Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-27
CITY AND DISTRICT.
UNDERGROUND WIRES AGAIN.
Some Important Recomme ndations BY
Major Raymond.
FUKrHER EXTRACTS FROM ENGINEER COMMISSIONER
RAYxoxDs REPORT TO THE CONFERENCE COM
MIrTKE ON TIE pIsTRIcr APPRoPRi ALTON BILL

FURTHER EXTRACTS FROM ENGINEER COMMISSIONER
RAYxOSD's REPORT TO THE CONFERENCE COM
srrTKE ON TIE DISTRICT ArPRoPRi ALTON BILL
Some OF the facts stated and conclusions arrived
at In the written report OF Engineer Commissioner
Raymond on the subject OF Underground wires,
submitted TO the congressional conference CON-
mittee on the District appropriation bill, were
printed IN yesterdays STAR As the subject OF the
report Il attracting much attention In many cities
where the overhead electric lines are subject OF
complaint on account Of the danger 10 life and
property from their use and Is OF special interest
u the people OF this District, where the evil has
already been partially removed by Durying some
OF the wires underground, further extracts from
this important document are printed below.
IN RKFKRKNcE TO TIE TELEPHONE LINES.
After stating that In compliance with the orders
OF the Commissioners more than miles OF con-
duits have been constructed by the telephone
company in which ], $50 miles OF wire have been
buried. constituting more than two-thirds OF the
trunk lines employed, the report says that the
the manufacture OF cables justify the expectation
that better results can be obtained since the
burying OF the remaining In this ser
vice Evolves extensive excavations In the streets
nisnot considered desirable 10 undertake this until
the result OF experiments now In progress has
been ascertained, especially as the delay viii be
short II these results prove satisfactory all
trunk lines overhead should be placed under
ground as soon as possible There are about l'43 Az
about zoo miles OF this wire underground and 10
bury In addition about 200 miles OF new wire. When
have about ], 756 miles OF wire In underground
trunk lines, and only 4Jo miles In trunk lines
overhead
THE DISTRICT WIRES.
The report says that ga portiongof the wires en-
ployed In the District service for 1re-aarm police
and other purposes has been placet underground,
and the system works In the most satisfactory
manner For this purpose nearly miles of con-
been constructed To complete the system about
$50 miles OF wire should be buried and this ought
10 be done as rapidly as means permit.
rHs GENERAL TELEGRAPH SERVICE
'The wires employed In the general telegraph
service have not, any considerable extent, been
placed underground In the District. There are
about 473l4 miles Of such wires, only 255 OF
which are buried The practicability OF burying
these wires without great injury 10 the service has
been seriously Questioned. Upon this point II
hesltates express a decided opinion, since have
not as yet been able 10 give the subject careful
Investigation and study, but experience in other
cities leads me 10 believe that this work can be
successfully accomplished. For example, IL Is
stated In the reports OF the board OF commissioners
Of electrical subways OF the city OF Brooklyn that
the Western Union Telegraph Co. and the Gold
and stock Telegraph Co have agreed TO place their
conductors along q certain route In Underground
conduits, but am unable to say at the present
moment how much progress has been made"
THE GOVERNMENT WIRES
After quoting further from the Brooklyn conf
missions report MAJ Raymond continues: ain
addition to the wires included In the above state
ment there are now In the District about 81 miles
OF wire employed and controlled by the General
Government OF these about 3l2 miles are un-
derground- There are also about 1865 miles Of
employed Tor private lighting, OF which about
.6S miles are underground
He here inserts table showing, approximately.
the character, quantity, and location OF electric
wires In the DISTRICT
OBJECTIONS TO A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF UNDER
GROUND CoSDUIrs.
Referring to the policy to be followed In
putting underground the remaining air lines
he remarks that In view OF existing cir
cumstances It Is evidently unwise TO at
tempt the construction OF any comprehensive
system OF underground condults. In the work
already accomplished, he says, the different cleo
tricaI s. stems have been kept distinctly separate
Each has devised and executed Its own under
ground WORK In accordance with It's own peculiar
needs, under the careful supervision and subject
TO the approval OF the District authorities. The
width OF our streets permits the adoption Of this
method OF procedure, and Major Raymond says
he Is fully satisfied that by continuing iI trouble
some complications Will be avoided and the best
results Will be obtained with the least delay. No
company. he Gays, should be authorized 10 lay
conduits for other tnan It's own wires.
RECOMMENDATIONS
II the District Commissioners are provided with
the necessary means and power he would recon-
mend action during the coming fiscal year as
follows: The contract for electric lighting OF
streets should provide that ali wires now buried
shall remain under ground; that existing air lines
on Pennsylvania avenue shall be removed, and
that II shall be In the discretion OF the Commits
toners 70 require other air lines TO be placed under
ground No permission should be given for pri-
vate lighting without the condition that the wires
shall be buried The telephone company should
be required 20 bury all its remaining overhead
trunk lines. The overhead wires employed In the
District service should be placed under ground As
10 the telegraph service he says the burying
OF its wires win require large outlay OF capital
and that the Geographic business OF the country
involves interests too great TO permit the treat
ment OF this system In q summary manner but
reasonable progress should be insisted upon. The
companies should submit plans for placing
portion OF their wires underground, and upon ap-
proval should be required TO execute them. No
permits for the erection OF new poles or restora-
lion OF Old should be granted unless the COM
panies comply with these requirements. This
policy should be continued until all the wires in
The city are Underground. He does not consider
desirable the proytso In the appropriation act as
IL passed the House, requiring the removal and
burial OF wires from all streets, avenues, and
alleys wherefrom the District wires have been or
may be remov d, thinking Its effect would be
rather 10 delay than hasten the work.
LEGAL AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSIONERS
In conclusion he invites attention TO some very
important questions which have arisen relating to
the legal authority OF the Commissioners 10 carry
out this or any other plan for buryiny the wires.
The wires now buried. are for the most part
sumed that the power OF the Commissioners 10
exercise control over the streets is SUFFICIENT TO
legaliZe such action. The opinion OF the District
supreme Court in the case OF the Telephone Co
against the Safe Deposit co. raises
GRAVE DoUBT
rs TO whether the COMMISSIONER authority has
any legal basis whatever. In the light OF this
opinion IL appears that the Commissioners have
"nO power 70 grant permits for permanent erec
tons or anything that resembles the permanent
occupation OF the streets" The law deyotes the
upper inches OF the street 10 pavement and .tt Is
not contemplated that the Intervening space
should be occupied BY anything but pavement"
III the wires are laid lower tnan inches local
wanting privileges may be subsequently, de-
manded and must be granted and wires removed
He says that under these circumstances the NO
lent removal OF the wires by parties having hostile
interests legal and lustifabie without regard 20
pubic convenience, and that the Commissioners
are poweriess 70 protect the work they have
authorized
MANLY ALL TIE UNDERGROUND coNDurrs ILLEGAL.
1T would seem from the above that nearly all
the underground conduits In the city, Including
those used for onlcial purposes, are Illegal
Under these circumstances Major Raymond
thinks the Commissioners have no right 10 make
further contracts -for electric lighting which
requires the continuance or extension OF such
illegal occupation" or the streets.
YkoroakD AMENDMENT TO THE DISTRICT APPRoPRr-
ALTON BILL
He concludes by saying that II IL is the VIII OF
Congress that the Commissioners shall carry out
the plan suggested In this letter, or any other
plan for burying electric wires, he would recon-
mend the following provision In the District APP
propration bill:
70 permit OF require the placing OF any all wires
In or under the streets highways or alleys or the
saoeWalkS thereoA and 10 continue In position
wires already 50 placed, and TO secure or require
the removal OF any or all such wires, their con-
QUITS or appliances, under such conditions as the
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