Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-01
TALK OVER CONDUITS
THE CITY ENGINEER AND SuPERlN'
TENOENT MCLuER DISCUSS THEM.
The Sub-Committee Hears tho Argument
and Dcfcrs Action-Several Other
Committees Meet.

Superintendent NcCiuer. Of the telephone
company, was also ia Attendance and eApihlnei
the reasons why the telephone company "hitci
the privilege 10 place the coniuits undcesrOtiri.
He said IL would be- absolutely necessary ior the
company TO got their wires on tae poic- "ilvt.
they come LA contact with the strong current
wires Of the electriclight anl electrician COM
panics.
A sERioCs NATTER.
Colonel Cutshaw said tina: It was \ very serious
matter to consider the placing ot cOndui's uhHp'
the streets, as IL would necessfaie the pulling 70
OF tho streets at great incOnvenienc@. anu
that II done at ell there should be gem
eral ordinance requiring all wiros 70 20
into these conduita. He thought no one
company should have exclusive control oi any
conduit that might be constructed. IN" bngi-
ncer doubted whether the time had come Tor
any action on tho part OF the city 70 permit tho
placing Of the wires underground.
The question of tho Interference ~ strong
current with wcak-current wires evoked AM.
mated and lengthy discussion between Colonel
Cutshaw and Mr.. McCluer.
THE ENGINEERS VIEWS.
The former took the ground that these wires
could all be manipulated on one set oi poles 10y
proper insulation, and strongly argued his views
10 the committee.
Mr.. McCluer asserted that no insulation IN the
word would protectthc weaker wires from danger
10y the strOng-cIrrent wires, AMI stated thht tne
placing of the two currents on ono pole would
surely re.u in danger to life and property.
Colonel Cutshaw hero remarked that II was
very strange tntn lUft VII. i'N %Lott ht'o
come there previously and asked for permission
20 put his wires on powcr-wire poles on 'hut,h
hin. The lattcr gentleman explained that we
only telephOne-yircs on those poles were thr
ones running 10 his residence AMI that he had
enough confidence in himself to believe that he
know how TO operate a telephone.
corLp FURNISH EXPERT TESTIMONY.
Tho City Engineer stated that he could bring
expert testimony which would bear him out In
the assertion that the weakest telephone or
telegraph wires could he successfully operatcd
on these poles or similar ones.
Colonel Cui-haw also referred 20 the inconsis-
tent Wow of Mr.. McCucr Or his company In r.
gard to this very subject, and wen: into the re-
suits of meetings held several months ago. at
which all the electrical companies ot the city
were represented and NJ which this matter was
fully discussed.
Mr. McClucr saii he thought the Engineer had
permitted an erroneous impression 10 20 out to
the committee, and asked To nc permitted 10
make an explanation.
OBJECTED TO AN EyPL.NATIoS.
To this Colonel Cutshaw objected unless the
other gentlemen who were present at the pre-
vious meeting were on hand.
The superintendent OF tho Telephone Com
| pany then said: "les, but want to set myself
right before this body. ! think you have not
| exactly stated The fact, la they were.'
"I will have no further discussion" replied
| Colonel Cutshlw "unlrss Nr. Meredith aud
those other electrical gentlemen can be present.
AFuLL cowsnTsg 20 coNsDgR.
After some iurihcg discussions 81 thc main ques-
| tion the Chairman stated t'iat Ae thought the
matter wns one Ot sAch impurii incr Ihht TINS
boty should make no report unfu li shall have
| been considered by the iuli committee and the
| City Attorney, a. well as the other representa-
| tiycs Of electrical companies OF the city.
| MIR. StrattOn then suggested that the commit
tee adjourn 10 meet again nj 7:3D O'Clock We'd
ncsiay evening, October 7th. and that these gen
! tlemcn be requested 10 be present. This was
put in tho snapc Of a motion and prevailed.
| TO MOVE THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
| Just before adjournment Mr.. McCluer stated
! that it was necessary that the central exchange
| of tie Telephone Company be removed irc III its
| present quarters almost immeiiatcl and that
no officers were negotiating FOR the two upper
| floors Of the Masonic Building on the opposite
| corner Of Ninth ami Main streets lie stated that
tho company WAS deslrDIs Of the privilege
| to construct an underground trench or
| conduit to conduct all the wires across the
| street and asked If II was the opinion OF the
! committee ami tho Engineer that this perinis-
| sion would he granted the company. Colonel
| ,utshaw intimated that there could be no oble''
lion on the part ~ the Committee on Streets q
This. Tho committee then adjourned.
Cemetery Lots.
Tho Committee on Cemeteries met in the
| Council chamber al J:30 o'clock, Chairman
| Gftwcs presiding. The Chairman stated that
he considered 70 important that tho committee
Il should visit Rivcr-View and Oakwood cemeteries
\ for the purpose Il making an inspection of Sec
;, iion-. with Wow 90 placing them on the market
, to better advantage. IL WAS decided TINT the
s ho,ly should 20 ont DeSt Wednesday afternoon at
: | o'clo,N. Oakwood will be visited first, and the
B commi'tee will then repair u River view. Ar
raugoments for the entertainment II the COM
mtter will be made by both Suporlntendents
I French and Dckerson
/ On motion Of Mr.. Bowden resolution was
81 adopted asking the Council for al appropriation
i Ot soc, $50 OF which IL wanted for tho grading
| and gravelllug ~ the wilkwayS and the opening
! up ot new sections In OakwO)d cemetery, the
| remainder 20 be transferred 70 the expense ac-
| count.
The regular bills and pay-rols were approved.
Preparing to Open the Market.
| The Committee on the Third Market met In tho
! Council chamber at d O'Clock and wound up
! tho unfinished business before that body.
| The erection ~ an Office NJ tho new market
house WAS ordered, and Clerk Grinlths was IN
| rir rIcted 10 have the entire promises thoroughly
| cleaned and renovated.
| This market Will open for business this morn
ing under hlst favorable circumstance. The
| rentcrs u tho stalls were busy yesterday ar-
| ranging for the opening up of the saie9-h"use
| to-day.
| out of thirty-ninc vegetab'e-stnlls only one
| remains uutakcn. sixteen OF the meat cofnpart-
| meufs have been rented. seyeral OF which
| brought unusual premiums nt the rcent sale OF
privileges. Among the butchers VINO conduct
| busincss az the new market-hOuse are: j. II.
Marlborough, =. Il. Burke, J. 7. Botz, Martin
Ocicrs, o. l.. Bradcr, John Craven, ilarman x
House, J. L. stanisbury, Mr. Lau'erbach, and
others.
Abou. Electric Lights.
\. tho meeting OF the Committee on Electric
| Ii,hts bills Tor the month were ordered - be
| paid AMI tho reguiar routine business trans
at d.
| NIL ". Carter moved that the Clerk be in-
| s,rlcted ~ communicate with Mr. g. r.. Fisher, o
the Richmond Railway aud Electric Company
| asking whether or not the company intends {,
| pat up tho extra lights, anl to request Ill I'M
med reply. Adopted.
| Tho chairman moved that the electric ligh
| now at the corner OF sixth and Leigh streets b,
| trapsforrcd 10 Eighth street In front of thi
| iowitzer ArInory and that the light In front %
| the Second police station BE- moved to the oppo
sitc side Of the street. Carried.
Other Committees.
At o'clock the Committee on Fire met in III,
| Office of tho Fire-Alarm superintendent and
large number Of building permits were granted
Nothing Of special interest 10 the public wal
| done, "a IL was only regular session Defor,
| which only the routine work WAS brought.
The Committee on Police held a regular ses
sion and ordered the payment Of pay-rolls aul
| ILLS for feeding prisoners during the month o
IlSrptember. Henry Vance WAS reinstated al
| Lafitor oi the second station.
| There was no meeting OF thc Jamcs-Ryer I'm
| rroyement Committee because OF the absence o
| n auorum The session was to have been hel,
on the tue-boat Craighill, but only Messrs. Allen
{ .r.is, Christian, ana Ferguson were present.
Called Meeting of Both branches.
f. called meeting Of the Common Council vii
l& held tomorrow evening at O'clock, and
lIf hour later tho Board Of Aldermen will as
sZnblc.
| MIC purpOse.of these sessions IL 20 consider al
* nance establishing the yoting-pla es in Tn
| Sslerent election precincts OF the city. Cier
| irttsf ye.fgrH3y rpsel,f1