Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-08-27

passenger. when the next car came the stub
| born stickler for the law re-embarked and pro-
ceeded on his journey, large crowd who had
! assembled to witness the proceedings waving
| him friendly adieus.
The District Telegraph and Telephone Service
| INTERESTING OFFICIAL REPORTS THEREON.
| In compliance with request of the District
Commissioners of August list. Major Brock. OF
| the police department, and Superintendent II
r. Miles, Of the fire alarm telegraph, have sent
| to the Commissioners a detailed statement OF
! the telegraph and telephone connections of the
/ District government the number of stations and
location of EACH rent paid for use of Instruments
ana TO whom paid, the extent of circuits and
number belonging to the District of Columbia
what lines of telegraphs and telephones the Dis
trlet systems are in connection with, and all
other information connected Herewith. The re-
port embraces ten pages of manuscript.
THE FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE
SERVICE.
embraces the areas of Washington and
Georgetown. and comprises % circuits, az
gregatng about 200 miles of wire. fully two
thirds OF which runs over the house tops The
instruments of this line are owned by the Dis
trict; there are so automatic signal boxes dis
tributed on metallic circuits % electro mechan-
zeal bells and gong strikers. distributed on four
metallic strikers, and GO telegraph and
telephone instruments, on IL ground
circuits connecting the central Office with
each OF the engine and truck companies
making total of l62 instruments exclusive of
those in the central office under the control of
the superintendent of the fire alarm telegraph,
anu IN no way connected by telegraph or tele-
phone with any other telegraph or telephone
line. OF the sixty instruments in use upon the
talking circuits, thirty are telephones belonging
to the National Capital Telephone Co.. and are
hired by the District for the use of the alarm SER
vice at rental of $50 per annum. All the lines,
Instruments cro6U wifi hrap If
the public service, except the telephones, belong
to the District
THE POLICE TELEGRAPH
was erected several years ago by the board of
metropolitan police, and consisted of a line of
80 feet pole. The directions these lines take
through the city limits are described showing
that in some cases the police wires run over the
poles OF other telegraph companies and the
wires OF private corporations and of individuals
run over the poles of the fire alarm and police
telegraph poles. One wire is supported on the
poles of the Western Union Telegraph COMPANY
In contract entered into between the board of
police commissioners and George c.. Maynard
as agent for the Bell Telephone company is q
condition as follows: II hereby agree to make
all ordinary repairs of the lines, without charge
in consideration of the right to use the poles
for carrying other wires.' Under this Mr.
Maynard and those claiming under him in many
places have burdened the poles with additional
wires to such an extent as to seriously interfere
WIN proper OI the ponce
telephone service. 1t is found that all the poles
in the business portion of the city are sadly over
loaded. often running from four to nine wires
on each pole-maintained by Mr.. Maynard and
his successors by virtue of the clause stated
abOve-a9gregating over thirty-three miles of
wire. fully equal to the entire length of all the
police circuits. Under such circumstances it is
utterly Impossible to secure telephone service in
any of the District departments which will be
satisfactory. The police department are using
SxSfC nf tall,
each set } at an annual rental of 1881 all over
circuits belonging to Mr.. Maynard or his sue
cessors. Police headquarters is connected
by telephone with the Exchange, Board of
Health and Police Court by means of circuits
owned by the Telephone company The teIe-
phone service of the police department has no
one really to supervise the details. such as
repairing the lines and keeping the instruments
In order, having to rely upon the contractor for
suc.i service. VINO Is not always easily found
when wanted.
TWELVE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS
are connected in one circuit and are using
twelve full sets of telephones at rent of s55l
annually, for instruments and wires. This cir
cult is about II miles in length. running over
house tops and owned and controlled by the Ma
tional Capital Telephone company.
There are twelve other telephones in use by
other branches of the District government
through the exchange at an annual rent each of
Si6. The District government is paying at the
rate Of Il 52S per year for telephones and rented
circuits.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS INQUIRY
was to cut Off some of the abuses i'm the way of
mixing up of circuits and eliminate the District
service from private companies. and. if possible.
to cut off some of the heavy rents by securing
llhes ana instruments separate from any other.
and have all such property belonging to the Dis.
trlct government under one electrician and con-
trolled by the District. 1t is the opinion of the
authorities that the telephone service might be
greatly mproveda and the expense much reduced
by so consolidating and centralizing that each
and every department of the District govern
ment may be able to communicate with any other
department through central Office under con
troll OF its own officers, and thereby save expense
Inc Commissioners have requested the major Of
police and superintendent of fire alarm telegraph
to prepare careful estimate Of the cost of plac-
ing the entire service under one head.