Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-10
THE CITY IN DARKNESS
No Street Lamps We're Lighted Last
Night
Much Complaint by Citi1ens-Ordered
by the District InspectOr--How the
Lights Are Regulated.

Washington was treated to dismal ex-
pericnce last night. The skies were COM
pletely covered by clouds from shortly
after 4 o'clock until nearly dawn, and
throughout all that black night not a gas
lamp was lighted in the streets. Citizens
who were forced to be abroad found them
selves immersed in q stygian blackness
that caused shudders to be a drug on the
market. Dark spots on streets where the
electric lights are not located were avoided
as though they were infected with q pesti-
lence. The city Is not over-safe these days,
anyhow, since the Jackson City gentry
have taken to coming across the river in
small boats and robbing people and crack
ing safes. The lack Of gas lights and the
clouds therefore made perfect combina-
ticn for the ught-fngered chaps who are
snugly ensconsed at the south end of the
Long bridge, confident of their security
from the hand of the law.
This morning half of Washington was in
complaining mood, and all on account of
the lack of street lights. Men who had
gone out and walked on the dark streets
began to realize what risk they had been
forced to run, and one Of them wrote to
The Star to complain about the negligence
of somebody or other. He said: "Can it
be possible that in the contract between the
" SdS AlBHl SOupdlly duu OuT
city authorities no provision has been made
that the street lamps shall be lighted on
nights when 1t is cloudy. Notwithstanding
there is a full moon? In my opinion all
the street lamps in the city should be light
ed the year round from sunset to sunrise.
While 1t is true that when the night is
clear and the moon Is full the streets will
be light enough without the gas for a few
hours when the moon is near the zenith,
there is no certainty of Its remaining clear,
and in the shady side of tall buildings 1t is
too dark I hope the enterprising Star will
take the trouble to Investigate the subject.
and turn on its searchlight and ascertain
where the fault lies. so that the board of
trade or some one of the various citizens
organizations may take such prompt and
energetic action that the beautiful city
shall be lighted by gas or electricity every
night in the week"
The Responsibility.
Information given a Star reporter at the
gas office places the responsibility for the
dark streets of last evening with the chief
Inspector of street lighting of the District
government, Mr.. Allen, whose orders are
daily given to the gas company for a GER
tain period each month. Yesterday after.
noon at about 4 o'clock, the officials say,
he telephoned to Capt Cash, the superin-
tendent Of street lamps Of the company.
that there should be no lights for the
night. He evidently expected the night to
be clear. although at O'Clock the skies
had begun to cloud a little and by ocloc tx
the western sky was quite dark. BY the
skies were badly clouded. and by they
were wholly overcast, and sremained so up-
til morning. ~
Capt Cash said to Star reporter that
he was absolutely under the orders of this
official so far as fifteen days of the month
are concerned. These are the days when
the moon is scheduled to shine. At the be-
ginning of each month a schedule. is fur
nished to him by the District offices, CIV
$50.
t;nguishing the lamps. The moon period is
marked by instructions that read: LESS
lighting may be ordered"
In his own schedule, which Capt. Cash
furnished to the lamp-lighters, he marks
this period by brace, containing these in
structions: IF not raining any of these
nights report for orders at 5:45 pm" This
insures the force being on duty throughout
the questionable period, and the men were
SO on duty last evening until dismissed for
the night. In case Of rain the men so
ahead and light up without further orders.
If the skies are cloudy in the afternoon,
however great the threat of rain, they re-
port for orders, which are those of the
chief inspector.
Last Friday night the lamps were not
lighted at all, upon orders. from the chief
inspector, whose judgment was then veri-
fled. for the moon shone without any cb-
scuration. Last night, however. he made
a slip, and hence all the trouble.
On Other Days.
On the remaining fifteen days Of the
month, when the almanac does rot promise
any moon, the lighters go ahead and start
the lamps going at the schedule time,
which. in April, runs from 6:33 to 100 p.m.,
and extingush them according to the same
schedule, which varies from 4:21 to 3:29
I'm. AS the summer approaches and the
days grow longer the period of lighting
grows shorter. -''
1t is neces ssary. of course, for the Dis
trict to economic somewhat in its gas
hills, for the appropriation is a certain sum
that will not enable the lighting of all the
lamps every night of the year. 1t is SO
drawn as to run them about three thous-
and hours each This makes allowance for
moonlight nights but If every night when
the moon is scheduled should prove to be
bright there would be surplus. There is.
therefore, a margin for the lighting of the
lamps on the nights when there is a moon
billed for appearance, but when she is
prevented. by some circumstances over
which size has no control, from appearing.
Made IA Mistake.
With reference to the failure of the gas
company to light the streets of the city
last night. Engineer Commissioner Powell,
who has the direct supervision of the street
lighting, says:
Last night according to the schedule.
the ngntS were to have been lighted at
Z 40 pm. and extinguished at 4:1O am.
owing TO the meagerness of the appropria-
tion the lighting department has been COM
PEELED to cut whenever the opportunity pre-
sented itself. Now, last night the weather
reports all stated that it would be fair. and
as these are moonlight nights we decided
not to light.
You see, the superintendent of street
lighting notifies the gas companies every
day what Is expected in the way Of light
ing, and gives orders relative to commenc-
ing to light and when to extinguish. To
successfully carry out this scheme we no.
tify the gas companies about o'clock each
and it looks like rain, no matter whether
we are working on moonlight schedule or
not, the lamps are ordered lighted There
is no question that the lamps should be
lighted every night, but the appropriation
is small and the price of gas SO high we
are compelled to he economical"