Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-04
OVERHEAD ELECTRIC WIRES
Report OF the Senate District COmmitte$


Report OF the Senate District Committed
The senate District committee submitted writ
ten report yesterday with the resolution they re-
ported to the Senate, recommending against the
revokal Of permits for the erection or overhead
wires for electric street-car lines The report
states that the charter OF the lexington and SOL
diers' Home Railway Co. was granted, or the act
OF Congress was approved, June 10 last, and con.
tracts aggregating $50, 900 had been entered into
The act continues the report, authorizes the use
Of electricity as motive power; a permit was OBJ
tained from the Commissioners; contracts were
made for electrical equipment, and work was in
progress when the resolution to rescind was In
troduced
RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATION.
The committee had made q full investigation,
and the testimony taken shows that an electrical
current OF 400 500 volts is not dangerous to hu
man life. The testimony, say the committee, was
system costs about ten times as much as the over
head system, and II Is doubtful II any form OF con-
dut would operate successfully and Satisfactorily
route is in the city limits and it IS doubtful II the
authorized capital stock would sufce TO construct
duis and eouiU 60 the balance Of the road The route
Is through section but little improved. Many
squares destitute OF buildings Of any Kind All
Neat, ornamental iron poles are to be used with q
cluster OF electric lights on every other poe.s As
has been shown, continues the report, In overhead
lines the poles and wires are but little, II any, OBJ
fstruction. Overhead wires have been generally
adopted, while conduits are yet somewhat OF an
experiment.
THE GREAT COST OF THE CONDUIT SYSTEM
as well as the unpaved condition OF the streets,
make 1t impracticable in the present case. ''Your
committee fail to see any reason why the Senate
should interfere with the construction OF this
road, the of1cers Of which have been proceeding
In good faith, in strict compliance with the law
and with the desire OF improving the means ana
methods OF transporting the public In the north.
west section OF the District; that the electrical
triai as it is well Known that the street-car sys-
TEN OF washington is not up to the standard OF
other cities Of equal size. Congress has reserved
lexington and soldiers Home Railway Company,
and should the overhead electrical system, after
saas TRIAL prove unsatisfactory It is then time for
such action on the part or Congress as Is contem-
plated by the resolution"
THE TESTIMONY SUBMITTED
embraces statements from MI Truesdell, president
OF the lexington Co; Captain Grimm and experts,
as to the electrical systems In use, the COMPARE
tive cost, danger to human life, &C.
Mr.. Truesdell read a prepared statement, which
the company carefully examined the several sys-
TENS In use, and abandoned the cable method be-
cause OF the number OF curves In the route; that
the storage-battery system was enticing, out
would not stand investigation. Besides II Is very
expensive. The conduit system Is Objectionable
because it gets full Of mud and water. He stated
operation; one In Allegheny, Pa, about q mile In
length. The contracts aggregate $53,056.59. OF
Ing to S19, SO for motors &C, and another for
100 for engine, boiler. &C. Mr.. Truesdell stated
that his company proposes 70 use the very best
STOCK is $40, ,o6o OF which s7O,oOo has been sub
scriDed and 10 per cent paid up. All the expert
testimony taken BY the committee was favorable
Tn ha Hv n G
The Canvass I'm West Virginia.
SENATOR FAuLKNER CONFIDENT OF DKNocRATIc suc-
Senator Faulkner Is exulting at the success of q
democratic ratification meeting in Martinsburg,
w. Va, last Saturday evening. That is the
Senator's home, and he Is an energetic political
worker. He says there were over 1000 men in
line and that more than 5000 persons attended
the meeting. Senators Kenna, Faulkner, voorhees,
and Representative Hatch spoke. Martinsburg
and the county in which 1t is situated have been
giving republican maJorities but Senator Faulkner
He said 10 STAR reporter: 1.-THE republicans were
astounded at the demonstration. II Tar exceeded
anything OF the kind ever seen there, and the re-
publicans were wondering where all the democrats
came from" The senator says that the marshal
on the occasion Is q very prominent ex-Union
soldier who has hiLherto been republican; and
chief agent Of republican demonstrations The
senator also remarked that one precinct near
SO votes sent mounted CLUB numbering forty.
four voters.
Capitol Topics.
BETTING ON SENATOR BLAIR.
Senator Blair never lets an opportunity slip to
boom his educational bill, and whenever he rises
In the Chamber, bets are freely offered that he win
say something about that measure, no matter
what subject may be under consideration. To-day
Mr. Coke offered the resolution adopted BY the re-
cent deep-water convention, and asked that It be
printed In the Record. Nj. Blair held up q
pamphlet containing the resolution and proceed
ingS OF the convention, and remarked that II also
contained q map surinounted by the heading Of
the Galveston NeUa He did not know whether
1t was proposed to advertise that paper. He
observed great many statistics In relation to the
wealth, products, &C., OF Galveston and vicinity,
but nothing 70 show the ilnteracy Of that section
A CANADIANS OFFER
In the Senate yesterday, Mr.. Hoar sent to the
clerks desk and had read q letter received by him
from Charles Arpin, OF Quebec. suggesting that II
certain hay claims held Dy Canadians against the
Government OF the United States were allowed and
paid at this time, the republican party could be
assured OF support from Canada, the claimants be.
ing willing 70 make Q good allowance At n.
Hoars request the letter was placed on the senate
nlea He said he wanted people interested In these
claims 70 be informed OF this attempted Corruption