Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-12
Senator Ga'linger's Resolution in
Regard to Them.
NO MORE PERMITS TO Be ISSUED
The Amended Highway Act Passes
the Senate.
OTHER DISTRICT MEASURES

regarding the overhead wires in the city of
Washington. Mr.. Gall.ngers resolution re-
cites that
Whereas, Congress, by act approved July
IS, 1883, provided that the Comm. .ss.oners
of the District of Columbia should not.
after the 18th day of September, 1SSS, per-
NIT or authorize any additional telegraph,
telephone, electric Lighting or other wires to
De erected or maintained on or over any of
streets or avenues Of the city of Wash
.ngton, and further directed sad Commis-
sioners to investigate and report to Con-
sress the best method Of removing all such
..ectrc wires from the air or surface of
sad streets and interring the same under
ground.
And whereas it was by said last above
mentioned act and the act of Congress ap-
proved March =, 1881, provided the said
Commissioners should have power at any
time before the expiration of the Fifty first
Congress. and not later, to authorize any
sucn existing overhead wires to be placed
underground;
And whereas, under and by virtue of the
provisions of said acts, certain companies.
owning overhead wires within the District
Of Columbia, acting under permits from
said Commissioners, removed large num-
ber of such overhead wires and in ,errel the
same under ground, thus establishing an
underground system of electric wires;
And whereas the act of Congress ap-
ploved August q, 1880. created an electrical
commission to investigate and report,
through the President, to Congress upon
the best method of removing overhead
wires and placing the same underground.
which said commission. upon the 10Th day
or october, 1871, submitted its report to
the President, and which said report was by
the President transmitted to Congress De
cember -, 1891, said report being still
pending and unacted upon by Congress-;
And whereas by act of Congress ap-
proved March j, 1891, it was provided that
the said Commissioners might grant per-
mits for the construction, within certain
limitations, of other conduts or subways
additional to those already at that date
then in existence under previous acts of
Congress, under and by virtue of which
said act of March 3, 1891, the companies
owning such existing underground conduits
were granted permits and have construc ted
certain additions and extensions of pre-
vlously existing subways:
And whereas no further or other legis-
laton exists authorizing said Commissions
ers to permit the erection of additional
overhead wires or the construction of
other conduits or subways within said Dis
trIct;
And whereas the obvious intention of
Congress, as expressed in all its legisla-
ton upon the subject, has been to pro-
hibit the further erection of overhead cleo
trio wires in the District of Columbia, and
the ultimate placing Of all electric wires
in the District of Columbia under ground,
the same to be done only under such reg
Congress prescribed;
Information Wanted.
Therefore, be it resolved that the Com
missioners of the District of Columbia be-
and they ar, hereby, directed to report to
the Senate whether since the 10Th day of
September, 1883. any permits have been is
sued for the construction or erection of ad-
dItional overhead wires III the District of
Columbia, and, if SO, to whom such per-
mits We're given, and under what authority
OF law the same purport toshave been is
sued, together with d list of such permits
and whether hereunder any additional
overhead wires have been erected in said
District, and, IL so, where and by whom
the same has been done. Also whethe under
the said act of March g. 1891, or under any
other act, any permits have been issued by
said Commissioners for the placing under
ground in any of the avenues, streets, al
leys. sidewalks, footways or other public
ways in the District of Columbia, of any
&C Ldu1tS or SubwayS for electric wires
which were not an addition to, or extern
sion of, previously existing conduit or
subway, established under previously exist
ing laws, and if so the names of the per
sens or corporations TO whom such permits
Rave been issued, the avenue, streets, al
leys, footwalks. or other passageways COW
eied by such permits, what work, if any,
has been done under such permits, and by
whom and under what authority of law
said permits purport to have been issued
ahG said work performed.
No More Permits.
BE ii further resolved that pending the
report hereinbefore called for and there
after until further action by Congress
thereon, the said Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia be-, and they are hereby
requested to issue no further permits for
the erection of any overhead wires in said
District, and if any such permits have been
issued to revoke said permits and prevent
the erection hereunder of any further over
head wires. Further, that no additional
permits be granted for the construction of
any further electric conduits or subways
in the District of Columbia, and that if any
such permits have already been issued that
the same be revoked and no further work
be permitter hereunder until further ac-
tion by Congress-
The Highway Bill Passed the Senate,
Immediately after the meeting of the SEN
ate today Mr.. Faulkner reported favorably,
from the committee on the District of Col
umbia, Senate bill 30, to amend an act en-
titled IAN act to provide permanent sys-
tenn Of highways in that part of the District
of Columbia lying outside of cities" ap-
proved March =, 1893.
Mr.. Faulkner stated that owing to the
urgent character of the bill he reported he
would ask the Senate to place it upon its
passage at once.
There being no objection the bill was
passed by the Senate and was sent to the
House of Representatives for it's action
The reasons for the passage of this meas
ure were given at length in The Star yester-
day.
To Pay Claims.
Mr.. German introduced a bill in the Ser
ate today authorizing the Secretary CT
the Treasury to pay P. E. Dye and Willie
S. Hoge, administrators, $1,225, the same
to be in full for the claim reported favor
ably by the Court Of Claims of the United
States.
Land for the Il. and o.
A bill was introduced in the Senare. bv
Mr.. Burrows, by request, today for the
relief CT Kate Winter, providing that the
provisions of the act of Congress entitled
IAN act supplementary to an act entitled
An act to authorize the construction of
the Baltimore and Potomac railroad in the
District of Columbia" approved January
10, 1891. SO far as the same authorized the
acquisition Icy said ralioad OF land for the
business of said company in square No 139
in the city of Washington, be, and is here
by, repealed.