety resistances employed consist of German silver wire wound on tin tubes perforated at the bottom to afford ventilation. It might appear that the use of such resistance, in place of incandescent lamps which have been largely introduced for that purpose, might be considered a step backward. But the experience of the electricians of the company has warranted this step. It is said that the filaments change their resistance in time, that they are subject to breakage and thus introduce uncertainties in operation, which have proved very annoying. Hence the return to German silver.

The main switchboard, Fig. 7, is made of marbleized slate, and enclosed in cherry; and Figs. 8 and 11 show some of the details of construction. It is divided into 14 panels. Six panels, counting from either end, are arranged for 50 wires each, with 30 rows of discs and 50 straps. These constitute the main line switches. The two centre panels contain the loop or "leg" switches, by means of which any two sets in

Elec.Engineer

FIG. 10.-VIEW OF REAR OF MAIN SWITCHBOARD.

the office can be connected for repeating, as well as to connect branch offices on the sides of a multiplex circuit. These two panels contain four double rows of 88 jacks each. The arrangement of this switchboard is similar to that adopted by the Postal Telegraph Co. some time ago, and consti

FIG. 11.-LEG SWITCH, VERTICAL END SECTION.

trough which runs along in the centre of the table, forming a trapezium. There are 32 spaces on each table, containing the usual repeater, quadruplex or duplex sets. See Fig. 19.

VIII. THE OPERATORS' TABLES.

As stated above, the standard table adopted in the room is an octet, or double quartet, Fig. 12. From each of these tables there is run a twenty-six wire cable to the switchboard where it ends in a cable made with twenty-six terminals placed under the switchboard. From this cable the conductors are led to the cords, locals, etc. All the tables are fitted for the use of the typewriter machine, which is supported on a sliding shelf devised by Mr. W. H. Baker, which forms a part of the table proper, but when slid out and inserted in the special slide provided for that purpose brings the level of the machine to the proper height. The use of the typewriter in the Postal Telegraph offices, it may be

The general arrangement of the main line instruments on the quadruplex tables is much the same as that heretofore in vogue, with a few notable improvements, which facilitate the chief operators' work. The most noticeable

The resonator or hood in which each sounder is placed is mounted on a brass standard eight inches in height, which is secured under the table by a wing nut. This standard is

(Continued on page 347.)

THER

HERE is a tendency among electrical engineers to look upon the field of telegraphy as hackneyed and uninviting. By the ordinary electrician it is assumed that the art has little that is new to offer; by the public it is assumed that the telegraph, being a "monopoly," is unlikely to foster and develop anything really novel or meritorious. The fact is, however, that on its technical side, the telegraph is progressive, not perhaps so much so as the newer electrical arts, but still capable of demonstrating steady improvement. Upon the commercial side of the industry, the Postal Telegraph-Cable Co. by a continuous existence in opposition and competition for more than ten years, as well as by its swift strides in prosperity and importance, has shown that there never was a time when a better rivalry existed than to-day.

We have devoted our current issue to a detailed description of the new headquarters in which the Postal Telegraph-Cable Co. has established itself this week, and venture to believe that our readers will find a great many features of interest in the exhaustive article that so fully occupies these pages. As a simple matter of fact, it may be stated that the Building exemplifies in a variety of ways the latest advances in a wide range of electrical arts, many things having been done there that had either not been done before, or had not been done on so large a scale. The telegraph plant possesses many new features and improvements, and the electric elevators, the dynamotors,

the generating plant, the switchboards, the lighting, the wiring, etc., are all the latest and best of their kind. It is a matter of congratulation thus to find a company engaged in the oldest electrical industry able, by means of its success and its intelligent management, to encourage the most recent developments in the newest electrical industries, and thus to manifest how strong a bond of union exists between them all.

LEGAL NOTES.

FEEDER AND MAIN PATENT LITIGATION. EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY vs. F. P. LITTLE ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION AND SUPPLY COMPANY, THE BINGHAMPTON STATE HOSPITAL, et al.

EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY vs. E. G. BERNARD COMPANY, ISAAC ARNOLD, JR., et al.

UNITED STATES CIRCUIT COURT, NORTHERN DIST. OF N. Y. ON Motions for Preliminary Injunctions: Judge Coxe, sitting in New York, Wednesday, April 11, 1894, declined to enjoin the F. P. Little Electrical Construction & Supply Co. It appeared that most of the directors of the F. P. Little Company were also directors in the Buffalo General Electric Company and not in a position to contest the validity of the Edison patent. Judge Coxe imposed a bond of $5,000 upon the defendants as security for possible damages.

In the Bernard case the Court sustained the demurrer of the E. G. Bernard Co., viz., that the suit was on nine patents and too multifarious. This disposed of the motion for injunction for the present. Judge Coxe allowed the complainants twenty days to amend their bill.

INJUNCTION UNDER THE EDISON FEEDER PATENT.-EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. vs. THE N. Y. INS. WIRE CO.

In the U. S. Circuit Court, in this city, last week, Judge Coxe granted an injunction, against the New York Insulated Wire Co., under the Edison patent No. 264,642, of Sept. 19, 1882, relating to feeders. This is understood to relate to the work done under contract at the World's Fair by the New York Insulated Wire Co., who, however, state that they are not in the construction business themselves, being simply manufacturers of insulated wires, cables, tapes, etc.

SOCIETY AND CLUB NOTES.

AMERICAN METROLOGICAL SOCIETY.

THE annual meeting of the American Metrological Society will be held in Washington, D. C., on Friday, April 20, at 2 p. m., at the Columbian University.

Prof. T. C. Mendenhall will report on the International Electrical Congress at Chicago. Prof. A. A. Michelson will give an account of his work at the International Bureau (near Paris) in determining the value of the metre in terms of wave lengths of light. The Committee on Color-Standards will make an interesting report.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS.

THE 86th meeting of the Institute, will be held at Headquarters, 12 West 31st Street, New York City, on Wednesday, April 18th, at 8 p. m. A paper will be presented by Mr. I. H. Farnham of Boston, on the "Destructive Effect of Electrical Currents on Subterranean Metal Pipes." The paper will be fully illustrated with lantern slides. Prof. G. W. Plympton of Brooklyn, has been invited to open the discussion. In order to utilize the lantern slides at Chicago, the meeting of Western members in that city will be deferred until Wednesday, April 25, at 8 p. m., at the Armour Institute, 33rd Street and Armour Avenue. Mr. Arthur V. Abbott of Chicago, has been invited to read the paper at the latter meeting. Mr. B. J. Arnold will open the discussion.

ELECTRICITY IN RELATION TO THERAPEUTICS.

MR. H. NEWMAN LAWRENCE, Member Institution Electrical Engineers, England and Fellow American Electro-therapeutic Association, proposes to deliver a course of ten lecture demonstrations on the above subject, at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, commencing Wednesday, April 18th, at 4 P. M., providing a sufficient number enter for the class. The remaining days (either one or two per week) and time will be arranged as far as possible to meet the convenience of those attending.