Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-13

are not to aodicate on the bench their knowl.
edge Of the common transactions OF life
1t is alleged I'm the bill that the wires
may perfectly well be laid beneath the ground.
aud notwithstandins Mr.. Marean's affidavit /
davft. the last portion OF it-unless accidentally
blunder has crept into it-hc says. The plan
Tor underground wires adopted by the Commits
sioners is the only plan devised by the Commits
sioners for uninterrupted communication wit n
the west and north I'm the case OF the under
ground system proposed TO be constructed
There must be some error In that. There is no
grant TO this company at any time OF this form
for themselves to suit their own convenience hence
without any suggestion from the law-givers, for
nave found no statute authorizing their use.
manner I'm which the first telegraph OF Morse
should have been constructed. ii would doubt
less have provided for an underground line, for
such was Prof Morses plan, as know from a
statement made by Prof. Henry up to q short
time before the line was built"
eerrns to %res
actual electric telegraph line which was laid
was in 1885. in England, In q tube for rs
ground; in Paris they are all laid under ground
Every one OF the Metropolitan Telegraph COM
pany's wires Is laid under ground. This same
wires in New York and ten thousand miles OF
wires were under ground in England in 1878.
Nothing could be more impossible than for this
right in England or Paris to do what thew have
done here with immunity.
again, am no scientist; merely speak OF
what every person who reads popular books
sees-I cannot believe and will not believe that
this company (which inaugurated this telegraph
system, cannot do what is done abroad. 1t may
De that 1t Is from motives OF economy: II cannot
be as stated by Mr.. Ashton I'm reference to the
quadruplex system, of which he spoke In so in
,iegenf an manner or for fear that the insala-
them underneath the ground. think the same
result can be reached. Why should we pay for
viii nsm Ss the BUT 9Sers IS
reason why Others should pay for 1t. Again,
the pavement is encountered by taking
up the curbstone and having the wires
suspended In iron boxes. Again the
position OF the company is rather an incon-
sistentone. The company proposes an under
avenue to eth street and New York avenue as
an experiment. IL this experiment should
prove failure, the underground wires being
the pole lines could not be used. Now, judge
may be very poor authority on scientific
matters, but the courts have sometimes
gaesses." The judge referred to a case csse
tried in 1S45 in which the court said that the
jury might assume that notice had been
given that the message was sent in ten days to
South Carolina, and the attorney general leaped
to his feet and said: THAT is a most extraordi-
nary statement. Why, an angel on his wings
could not carry that message in ten days"
And now" continued the Judge, "a message
can be delivered in England within six hours
ifOIl the Time III Is written.
II would as soon, In doubtful case, pass an
order giving authority to dig wells and put up
pumps again, or to substitute dip candles or oil
lamps for gas or the electric light, as to allow
this company to go on with this WORKOUT sys-
tenn, as believe it to be. We must keep up
with the times"
The counsel for compliments were Messrs. W.
A. Cook, IA. Z. Davis, Warren c. stone and Os-
car Nauck, by whose courtesy THE STAR Is en-
abled to print these extracts from the judges
decision. Mr.. j. Hubley Ashton appeared for
the telegraph company and Mr.. A. Il. Riddle
for the District