Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-24

StTectS are TODDeU Oh DARKNESS Dy means
Of arc electric lights. and that the road
ways of the suburbs not as yet supplied
with gas mains depend on Oil lamps to
partially dispel the gloom of night. But
as to who lights and extinguishes the
lamps, the number of such, what their
maintenance COSTS or any other facts In
relation to the matter are questions that
but a small proportion of the population
OF the capital city of these United States,
1t Is safe TO say, are prepared to anwSer.
For the fiscal year ending in 1895 Con-
gress has appropriated for Illuminating ma
terial lighting, extinguishing, repairing and
cleaning public lamps on avenues, Streets
roads and alleys, for purchasing and ex-
pense OF erecting new lamp posts, street.
designation lanterns and fixtures, moving
lamp posts, painting lamp posts and lam
terms, replacing and repairing lamp posts
and lanterns damaged or unfit for service,
for storage and carriage of material 81 ~, 400.
Congress. in its wisdom has directed that
the lamps shall burn not less than 5000
hours per annum, provided, that before
any expenditures are made from the ap
preparation In question the contracting gas
company shall equip each street lamp with
a sef-reguating burner and tip, so COM
bined and adjusted as to secure, under
all ordinary variations of pressure and
density, consumption of six cubic feet of
gas per hour.
Problem of the Trees.
There is appropriated for electric lighting,
including necessary expenses of inspection,
on one or moro of the principal streets In
the cities Of Washington and Georgetown,
$4,000. Not more than 10 cents per night,
the law provides, shall be paid for any
electric arc light burning every night from
sunset to sunrise, and operated wholly
by means of underground wires Each arc
light, 1t is stipulated, shall be of not less
than 900 candle power.
According to Capt. George Nice. Derby,
opfc ant 70 hA
Engineer Commissioner of the District. the
streets of this city are most difficult to
light owing to the great number OF trees
planted on the curb line. The heavy shade
renders the use of large electric lights at
wide Intervals generally unsuitable and the
high price charged by the electric company,
Capt. Derby states makes II impossible to
even extend this system to all the streets,
where the trees will permit. The trees are
generally located so near the curb that the
lamp posts have to be set on practically
the same line the trunks of the trees, so
that even in winter when the trees are bare
of leaves the streets look gloomy at night
as compared with the streets Of most large
capitals.
Some experiments have been made during
the past year looking to a change in the
type of lamp post and lantern. to obviate
this difficulty as far as possible, but so far
without developing anything that would be
considered a solution of the problem In
many cases Capt. Derby Is inclined to
think that the best results would be OBJ
tanned by locating the lamp posts in the
center of the streets, as Is done to some
extent in many foreign cities, curbing
around the foot of the post serving the pur-
pose of protecting the post and furnishing
place of safety where pedestrians can
take refuge in crossing crowded streets.
These small refugees, placed at intervals of
100 or 125 feet, would also help. it is said.
to regulate traffic, as vehicles would natur-
ally keep to the right of them.
The Municipal Moonlight.
The city is at the present time lighted by
1921 electric lights. 6,246 gas lamps and TAT
oil lamps The United States Electric Light
Company furnishes the electric portion of
the illumination, the gas is supplied by the
Washington Gas Light Company, and the
Oil lamps by firm in this city. An ad-
vantageous contract, 1t Is thought, has
been made for the substitution of gasoline
for the Oil lamps used, where gas mains
have not been laid. The lamps are lighted
from forty minutes after sunset until forty
minutes before sunrise every night of the
year for ST per lamp per annum.
AS has been stated, by far the greater
portion of the lighting is by means of gas.
The government erects the lamps, but the
gas company must see to it that they are
maintained in proper condition. or the
6,246 lamps, but very small proportion are
under the direction Of the United States
government, and these are located in the
grounds surrounding the Executive Man
sion and the public parks and reservations.
The lamps are lighted and extinguished in
accordance with the schedule governing the
city lamps and are paid for at the same
rate. 1t Is prescribed by law that each gas
lamp shall burn just 5000 hours each year,
while to maintain an all night service dur
ing the entire 1853 nights would require that
the lamps should be lighted at least 1900
hours. Therefore, in order to remain with
in the 3O0O-hour limit the lamps are not
lighted on nights when the full moon shines
forth.
The Corps of Lnmplighters.
The lamps are lighted as prescribed in
schedule arranged by the District officials
at the end of each calendar month to gov
ern the succeeding month. This is trans
mitted to the Washington Gas Light Com
pany, which furnishes copies to each lam
lighter, who is held strictly accountable
and required to live up to the regulations
contained therein and to observe the hours
prescribed. The corps of lampliShters con-
sists Of fifty men, the majority being col
ored. In addition to lighting and eXtin-
gushing the lamps the lamplighters are
expected to keep them clean. The number
of lamps assigned to each man Is about
one hundred and twenty, and he must light
them all in the space of one hour, and ex-
tinguish them in similar period, without
regard to the weather. For their services
the lamplighters are paid at the rate of
SIS per month each.
Several watchmen are employed by the gas
light company to see that the lamplighters
perform their duty as they are expected to
do Capt. w. L. Cash is the gas companys
superintendent of street lamps, and the
lamplighters report to him at the 10th
street Office for orders daily. before MAX
ing their rounds. Even when the prepared
schedules denotes moonlight night the
lighters are required to report, for when
the day betokens dark night. the lamps
are made, far as possible, to take the
place of the moon. fine OF cents per
hour is imposed on the gas light company
o.. H. Her1t q Il
nights, and policemen are required to re-
port all omissions. Wind often extinguish-
es the lights and the company IS held
responsible. One night not very long ago
a sudden gust put out every one of the
many hundred lights on the Anacostia
bridge.
The System In Paris.
The amount Of glass in street lamps de-
stroyed by the wantonness of mischevous
small boys is surprisingly large, and the