Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-06
LIGHTING THE STREETS.
Protesting Against the Contract OF the
Electric Heat and Power Company.

This morning the Commissioners gave q hear.
ing TO delegation composed Of Mr.. George A
McIlhenney, VIM. Riley, Chas. B. Bailey and
VIM. B. Webb, attorney representing the Wash.
ington gas light company, who called to pro.
test against the Commissioners entering into
contract with the Electric heat and power com.
pany. Mr.. J. K. Redington, representing the
United States electric light company was also
present to protest. Some time ago the Electric
heat and power company applied for permis.
sion to operate their lights in certain streets O.
the city, and it was then stated that there would
be big fight to prevent the new company from
laying their wires.
The hearing this morning abounded In spicy
talk.
CLAIMS OF THE GAS COMPANY.
MIR. McIlhenney, for the gas company, spoke
OF first seeing in The STAR publication that
the Commissioners were about to consumnate
contract with an electric light company, he
called attention to the fact that the company
had gone to great expense in providing appa-
ratus and material for the purpose of manufac-
turing gas for the coming year, and stated that
1t would be great injury to them to allow
had made such preparation. He said, further,
that the entering into contract with the new
electric company was not q matter of public
policy. Incandescent lighting, he said, was
NOT AN EFFICIENT METHOD For LIGHTING
the streets. That while the contract might call
for 25-candle power they were really getting
but 15-candle power. Mr.. McIlhenney added
that the light was expensive; that its diffusion
was not as great as that given by gas. In con-
clusion he said that the incandescent light was
not a street light, as there is no carbon or
cd pIo ALL x1~x L.
light would have to be replenished often, as the
lamps would wear out.
Mr.. Webb said he didn't propose to argue
the case before the Commissioners. but he did
think it was wrong for the Commissioners to
experiment at the expense of the gas COM
panies.
Mr.. McIlhenney here called attention to the
fact that the incandescent light was not used in
any large cities
MAJOR RAYMoND's PREDICTION,
Major Raymond, who has been deeply inter.
ested in this new project, here corrected Mr..
McElhenney and mentioned Pittsburg and
candescent lights He also spoke at length on
the advantages of the new system, and for the
of those present stated that as now
proposed it was the intention Of the Commits
sioners to allow them to put in few lights, but
he was certain that just as soon as these were in
Aoi. "Potasiou 1uere "ouiu DC noWl 90 up 6ucn
as the people never heard for them.
THE LAW ON THE SUBJECT.
Mr.. Webb then followed with a resume OF
the law on the subject and finished by asking
if the Commissioners thought they could turn
the gas company out?
THE ELECTRIC LIGHTNING COMPANY.
Mr.. Reddington, for the United States cleo
trio lighting company, said that it was appar-
ent upon the face Of the thing that the offer OF
the company was not made with view to public
lighting. The object, he said, was manifestly
to secure underground wires for private bust
ness After some little talking on the part OF
the Commissioners the delegation withdrew,
the Commissioners promising to consider the
matter fully before signing the contract
Major Raymond signed the contract this af-
ternoon and submitted it to the board for sig
nature