New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-16
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT FOR THE CAPIIOL
SPIRITED RIVALRY BETWEEN COMPANIES TO
SECURE THE JOB.

SPl ITED RIVALRY BEIWtEN NO-hi NA'4i7 ~
SECURE THE JOB.
Washington Dec IS (special.-The old rivalry
between tho electric light companies IS about to break
out again in the Senate Committee on Rules Inc
Committee has ordered Mr. Clark the Architect of the
| Capitol to investigate and report on The dlHereht
systems Of electric lighting now in use with the view
Of adopting permanently system IN the senate wing
Of the Capitol Two years ago the Sawyer-Mann
people put electric wires into the Senate wing Tho
wires We're put I'm at the risk Of the company ana the
work was rather roughly done. In the marble fooh'
behind the Senate Chamber, was hung massive
chandelier made To represent basket of howers the
shades Of the electric bulbs being fashioned III il'a
ton Of flowers of various knds-as unsiilape nX'ue
| as could well have been dcsigneu' DcalhS
in mind the classic simplicity of tho room
itself In tho room OF the Committee on
AppOpriations-the committee when "oulu au
thorze the necessary expenditure IL the S!scin Woio
| adoptcd-was hung very large chaiHcHor Va u"N4"o
design. The plant was put in at an estimated COST
TO the senate Of $4,000, to be PAD lor INC sSS
ten were adopted and the plant accoptou' Inc
plant gradually enlarged ana the coso n0'o"S.'
untn the appropriation which was finally made ior
the purchase of the whole, subject TO
acceptance was s1s 065 96. OF ms ap-
preparation S1s7l4 81 remains uheApehued
me option Of the sawyer Md"" Pi''i' %
pred January l. but It was indefinitely rehe"eu III
the hope that the Senate would eventually ueler
mine to mako the investment Architect Ciarh'
in his report TO the Secretary Of the INTERIOR mas
made adverse comment on the sawyerMann sys
tenn, and the Secretary in his report 10 INC frcsF
dent Of the United States says , 49,
THE electric lights I'm the Senate wing gave goOd re
suits, but as the system Is deemed oDJectOhabe nun
ing has been done toward extending it, nor has the
plant been accepted or paid for pehdihs eApcc'eu
ladlVe action the subject. . -. ,.o,,o n It, fla
The Sawyer-Mann people seem TO have become ilt,o @
discouraged for the eiiOcscent chandelier IN ihe mar
bic room has been removed, ana mat Whlcn hau9s
In the room of the Committee on Appropriations Is III
danger
The House Committee on Public Buhdings ana ana
Grounds made an elaborate report on the question
Of lighting the House wing with electricity Inc
bids for power and plants ranged from %4l ,4OO 10
S94 755, and for fixtures from To2oO 10 I'll VVV c6
The committee asked Appropriation Oi @l-o,ouo
10 carry out plan OF electric lighting ana system
Of electric call bells devised undes t9e comini1"J
appropriation. The Edison system Is IN
use expermentally In the House wing. There
Will be strong competition between the different
companies at this sion OF Congress Tor the contract
and the usual charges of undue influence VIII likely
be made. IL is probable that a piOposuon VIII DC
made to construct an Independent eleculc ght pant
II dimensions sufficient % furnish electflca energy
for lighting the Capitol building aud grounds a we'll
10 be situated at some point not lar from The Capol
At present the Capitol grounds are so dark and gloomy
that residents OF Capitol Hin afraid OF being sand
agged"-a favorite expression here ever since the
sergeant alarms expressed the fear That his euauc
cashier had met that fate In NewYork-if they venture
through them at night.