Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-28
AGAINST TROLLEYS.
The Declarations of Congress and the
Reports of Experts.
THE FIGHT IN WASHINGTON.
Statements Made on the Floors Of Congress
and in the Oncial Reports-Some Points
Bearing on the Discussion Now Before the
Senate District Committee.

1t is probable that no community was ever
more surprised than was Washington Yesterday
evening when it learned through The Star
that the Senate District committee had seri-
ously discussed the ACCESSIBILITY Of permitting
street railroad companies whose lines are
within the city to use the highly Objectionable
and dangerous trolley motor.
Objection to such a course has always aroused
| the most burning indignation and protests
without number. yet the agents Of corporations
| financially interested have once more come to
the front with their disturbing propositions.
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE TROLLEY.
When in August, 1888, the Commissioners
granted a permit to the lexington and Soldiers
Home Railway Company to construct an
electric road with overhead wires, there was
storm Of protest and great indignation ex-
pressed in Congress at what was considered
violation by the Commissioners of the ex-
| pressed will of Congress. Congress had only q
hort time previously in the District appropria-
! ton act for 1Ss9-'90 directed the Commits
| sioners not to permit the erection Of any over
head wires after the 18th of September
following and to report to Congress at the be-
| removing all electric wires from the air or
surface of the streets and the best
| method Of placing the same under ground.
In the case Of the lexington road only a por-
| ton Of the line was in the city limits and
that occupied broad avenue, but the employ
SO prejudicial to the general interests OF
| the city that it was only by force of special
| pleading that Congress was restrained
| from legislation expressly forbidding the car
| rying out Of the plans Of the company. II
| was urged that only q fraction Of the
rnod 1oyy xuifl p,t Slot -
| change would be somewhat disastrous to
an enterprise undertaken In good faith,
contracts having been already entered into
| Had 1t then been proposed, as it is now, to
| equip with overhead wires line lying entirely
within the city limits and traversing many Of
the principal streets, some OF them
| like + street, narrow and crowded with
| traffic, SO far as one can judge by the tenor of
| the discussions in Congress, that body could
have forbidden it. Subsequently, when it was
proposed to further extend the lexington line
| into the city, Congress forbade the use Of
overhead wires on the extension and re-
quired the company to use another system on
| the new portion of the road. The objections
| then urged, and which are still urged, with
| equal force against the overhead wires may be
summed up as follows: l. The disbursement
| suffered by the streets; 2. The
destructive and murderous part which the
overhead wires play in almost every great city.
3. The difficulty encountered in getting rid of
the nuisance when it has once twiued itself
about a city. 4. The obstruction offered to
| the operations of the fire department.
CAPT. GRIFFIN's RECOMMENDATION.
The act Of the Commissioners in granting the
permit to the lexington road was discussed in
The STAR of August 10, 1888, and the matter
summed up as follows: Captain Griffin was
authorized by them (the Commissoners)
to investigate the subject of the use of
,n.x ,1xs,, T.
| ways, and the first recommendation of his able
| and elaborate report is: That no overhead
| electrical conductors be permitted in the city,
but such conductors with due precautions to
| insure safety, may be allowed on suburban
| lines In an interview Capt Griffin also
electric motors: In suburban lines the
| system will be to a large extent by over
head conductors, but for the city, where it Is
| the intention to put all wires underground, the
adoption Of this system is out Of the question,
a. the same objection that is made to
take ur too much space and interfere
with the work Of the fire department.
The Commissioners, who in their report
to tho Senate committee have stated in q
| similar vein that AN electrical conductor Of
high potential should not be allowed above
the surface along the line unless in isolated
cases where no harm could ensue, and have
also adopted other suggestions Of Capt.
Griffn's report. and have urged, for instance,
at his suggestion. that if tho use of cleo
tricity is authorized in street railway charters
the regulation of methods, &C., should sub
stantially be intrusted to them. The sole rec
ommendation of the overhead system for street
railway is its cheapness. Its disadvantages
outside Of the dangers where a high
tension current is employed are stated
as the Of the pole lines, which in
general will not be tolerated in large cities the
Int Of lou 10
when the rail constitutes a part of the electric
current and the difficulty Of insurng good con-
tact with the rail when the streets are not clean
(as in Washington OF covered with snow"
THE VIEWS OF coNaREss.
August IS, 1888, Senator Edmunds offered
resolution, which was adopted, calling
upon the Commissioners for information
as to whether since the LIST of January,
1888, they had granted any permits
for the erection of overhead cleo
trio wires Of any kind on any Of the streets,
avenues or alleys, and if so for what purpose
and under what authority. He said he had
read statement to the effect that electric wires
had been erected for motive power, but hoped
it was not true.
81 had supposed" he said, "that both houses
Of Congress were Of opinion, as every other
sensible person ought to be. that the erection of
overhead electric wires Of any hind in this city
(WashIngtOn) was to be stopped entirely"
The Commissioners in their reply GATED Au-
gust Is, 1888, stated permit had been granted
to the lexington company and. in explanation
said: This permit was granted in order to en-
able the company to exercise the power con-
ferred by its charter, by electricity in the man
ner considered by the Commissioners to be
most advantageous to the public"
The Senate District committee. when it finally
acted, September /, 1888, on the matter re-
ferred to it by the motion Of Mr.. Edmunds,
decided to report resolution Of the character
called for by Mr.. Edmunds motion, but with Q
recommendation that it be not adopted.
At the same time, however, the committee
agreed to report favorably resolution prohib-
iting the erection Of overhead telegraph, tele-
phone and electric light wires, and
requiring the removal Of existing wires
after July /, following, in the streets
of the city. Electric railway wires, it was
stated, were purposely omitted because X was
held that the charters to several new railways
already granted permitted the employment Of
such wire if desired and that legislation prohib-
iting it would be an infringement ON their char
ter rights.
When the resolutions were reported to the
Senate they were accompanied by Q report from
the District committee explaining its action
The report . ed that the charter of the Eek
ingSon company had been granted
in tho previous June and contract asRre-
eating $4,000 had been entered into; that
the act authorized the use Of electricity as
q motive power; a permit was obtained from
the Commissioners; contracts were made for
ele0trical eouipnnent and work was in prourass