The morning times., 1895-08-13

The question raised In The Evening Times
of yesterday, as to the power of the Dis
| trict Commissioners to authorize the issu-
ance of permit for the laying of under
ground wires, was commented upon by a
gentleman who called at the District build
| ing on private business. To a Times re-
porter he said he had grave doubts of the
a permit, and cited the provisos in the
appropriation acts limiting the time in
which the authority should continue.
Under the act approved July 1S, 1888,
making appropriations for the District gov
ernnent, the Commissioners were en-
powered TO authorize the wires of any exist
ing telegraph, telephone or electric light
company to be laid under any street, alley
footway or sidewalk, but the authority
thus conferred was with the proviso that
1t should not be exercised after the termi-
nation of that Congressional session.
Congress passed a similar measure March
2, 1889, but provided that the authority
should continue only until the termination
of the Fifty-first Congress.
In each case this provision was inserted
in the belief that the succeeding Congress
would enact a general law upon the subject.
A COMMISSION CREATED.
Later there was a commission appointed
TO report upon a system of subways and for
other purposes and reports We're afterward
| s,,E,p,ittad 20 C,uur.cc nud tho rt-b,Ia sllb-
ject was eIaborately discussed in report
made by Capt. George ]. Fiebeger, OF the
District engineer department.
1t is stated as a fact that there has been
really no authority as yet given by Con-
| gress for carrying out the proposed system
! OF subways.
The point made is that until Congress
| passes a law 10 cover the case the District
authorities are without the power to act
upon an application for permission to lay
an underground telegraph or telephone
conduit, and the gentleman who discussed
! it said such authority might exist in the
| general law, but If so he had failed so far
| 10 find it.
The appropriation act of July, 1888, is
specific enough in the prohibition Of any
and that is where the inconsistency comes
! in The poles were then already erected
upon all the business streets and in the
residence sections, and under the terms of
the law wires cannot be strung now in the
| sparsely-settIed sections.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
What we need" said Acting Commits
sioner Fieberger, lis law of compulsion,
making il obligatory upon the part OF the
/ companies TO lay the conduits and en-
| poweriDg the Commissioners TO prescribe a
certain area in which the law shall be
! operative each year until the work is
i finished"
Captain Fiebcrger is OF the opinion, also,
! that the Commissioners have the authority
| to grant a permit, but does not believe
they will be called upon to exercise it.
He said, also, that new companies cannot
obtain authority to lay conduits.
The United States Electric Lighting
! Company and the Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company are the only two cor
porations that availed themselves OF the
privilege to construct conduits, the former
having In 1898 about thirty-five miles
in use, and each having a separate system.
Owing to the difficulty in locating the
conduits, Capt. F Fieberger says that in
accommodating all the various telegraph
wires a single system Of conduits should
be used.
The electric board, created by the act Of
| August 6, 1890, aud appointed by the Presi-
dent, recommended n system of conduits to
| cover the two cities, now merged in one, at
total cost of 100000, the aggregate
length being 31S miles. These conduits
would accommodate all overhead wires
now in use, and provide for all probable
extensions OF the various electrical sys-
| tens.
UNDER CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
The applicants for appointment to a va.
cancy in the water del partment Were sub
jected to a civil service examination yes.
terday, under the direction of Capt Edward
Burr, of the District engineers department.
Fifteen of the twenty five candidates par
ticipated.
The examination was in O large degree
informal, the department not having had
time to prepare an elaborate programme.
Each applicant was required to write q
| letter, as in tie examination of aspirants
in other divisions, stating his sexperience and
naming the places where and persons by
whom he has been employed. He was also
required to give slight test of his ability
IN figures by working examples i'll addition
and multiplication.
The Commissioners are having framed,
to be added to the gallery of ex-officiaIs
of the District, the portraits of the ex-
mayors who served prior to the inauguration
of the present from of government. The
list embraces the names of John T. Towers,
| Thomas Carbery, Roger G. Weightman,
VIM. A. Brodley, Peter Force, Walter
Lenox, John w. Morey and John T Van
| Ness.
Uncle Sam has been given PERMISSION
| to string his G street telegraph wires on
the Western Union Poles.
Bids are solicited, to be opened on the 18th
inst, for painting the Western market thouse,
and on the 10Th for painting the Mt Pleas
ant and Mott school buildings, respect
| lively
DISTRICT BUILDING OPERATIONS.
John Sherman, the real estate agent
obtained permit yesterday for the con-
struction of eleven brick dwellings at
Nos. 223 20 229 Lydecker avenue and 3201
to 3213 Thirteenth street northwest, to cost
$500
Other building permits issued were as
follows: DR.. L. G. Locmis, for two dwell
ings on Winthrop Heights, 81 800; Thos.
E. SmithsOn, dwelling at No. 915 Della
ware avenue, 81 600.
The Engineer Department is preparing a
revised schedule of the streets that are to
| he inlDrOVed during the neXt fiscal vaor