Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-29

tended experience; for example, the practicspiity
IN n q wous
necessary to tear up the streets frequently TO re-
,s s.ssn 'I ps Of s asss rCsa at
gheny ciV, Pa, Is now operstei sae0ess-
ea On the Re conduit Tine
mus operated through at least one winter. have
no oouot that conduit systems Will De perfected,
50 as 70 operate safely and satisfactorily and that
ior some conditions they will be greatly superior
70 any other method The fact remains, however,
snat snelr success has not as yet been PRACTICALLY
commissioners In ravoring their construction st
piesent IN the public streets. Up 10 the present
have been operated upon overhead systems II
was stated In the Senate debate, and Il seems 70
6 1e general impression that these are the most
Neither the overhead nor the underground system
Is dangerous when properly arranged and con-
in my Opinion Ike mn Or sal. sa.sy Il and sus
.ne central pole overhead system, where the cleo
.ricai conductor is removed 70 the greatest dis
believe. however, that no person has ever been
killed or seriously injured By the current employed
In operating any electric railway.
WHY OVERHEAD WIRES WIRE ADOPTED.
Inc overhead system 1naIly adopted, after thor.
ough Investigation, by the lexington and soldiers
home Railway Co, Ia In my opinion, as good as
any. and probably the best that could have been
chosen. The portion OF the avenue to be occupied
parking or trees. The central line OF poles 70 Oe
employed within the city limits is the least objec-
eionaoie OF ali overhead arrangements. IL reduces
cue number OF poles by one-half, maintains the
electric conductor at the greatest possible distance
from Trees and other wires, and ID out OF the way
IN case OF nres. From this position the line can
most readily be placed under ground, II this Is
found desirable IN the future The poles are 70 be
or iron and OF an ornamental character, and IL Is
proposed 70 place upon some Of them groups OF In
candescent lights These arrangements win obvi-
aye the unslsntly appearance due TO the multi
picty OF wires and poles In other overhead systems
Inc electric motive force or the current employed
can never exceed 500 volts, and viii probably be
not higher than 40 volts on the line These cur
tsils Of coSstructoa as SeserDea To me Sy sne
company, are In the highest degree satisfactory.
The grooved rails employed are To be the heaviest
ana oeSt ever laid In The DISTRICT and the cars are
70 De the best that can be manufactured. Finally,
the reputation and experience or the great manu-
featuring company which has undertaken the exc
cutioa Of the electrical work Is = guar
antee OF its excellence. The only obJec-
ton I can see to the system Is one which
concerns the company a.one. IL costs nearly
Twice as much As other systems they might have
adopted.
The construction OF this electric railway is, OF
course, 10 some extent AN experiment; but IL Is
an experiment authorized by Congress-, not by the
COMMISSIONER. Ii IL Is 10 be tried, am confident
is no better or safer plan than tlat proposed
py the company Accordingly / recommend that
permit be granted them 70 erect the necessary
wlres. Such a permit was granted by the Com.
vocable at the pleasure Of the Commissioner ana
IL contains the condition that the form, material,
dimensions location, and construction OF the over
mead lines shall We subject to their approval. In
view OF the terms or the act OF Congress incorpor
atlng this company, l do not believe the CommIs-
permit"
PERMITS ISSUED.
The report continues, that In answer to the Sen
ate resolution OF August Is, 1888, directing the
Commissioners TO inform the Senate wha, rsrmits
tney have granted for the erection OF overhead
eiectnc wires since January, 1883, the Commits
sioners Stated, August Is that they have granted
one permit 10 the Western Union Telegraph Co.,
Two 10 the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
CO., one 10 the United States Electric Light Co.,
and one to the lexington and soldiers Home
Railway co. Since making this reply they have
granted still another permit 10 the United States
The permit to the Western Union Telegraph Co.
was issued, Maj Raymond says, on August Is,
1859, TO remove an existing line and replace IL b.
more convenient one, and TO erect line 10 con-
meet With the new building OF the signal service.
lne commissioners Cannot under existing law,
Is.
The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone CO.'S
permits a, were issued on August and IL respect
lveiy, and were for the erection OF distributing
wires In alleys which 1t Is not proposed TO place
under ground
Electric Light co. to enable this company TO ful-
MI its contract for the pubic electric iighting.
Tne lexington and soldiers Home Railway Co.'S
1855 TO empower It to erect the poles and wires
necessary TO operate Its road In accordance with
the powers granted by its charter. The system
proposed by The company being considered the
safest and best for adoption Maj. Raymond ex-
presses The opinion that the Commissioners were
legally compelled 10 issue the permit.
UNJUsTLY CRITICISED.
Major Raymond continues as follows: @From this
brief review it will appear that the charges made
against the Commissioners in the debate In the
senate on August 10 and 10 with reference to this
matter are unfounded. The Commissioners did
not, as charged, proceed Immediately after the
passage OF the law ito give permits for spreading
out extensively the overhead system before the
time runs out" On the contrary. they have not
given single permit Tor the erection OF single
overhead wire except in compliance with the ex-
pressed will OF Congress II may De remarked In
this connection that the provisions OF the post
ponlng the prohibition OF overhead wires and prac.
tlcally placing the electric lighting OF the city In
the hands OF The existing company were not intro
duced at the instance or the Commissioner and
were not known TO the Commissioners until after
the passage OF the act The Idea tntimaJed that
the Commissioners may have misled the commit
tee on appropriations by getting an extension to
september Is Tor the purpose OF putting as many
wires into the air as possible Is therefore without
foundation. In conclusion assert that the CON-
mlsSloners have spared no effort and LETT means
untried 10 accomplish the very ends for the neglect
OF whlch they have been criticised"
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.