The morning times., 1895-07-05
Commissioners POWerIess in
the MOnnpolys Hands.
AFTER MAI. POWELL'S HEAD
Found a Law to Force Reasona BILE
Prices and War II Being Made Upon
Him-Li4ht Constantly Getting
scarcer-Parts of the City in Total
Darkness for Hours.

The Commissioners appear to be power
less IL the hands OF tie gas monopoly. A
month ago il was thOUeat they had found
law which would enable them to fix the
price OF gas ior street lights at figures 10
suit themselves. About the came time
runior got into the papers that Engineer
Commissioner Powell was about to he as
signed TO some other post Of duty
II was reasonably certain that this rumor
grew out OF the desire OF the gas company
and other nIonOpolies To get rid OF hIn.
They moving heaven and earth, -
said an Army man, ito send him to
kamtschatka, or some other far away place.
His attitude on tie matter of Lighting the
| city doesn't suit them.''
This remark only expressed what scores
on the inside OF AImy and official circles
thought. 1t is urdoubted that Major Pow
ell heard OF 1t. 1t is not probable that he
allowed the danger OF transfer 10 d less
desirable post TO influence ham. Bal he had
the law before him
APPARENT AUTHORITY
II appeared to give the Commissioners
power To supply the city with. light in suf-
| ilcient quantity TO make travel after dark
convenient and safe ana to give protection
against the thugs and burglars who gather
at Alexander Island and Jackson City from
the purlieus OF the great northern cities.
On the contrary, the quantity of light sup
piled has steadily decreased through the
month OF June. Morning after morning the
lights have been turned out between 2 and 3
a. III. and late passers left To the mercy of
The criminal classes. On one morning, a
4 litSle more than a week ago. four burglaries
tod he h Hvre ne,
OF the city and all were attributed to the lack
OF street lights.
| II was supposed by some that with the
coming p1 the new fiscal year a better supply
/ d light could be furnished, but there ap-
] pears TO be no improvement. TIE Com
/ Inlssioners Were unable TO secure a new
/ contract with the gas company at satisfac-
| tory figures. AS 4 result the lighting con
! tinues under tire old contract WITH certainty
Of d deficit for the year
During the summer months the Com
/ missionerS are Obliged to use all the moon
/ light, twilight and dawn they possibly
! can, so as 10 make ends meet as nearly as
possible and save the city from worse con
/ ditiun next June than has been suffered
this June.
DARK FOR HOURS.
Last night the street lamps Were not
lighted in many localities TIL two hours
after iC was too dark to distinguish one
| face from another three feet away Al
8 O'Clock the lighting began on street
| northeast and New Jersey avenue, between
the Capitol and u street had one public
light; that was one of the two biz lights III
| front OF the AaItby building. The secone
light there was Huht.
Just as half the light al the MaItby was
shut off q number OF lamps ON the Capitol
| grounds were dark
| The shortage oflights too, wasnotpeculiar r
TO thisloCallty, glance over the statueol
liberty Oh the Capitol dome showed semi
| luminoussPot iHfhe heavens tha mighthaVt
been taken fora new kind of Fourth OF July
device, but not the moon This explained
the darkness and soon after the explanation
| was made tile spet disappeared and raiI
began To fah again. The Commissioner
still have tfeS ismpIighters chasing the
mOonshine and with indifferent success
MAJOR POwELLNoTS SCARED.
The gas monopoly is not able to scare
Commissioner Powell with threats OF ba u
ighmeDt TO the Kamtschatkan u peninsula bui
| its president owns the Cincinnati Enquirer
/ the New York Morning Journal, is tilough
| to have hishand on other EeVrs pa perproper
ties. owisS big blocks OF Washington and
| Georgetown Railroad and other stocks, real
estate here and elsewhere running In value
close toward the millions, il high in tn.
National Democratic COUNCILS in person or
by proxy, as may he most convenient. and
he mas found the means 10 stop any move
ment to lessen his profits by leading Wash
! ingtOn out OF the dark.
Major Powell mas not given up the figh
for cheaper gas and more light. 1t is Bo
probable that the gas monopoly has giyel
up its efforts 10 send him abroad.