Evening star., 1894-03-24
PLAGUED WITH WIRES
Massachusetts Studying the Methods in
Vogue Here.
Committees From the Legislature
Sent to This City-The Railroad
Committee Here Today.

AAo'SihShl dSdllSl the ONSTHSdu-WlTc
nuisance has reached a rather acute stage.
especially in the Massachusetts legislature.
During the early part of the week the men,
pers or what is known as the mercantile
committee of that body came to this city
and inspected the methods in vogue here
or placing electric wires of all kinds be-
meath the surface. They visited the Rock
creek road and saw the underground sys-
tenn In operation and also learned what
the electric light and telephone companies
had done in that direction. On their re-
turn TO Boston it was stated by the Boston
Globe that their inspection Of the under
ground trolley in operation in this city
proved something of revelation to the
committee, and opened the eyes of all
TO the practicability at least of applying in
Boston a system which would answer ull
needful purposes, while disposing of every
objection now urged against the harassilg
overhead trolley. After a thorough mspec-
ton OF the underground trolley in Washing
ton the consensus OF opinion on the part
or the mercantile committee seems to be
that it Is the best solution thus far afforded
OF trolley electric street railways
The committee also got valuable points in
regard to underground conduits, and alto
gether they were very much pleased with
what they saw and heard in this city.
They also visited Brooklyn, Philadelphia
and New York. Last night another COM
mittee from the Massachusetts legislature
arrived In this city and are Quartered at
the Riggs House. They are the members
OF the joint railroad committee of the legis-
lature, and the committee is composed of
three Senators and eight Representatives
After an early breakfast this morning the
entire party left the Riggs House in car
rlages as the guests of Mr. A. G. Wheeler,
the manager of the Love underground sys-
tenn which is in operation on the L street
line OF the Rock Creek road. The party
were drlVen directly to 18th street and Flori-
ia avenue where the junction is made be-
tween the overhead and the underground
system. They saw how the change was
made from the overhead to the under
ground, and the members of the committee
LOOK turns IN going down into the vault to
see exactly how the underground trolley
was attached and detached from the cars
Asking Questions.
Mr.. Wheeler was the target of quite a
rusiilade of questions There seemed to be
TWO principal points in regard to the sys-
tenn about which some of the visitors
seemed to feel doubtful. One was whether
the conduit. filling up with water or snow
there would not be great loss in The cur
rent, and the second point was in regard to
tne readiness with which access could be
gained TO the wires. Mr.. Wheeler gave ex-
plantations on both these points. A car was
IN waiting, and the visitors rode along u
street, examined the crossing of the cable
road at iith. and then continued to the end
AihC' 'PoH tHelT return they C.
cepted an invitation from the superinten-
dent of the road and went out to Chevy
Chase. 'S
The chairman of the committee. Senator
Sahuel L. Sawyer of Danville Mass in
talking with a Star reporter who was with
the party, expressed himself as being verv
much pleased with what he had seen az
TINS system, and especially as 1t appeared
that the objections which had been raised
to the practicability OF underground wires
mad been met in this road He said that
there Is no doubt that overhead wires of
every Kind and description were doomed.
especially In the business sections OF cities
In fact, he said that the only question now
is to get some practical substitute The
success which this system had achieved in
the time that 1t had been in operation here,
ne thought. was greatly in its favor and II
seemed to him that that fact went a great
ways toward showing that 1t was practical.
He said that the people of Boston were de-
termined to get rid of the overhead wires,
and this committee had been authorized to
make thorough Investigation
Plans of the Committee.
In addition to the subject Of a better n,o-
tive power for street railroads than the over
mead trolley furnishes the committee is
also engaged In investigating the subject
OF transfers on street railroads of safety
appliances for street cars and Of methods
or heating cars in winter. The committee
will remain in this city until Tuesday 1t
10 propdpie tnat subcommittee Will be
sent TO Chicago to investigate the subject
or transfers In that city and 1t is possible
that some members of the committee will
visit Philadelphia, but the real object of
the trip Is to see the underground electric
road In operation in this city.
The visitors were accompanied today by
representatives O'Neil and Randall of the
Massachusetts delegation, and Representa-
tive White of Cleveland, Ohio The mem
bers OF the committee are Senators Samuel
L. Sawyer, Denver: Elisha H. Shaw Chelms-
ford. and John Kerrick, jr., Orleans; Rep
resentatives w. d. Dennis. Salem, chair
man; Frank c. Wood, Boston; VIM H.
Sprague, Bridgewater; James H. Flint
Weymouth; ]. j. Hoar. Boston; F. H. Bates
Sterling; d. p. Toomey, Boston, and c. D.
Davis. Boston.