Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-12
TROLLEY WIRES ON r STREET.
What 10 Said 1t the Capitol About IN
Action Of the House

What 10 Said At the Capitol About the
Action Of the House.
The action Of the House yesterday allowing
the Metropolitan road to use overhead wires
seems scarcely 10 have created . ripple, even
among members Of the House usually
interested in District legislation. Most
members are disinclined to speak on the
subject. holding that the House has already
taken action and that the matter now remains
with the Senate. It lie Of interest in regard
70 the matter that the House District COM
mittee short time ago received .
long letter from Mr.. Theo. Mailleux, who ia the
electrician in charge Of the Metropolitan plant.
Mr.. Mailleux in that letter spoke with the
greatest Of confidence in the success of the
storage battery system and made no mention
OF desire or wish on the part of
tne railroad company for overhead wires
he spoke OF the three large buildings which
had been erected in Georgetown. covering
l32 by $40 feet aud said the plant was the larg-
est storage battery traction plant ever de-
signed or attempted; that it was three
times larger than the next In size, which was at
birmingham, England. He spoke in detail Of
put in aud Of the difficulties which had been
met; that with no precedence almost all the
machinery had to be specially designed,
Inc most serious cause Of delay, however, had
been legal difficulties owing to injunctions
whieh had been placed on the various
lie said in the letter, the company had sue
ceeded in finding battery suitable for its
purpose and over which no cloud of legal COM
plcation hangs. The letter showed in the
greatest confidence the ultimate success and
Practicability Of the system. Speaking of
this and Of the cost Of operation the
electrician said: The cost Of operation is, in
truth, the only ground on which the practica-
oiiity OF the storage battery system has been
lmpeached. This 10 an objection which, In
Affects the company operating the system
rather than the patrons thereof. This
suggested the thought that the adoption OF
this supposedly most expensive system to OPP
crate the metropolitan railroad, even though
induced, as it may have been, by circumstances
outside Of its own voliton. is the circumstance
which it appears to me entities it to the special
consideration Of your honorable committee"
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE.
Senator Gallinger said today: "Inasmuch al
Congress has enacted very stringent legislation
on this subject and has declared its intent in
unmistakable language we should abide by the
letter and the spirit Of the law. For reasons
that were satisfactory the Senate and House
have, prior to yesterdays action, declared the
trolley system to be Objectionable, ana, follow
ing out these conclusions, have compelled one
VI tuc companies mere 10 eXpenu several
millions OF dollars in an extensive cable plant
To compel competing company to adopt a
much cheaper system-generally Objectionable
to the people Of this city-would be an mex
cusable outrage"
Senator Harris Of the Senate District com.
mittee was somewhat astonished at the revival
OF congressional trolley advocacy. Il think, "
said he. that the overhead system is the
best and cheapest, but l feel certain i,
will never be adopted for use in
this city. The Senate has made known it,
views on more than one occasion and i have
no reason for supposing that it has changed 1t.
opinion; it is opposed to wires in the streets v
Senator Barbour said: II am unslterably op.
posed to overhead wires. / am immovably
fixed in my aversion to the trolley system. Al
between the trolley System and horses l favor
horses"
Senator Perkins had not given the matter
any consideration. He had been informed by
. representative Of the Metropolitan company
that the company was not asking for and did
not desire the trolley system. The Senator
says he will look into the House bill closely.