Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-03

tlif iitfllll was tSiahtSb OH CONDITION ll3t
one mile should be laid underground, 2ta miles
on new poles, and II miles OF poles should be
remov,d entirel;. This would have made a
over, 500 poles and probably $50 miles of
overhead wire. A part of the new
line , vas to DC . on 9TH street this street
voted almost exclusively to business purposes
and contains no trees. The pro erty-owners on
that street obtained an Injunction against the
erection of these poles, and the whole plan has
therefore been brought TO a stlnd-stll un til the
question OF the authority of the Commissioners
Ia regulate this matter, which unit. now has
never been seriously questioned, can be passed
upon by the higher courts. 1t is to be noticed
that in New York, Philadelphia and Chica go
laws have been pa sed ordering The peremptory
removal OF all telegraph poles on a certain
date. In all OF these cities the dates have
but the poles still stand on the streets. Tue
interests involved are too great to permit the
telegraph business OF the country to be cut off
IN this summary manner: The placing Of wires
underground in cities will require large out
lay OF capital and will consume q considerable
amount OF time. The work can only be done
gradually. More progress has been made In WASH
inston !hi.n IN any other city in the country.
the policy adopted by the Commissioners and
four years has been to refuse permits for recon-
structing pole lines within the central part of
the city, aud to permit extensions in the outer
that certain amount of underground
work shall be done as an equivalent.
TIE telephone company has been most in need
of extensions, and hence it has to-day the
largest amount OF underground wires. The
electric light companies have been refused any
permits except on the same terms, and they
are still debating whether it will be profitable
10 accept them. No extensions of the electric
light except the underground line ON street,
have been made in the last three years. The
oder telegraph com panies, having their pole
lines already established, have not until now
felt the necessity Of asking for per hitss But
the rotting of poles, and the growth Of trees
carrying moisture into their wires have COM
pelled them TO make u beginning,i and
tue same causes would in a few years effect
the removal OF all the Objectionable poles In the
heart of the city. and thenceforth the placing
or wires underground would keep pace with the
growth OF the city, provided the commissioners
retain control of the matter and pursue the
same policy they have been pursuing. II the
higher courts confirm the decision already
made, that the Commissioners have no legal
right to make such agreements as they made
with the Western Union company then, OF
course, the matter will have to 90 to Congress
Tor new legislation, in which Il Is to be hoped
THAT the Commissioners will succeed In increaS-
Ing the power they have already exercised to
prevent the aggregate increase Of pole lines and
to compel the gradual removal OF the most OBJ
tectionable ones.
sEwERs
In the last annual report q general explaua-
| ton was given of the system Of sewerage
adopted for this city, and the plans for its COM
pletion under the advance OF $500, 900 made
by Congress for that purpose Full details were
given AZ 20 the contracts which had been made
ana tue streets ON which the sewers were to b