Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-26
RICKETY OLD LINES.
Superintendent Miles Urges the Necessity of
New Poles for the District Telegraph.

New Poles for the District Telegraph.
IN the annual report Of the superintendent
of telegraph and telephone service, which was
printed some time ago in The STAR, attention
was called to the fact that in the estimates SUBJ
mitted for the support of the telegraph and
telephone service of the District no expenditure
was included for rebuilding the several trunk
lines supported by poles, which Mr. Miles said
he though. would have to be done ifprovision be
not made for burying the wires at an early date.
If no provision for doing this. il will be renem-
bered, Mr.. Miles said at the time tha: EN- extra
appropriation Of not less than SOC would
be necessary for reconstructing air lines.
This morning Mr.. Miles sent to the Commits
siOners a. full report on the subject. He says
that nearly all the poles which support the
wires of the fire alarm telegraph were erected
fifteen years ago and are rotten and unsafe. AT
the trees were small and consequently short
poles were put up. The trees have grown 70
tall that the wires are necessarily in
contact with their branches and
consequently large escape of the
currents of electricity is unavoidable Two
years ago, Mr.. Niles rays he called the atten-
ton of the Commissioners to the condition of
the main trunk line of poles running from his
Office TO and through Georgetown, and while
the Commissioners called the attention of
Congress to the matter nothing was ever done.
the Commissioners were then consider
ing the subject and preparing a report to
Congress looking to the early burying of all
wires. Congress, he adds, made an appropria-
ton Of 1864 for putting this trunk line
underground, but as the Commissioners were
preparing a plan for putting all the wires
underground the item was stricken out Of the
bill in the conference committee. Since that
time, continues Mr. Miles. quite a number of
old poles have fallen and have been reset
with a loss In length of four feet to each reset
pole. thus bringing the wires more seriously
than before in contact with the branches of the
trees. and, of course. the poles are in u more
advanced stage of decay and consequently in
"a Tar more dangerous condition than ever be-
fore. He says further that no commercial
telegraph company would attempt to carry on
its business over such a line of poles
and great hazard to the property and safety Of
the people Of the city is being run by the con-
tinued use of this trunk line. The wires of the
fire alarm telegraph are in n bad condition, he
saws. and the safety Of property and human
life Is a great responsibility.
He refers to his plan for putting all the Dis
trict wires underground which he submitted to
the Commissioners on the I'd of April, 1888. and
says that 1t appears hazardous to postpone
longer the work of rebuilding these lines and
recommends prompt action.
He continues that il under all the circum-
stances the underground system cannot be I'M
dertaken at an early date not less than $4,000
ought TO be appropriated at once and made
available Immediately for replacing all the old
poles with new ones.
To place all the wires of the District under
ground me says. would cost probably 300. 900. To
put the main trunk lines from headquarters to
and through Georgetown with the necessary
loops in good and sufficient conduits would
cost sc, 900. and ii accomplished would be n
part of IA general system and would, he
says, be preferable to replacing the old poles
all
new poles would be useless when the wires are
finally put under ground. One plan or the
other. lac says in conclusion, Lie regards an
absolute necessity.