The Machines That Built Edison's Empire And Electrocuted the Men Who Wired It

Two companies wired the same city with incompatible voltages on the same wooden poles. Edison buried his wires at 110 volts. Westinghouse strung his overhead at 1,000 to 6,000 volts. No labels. No insulation standards. No regulation. Linemen trained on telegraph wire climbed the poles and reached for what they thought was a safe line. John Feeks grabbed a crossed wire to stop himself from falling. Blue flames shot from his mouth for over an hour while Manhattan watched his body burn in the tangle. The word "electrocute" had to be invented for what was happening. Edison used the deaths to attack alternating current. Westinghouse won anyway. #WarOfCurrents #Edison #Westinghouse #Electrocution #Linemen