New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-04
TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS.
LITTLE CHANGE SEEN IN THE STREETS
THE UNITED STATES COMPANY oBEYs THE BOARD
ELECTRICAL. CONTROL.

THE UNITED STATES COMPANY oBEYs TIE BOARD
or ELECTRICAL CONTROL
The action of the Board Of Electrical Control in
ordering the United States Illuminating Company
to discontinue their service in Broadway from
Fourteenth TO Forty-ffsh SITS, in Sixth-avc. from
Eighteenth to Fifty-eighth sts, and in the cross
streets from Twcnty-third to Twenty ghth sts.
inclusive, was highly commended, except by the
people most interested The police of the Nine
tcenth Precinct under Captain Riley, were ready
to arrest any lineman employe Of the company
found meddling with the wires
The Department OF Public Works, which was
ordered to remove the poles and wires of this CON-
pany, under the provisions of the law that they arc
low dead and coming within the jurisdiction of
the Bureau of Membranes did not take any ac-
tion yesterday. Commissioner Newton reiterated
ais previous statements when questioned on the
probable action OF his department. that an invcsti-
CATION would have to be made before it could be
learned to which company the wires belonged.
Until that could be done, action will be taken
The matter will probably be allowed to rest there
With him, until the end of the lawsuit against the
company by the CITY,
President Lynch Of the United States Iluminat-
ing Company decided Yesterday that he would
obey the mandate Of the Board of Electrical Con-
troll, and the lights in the Nineteenth Precinct were
not burning last night. These lights, however
confined to about scventy-ive private ones for
the United States Company does not do any pub
tic lighting above Fourteenth-st Mr.. Lynch
said yesterday that the entire question of the
standing Of the Board of Electrical Control will be
settled in the suit which the Corporation Counsel
is to bring against the company to compel it to put
its wires underground. Pending the result Of that
suit the company will not attempt further light
ing in the district forbidden by the Board. This
will cause considerable hardship to the customers
of the company, many of whom have had the gas
turned off from their premises If the suit, which
will probably begin some time this week, is de-
cided against the company, it will cause loss of
large sum of money, but il it is successfully
defended by the company, suit for heavy damages
will be Immediately begun. Ii is not likely that
decision will be reached for some time, as both
sides will present great mass Of evidence.
Mr.. Lynch spent the day explaining to reporters
how it was impossible, from his point of view, to
operate their wires from the subway. lie SAID
that the order Of the Brush Company for q mile
of cable for the subway is simply a blind on
which to get further permits from the Board to
continue the overhead lighting. However, the
company has established powerful precedent for
the guidance Of the Board, and the getting of the
wires from the streets and across the tops of
houses seems to be remarkably near at hand con-
sideping the enormous amount of opposition to the
Commission from many companies The United
States Company denies that complaint has ever
been received from 0ttenhemer Brothers, Nos.
446 and 44s Broadway but the complaint was
taken from the records Of the Board of Electrical
Control.
Mayor Hewitt expressed his satisfaction yes
terday TO learn that the Board OF Electrical Con.
troll had assumed the offensive in the matter of
compelling electric light companies to put their
wires underground. lie added, however, that 1t
puzzled hin. not a little To see how it was going
to be done, in view of the absence OF any pro-
vision for local distribution of the electrical
service for either telegraph, telephone or lighting
purposes
There was no unusual dmness uptown last night
because the electricity was turned OIL from the
LIGHTS of the UniNd States Company. People
generally expected to see the Nineteenth Precinct
return to gas again, hut this companys public
system does not extend uptown so far as this
The lights in front OF Days and the Fifth Avenue
theatres were not burning; neither was the one
near the Gilsey House. In Sixth-ave. there
seemed to be much light as usual and all the
street lamps gave forth light