Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-21
DIS TRICT AT FAIR S
Trolley System Said to Be Running the
Underground Pipes.
The Ground Circuit Responsible
Other Municipal Matter Told in
Drief-NOVing the Mains.

The overhead trolley has been found, &C.
| cording to a report made to the Commits
sioners today by the superintendent Of
| street lighting, to have added another &C
| complishment to it's already large assort-
| ment. 1t is now attacking the water mains,
| gas pipes and underground metallic con-
| Quits, causing serious damage and threat
ening the Districts system of underground
| service, as well as the metallic service
| pipes OF the gas company.
Recent Investigate lions on the part of the en-
| gineer department have disclosed threat
ening condition of affairs. well as the de-
| struction Of many underground pipes by
| escaping electricity from trolley wires. So
| serious, in fact, has this matter become
| that the Engineer Commissioner recently
| detailed the superintendent of lamps to
| make thorough investigation of the sub
ject and report to him the result. The in
| vestigations were begun about two weeks
| ago, and the results were startling. Tn
| report was made this afternoon. and will
| shortly be laid before the Commissioners.
| Large iron pipes laid in streets alorg tn:
| line Of trolley roads were foun'! to be COM
| pletely destroyed in parts where the cleo
| triclty had esca ped and struck the pipe.
| The trolley roads depend upon ground
| circuit for a return of the electric cur
|
| ent in his report points out the diSadvan-
| tGges Of such arrangement and says
| that long as ground circuits are de-
| pended upon elactroSis Is bound to occur.
| In the case of underground trolleys where
| a metallic return circuit is provided electro
| sis was not found. So that it would seem
| that the only solution to the problem
| would be by compelling the railroads using
overhead trolley TO provide return metal
| lie circuit This readily be accom-
| plished by welding the rails of the track
| together and thereby providing capable
| return circuit.
| Major Powell has taken ii great interest
| in this matter and. spoke freely to a re-
porter of The Star this afternoon upon the
subject. He agreed that the affair had
| l,een a puzzling one. and that it required
| immediate attention on the part of the
| authorities.
| 1t is believed that the Commissioners will
| issue a regula ton on the subject in short
| time, with the object OF remedying the
| existing evil.
| 1t has not been so very long ago that a
prominent plumber appeared before the
| Commissioners with section of house
| service pipe that had been completely de-
| Stroyed by escaping electricity, causing
| much damage and entailing considerable
expense on the part of the householder.
| Superintendent AcComb of the sewer de-
| partment has number of interesting en-
hibits in his office showing the effect that
| electricity has upon the metallic pipes.
Unsatisfactory Sewer.
| The acting secretary of the navy has for
| warGed to the Commissioners a letter from
Commander Lentze OF the navy yard, COM
planning of the sewer recently constructed
| on 9Th street southeast
| This sewer has caused the District au
| thorities more trouble. it is believed. than
any four sewers that were built. The
officials at the navy yard have kept the mat
| ter constantly before the Commissioners.
Now that the sewer is built it seems its out
1 LAT. f1a
| river. 1t terminates, so 1t is represented on
| mud bank visible at low tide, where the
| sewerage accumu1ateS, Inenacing the health
| of those II, the neignborhood. 1t is urged
| that the Commissioners dig channel far
7 enc ugh to take the sewerage into the chan
| rel of the river.
| Day Sweeping.
| Superintendent Mckenzie of the street
| sweeping department appeared before the
| Commissioners this afternoon and asked
| that permission be given him to prosecute
| the work of street cleaning during the day,
| rather than at night, as is the custom at
| present. He based his request upon the fact
| that during the night the temperature
| freezes the water which is sprinkled on the
| streets and makes sweeping difficult. Dur
| irg the day while the sun is shining he
| thinks much better work can be accom-
| plished.
| Speed of Cars.
The speed of the Metropolitan street cars
| has attracted the attention of the authori-
ties. Believing that they ran at a rate of
| speed exceeding the limit allowed by law
| the Engineer Commissioner today direct ed
| two of his inspectors to ride upon the cars
| with stop watches and if it was found that
| the cars were exceeding the speed author
| lied by law to take immediate action.
Wells Abandoned.
| Today the Commissioners issued an order
closing the well in 9th street between NJ
| and streets southwest, and ordered The
| erection of public hydrant in the east
| side Of 9th street between NJ and N They
| also ordered the filling and abandonment
| Of the public well at the corner of 9th and
| streets southwest.
| Moving the Mains.
| The Commissioners today ordered that
| when any street railway company intro
duces system of underground traction, all
water mains excepting cross sectional and
| valves shall be removed from under or be-
| tween the tracks of such system. All
| changes in the location of water mains
| necessary to comply with this rule and to
| accommodate the construction of UNDER
! ground traction railways shall. in the op-
| ton Of the railway company interested, be
| made by moving the old mains or by lay
| ing new mains to replace them. The or
| to be pursued.
| Case NOlle Pressed.