National Republican., 1884-08-30

an luIcfVleW WIN hbfuBLlCAN ICpTc-
sentative that the test now being made
of the electric lights for illuminating
Pennsylvania and other avenues was for
the citizens and it was the province of
the citizens to decide whether the tost
was satisfactory. THE REPUBLICAN to.
day presents somo of the opinions of
citizens upon tho subject as they havo
been collected by IL reporters
Mr.. Van Wicklc, manager of +. @.
Smiths piano house, said: 81 think that
the experiments so far have boon failures,
although l like the electric light. IL
lights tho street nicely, and If we could
get a more difIusive effect and temper tho
glare of tho lights | think there Is no
doubt of its success. Tho main trouble
is that the lamps do not throw sufficient
light on tho sidewalk, and in that way
affords very little protection to tho mer-
chants"
MIR. Lothrop, of the firm of Woodward
& Lothrop, said: TITS tho very thing we
have wanted for long time. cannot
SEQ why there should be objection 20 it. |
am perfectly satisfied with the electric
lamps, for they give the avenue grand
appearance Mt night. Wa are going to
course they do not light up the sidewalks,
but they are infinitely better than gas,
and stranger never forgets the sight of
the handsomest street i'll tho country
lighted up that way. like the electric
lights better than gas"
Mr.. Soaton Perry said "the lights givo
the street handsome appearance, but |
prefer gas. The lights are too glaring
and they do not light up the sidewalks.
find that gas reflectors give better
light, and show of goods bettor than cleo
trio light; but, of course. if the system can
be improved, it wouldIbe great benefit to
the citizens"
Mr.. Hooke, of Singleton & Hoeke, said
that he liked the lights, but preferred
gas to them, rs the electric lights were
too strong for the eyes, and did not give
sufficient light to the sidewalks.
Mr Il. Il. jackson, of Jackson & Co.,
grocers, said 81 think that gas affords
better protection to the merchants than
the electric light docs, for, while gas does
not light the center of the street rs this
light does, 1t throws more illumination
ON the front of the stores My objections
TO the electric lights are that they are too
glaring aud sharp, aud if some change is
not mado think they will provo unsatis-
factory"
Mr. J. L. Wilson, Of Semkin & Co.,
jewellers. said: ~ think the tests have
been failure so far. Tho lights are too
glaring, don't light the sidewalks, throw
too much light in some places and not
enough in others. These lights arc apt to
injure the eyesight, and on the whole l
don't believe that they are satisfactory to
the citizens"
Mr.. Edward Temple said: "I don't
like electric lights. They are too gar-
INN nNah i .Ir ,a lNn&N f. Al
streets than these lights"
Mr.. l.. Ii. Schneider, of Schneider &
Co., hardware. said: II think tho lights
are better than gas, If arranged right, but
rs they are / don't think them suitable.
They don't light the sidewalks we'll
enough"
Mr.. J. B. Kendall, hardware, said: If
the commissioners will allow tho COM
pany to do as they want there will be no
complaint. The trouble is that they put
too much restriction on this company.
If the company are allowed to erect poles
between the car tracks Us they want to
do, the avenue can be lighted satisfactory.
Richmond was lighted that way for u
time, with great success ,.Qf course, tho
present system is unsatisfactory it
couldn't be otherwise. | don't like gas,
and without the electric lights this il the
poorest lighted city in the country"
Manager Kelly. of tho Palais Royal
said: II think the company is doing the
best it can under the circumstances, and
is giving satisfaction. The only difficulty
is that the lights do not reach the side
walks"
Mr.. Cromwell, of Stott & Cromwell,
wholesale druggists, thinks that it is a
pretty light but it don't light the side
walks well enough, though it is far better
protection than gas.
Mr.. James l.. Barbour, of Barbour &
Hamilton, Wholesale grocers, said "The
lights arc pretty ornament, but we
don't want to pay for ornaments. The
system is not a good one. The light Is
too much in one direction and is binding,
and affords but little protection to mer-
chants. Tho system followed in Balti-
moro and Boston is good one, and could
be applied with advantage here if tho
commissioners would allow poles TO be
erected on tho streets. AS ID is, don't
think that the experiment has been
success, and won't be until some import
ant changes are made"
Said Mr.. A. B. Mullett, the architect,
ut would not be permitted in any other
city,"
said DIR. A. Y. P. Garnett, "The light
is absolutely deleteriOus TO the eyesight.
The intense glare thrown into tho eyes
confuses the vision, giving less real illu
mination than much smaller and more
GiiTused lights would do"
At the Washington and Georgetown
car offices Mr.. Charles Wright, the SUPER
intcndent of tho horses aud veterinarian
for tho company, was found. He is en-
thusiastic in praise of the lighting and
has no faith in the alleged troubles from
the glare. He knows certainly that it
does no injury to tho horses and had
never heard any driver growl. On the
contrary, he had heard them over aud
over praise the road section affected by
the lights. A numerous group of listen
ing drivers enthusiastically concurred in
Mr.. Wright's statements, one saying he
could always see his watch, and another
at he could see every ono along tho
side walks better than by the old gas
lighting.
Mr.. Boteler, of a23 Pennsylvania ave-
nue., thinks the lighting good idea, but
that the lights should be grouped on
poles, three or four TO square. The
glare of the reflectors 10 a serious objec-
tion and he knows of u case where gen.
tlGman standing waiting for street car
and looking up the avenue at one of the
lights, was nearly run over by car
coming from the direction in which he
was looking and which he did not see
Mr.. AlmOn SnustGr thinks 1t an i'm
monse improvement on the avenues and
that il should be extended TO other
streets. He finds no difficulty from tha
dark shadows" aud finds the walks
much brighter than when gas lit them
up.
Mr.. Mark Latimer, of Thomas Dow
ling's, thinks it q magnificent thing, He
finds the avenue much more brilliant than
it has ever been before, and no does not
suiior from 1t dazzling his eyes any more
than from tho sun in the afternoon, be-
cause no does not stare at it. 1t is a
novelty and people stare at it, and thon
complain that is dazzles their eyes. OF