Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-14
OVERHEAD WIRES DISCUSSED,
Sharp Debate on the lexington and
Soldiers Home Railroad Bill.
PRIVATE BILL DAY IN THE HOUSE.
THE SENATE.
DISTRICT BILLS PASSED,

1
| lumbia tor overdue taxes
The House amendments to the Senate bills
to vest in the vestry of Christ church parish
| the title to a certain square Of ground in WASH
| ington city, and for the change of route and
termini of the Anacostia Street railroad were
concurred in. These bills have now passed
both houses.
THE LEXINGTON RAILROAD BILL
The House amendment to Senate bill to
amend the charter of the lexington and SOL
diers Home railroad company was taken up
and discussed, Messrs. Vest and Hale arguing
| against the permission OF overhead wires as
dangerous to life and Mr.. Harris asserting that
force of 500 volts (Which was sufficient for
| motive power) was inOcuous.
Mr.. Vest moved an amendment providing
| that no overhead wires should be used within
| the city limits
body OF the bill could not now be amended,
but the point was overruled and the amend
mont was received
ELECTRIC RAILROADS DISCUSSED.
Mr.. Sherman opposed the amendment He
spoke Of the existing line as the most beautiful
| specimen of electric railroad in the United
| States, and said that the extension for which
| the bill provided was in the suburbs except as
to two squares, where there were scarcely any
| buildings.
Mr.. Hale said that these street railroad en-
terprlses were not called for by the inhabitants
| OF any section, either in the populated part of
the city or the suburbs. The plan was for q
company or an individual to purchase available
land outside the populated parts and seek to
open these lands by getting Congress to charter
| an electric railway.
railroad that had been built in Omaha wear
ago, and said that, although there had been
much opposition to Ii at the time there was
| not a citizen of Omaha now who would not be
glad to have an electric line on every street
In the city. There had not been . single acci-
dent on that road.
MR. EDMUNDs ON OVERHEAD WIRES.
Mr.. Edmunds argued in support of the
amendment He spoke of the whole thing as
land speculation, so as to make suburban
lands worth more, while there was
not one-fourth of the city filed up
within its boundaries. That was the fact about
great public urgency in allowing the
company to put up wires that we're dan
gerous to human life. As to North
Capitol street, on which the extension was
to be built, and which had been repre-
sented as a lovely rural place, it was, in its
original design and present outlines.
perhaps the noblest avenue in the whole
District Of Columbia and had only failed to
be populated by persons OF wealth and leisure
because OF the nuisance Of the Balt-
| occupied much of the avenue. He offered q
substitute for MIR. Vests amendment land the
latter accepted it, providing that the right OF
the company to erect or use overhead wires
within the District of Columbia should abso-
lutely cease and terminate on the LIST of July,
| 1893.
Mr.. Paddock said that he knew nothing
whatever OF the railroad in question and had
| only thought it his duty to give his testimony
| as TO the electric railway in Omaha.
Mn. HARRIS SAYS THERE Is NO DANGER IN THE
WIRES.
Mr.. Harris said that the electric power used
by the company had never exceeded 400 volts;
and that there was no danger to animal life
from that force; that for the year and half
which the company had been in oper-
alton no accident had occurred; and
That in the city OF Boston (where more electri-
cal experiments had been made than in any
any other city, authority had been given about
year ago to erect overhead wires on all the
street railways within the limits Of the city,
Mr.. Edmunds asked Mr.. Harris whether he
did not know that the city Of Boston had been
governed for some time Gas many people there
| thought much as New York city had been
governed some years ago. So that the getting
a right from that municipality to erect over
head wires tor street railways did not demon
strate the safety of that system
MIR. Harris took it for granted that there was
no very great alarm in Boston as to the danger
Of the system, or there would be some clamor
heard from the citizens, but there was no such
claim.
THE VALUE OF STREET RAILROAD FRANcHIsFs
MIR. Henderson spoke OF the great value Of
street railway franchises, and suggested that
| the proper method was not to permit parties
who had speculative interests in outside
real estate to dictate lines of
roads by which their real estate could
be brought into market, but that there should
be some demand from the suburban popula-
ton along the proposed route on the COmmis-
sioners OF the District or on Congress- Then
the franchise should he granted to those who
were ready to pay most for it.
AZ 1t was now those roads were operated to
the immense profit of few individuals. He
concurred with his colleagues remarks as to
the electric road in Omaha and declared his
belief that the best system Of street railways
was the electric system.
Mr.. VEST QUESTIONED THE STATEMENT
| as to q force of five hundred volts not being
dangerous to human life and cited against it
an article written by Mr.. Westinghouse and
published in the North American Repie,c to the
effect that force of two hundred volts was
dangerous to human life.
| He also referred to the electric street rail-
roads in Kansas City and Des Moines as fail
ures and nuisances, so that he said, the case
of the one in Omaha proved nothing. #a0l
/ He declared his belief that the cable system
was superior to any other and said that il Con-
| gress did its duty il would force all the street
| railway companies Of the District to adopt il
Mr.. Pmtt expressed himself as opposed to
the amendment because he did not regard
overhead wires az dangerous, but he was also
opposed to the bill as being merely speculative
without any public necessity back Of Il
NR. EDMUNDs' AMENDMENT AGREED no.
The question was taken on Mr.. Edmunds'
amendment and it was agreed "a. Yeas, s.;
nays, Is.
The House amendment - thus amended,
| was agreed to.
URGENT DEYICIENCI 1lLI.
Mr.. Hale, from the committee on appropria-
tions, reported the urgent deficiency bill, and
said that he would cali it up for action nsxs
Monday.
TEE BLAIR EDUCATIONAL BrIx.
was taken mp at AIS - ''ths unfinished bust
ness, !" and Mr.. Teller addressed the Senate in
support ofit