Evening star., 1896-03-19
LEG LIGHTING: IN !:
Another Hearing Before the House
District Committee.
REPRESENTATIVES, OF BOTH COMPANIES
They Present Their Respective
Claims at Some Length.
ARG UMENTS. BY CITIZENS

ARGUMENTS BY CITIZENS
The House DISTRICT committee resumed
the hearing on the electric light bill today.
This is a bill, as explained heretofore, to
permit the Potomac Electric Light and
Power Company, an existing corporation,
to further extend its lines in competition
with the United States Electric Light Com
pany. mr.
MIR. Dodge for East Washington.
Mr. w. c. Dodge Of the East Washington
Citizens Associations, in behalf of the tax
payers of the District. addressed the COM
mittee. He said it is impossible, under ex-
isting conditions, fer the people Of East
Washington to get any electric light ser
vice out Of the United States Electric Light
Company: There are $1,000 people in this
section, and they cannot get a current ex-
cept along Pennsylvania avenue and H
street. The appropriation bills required the
company to put arc lights. along these
streets for street lighting, and the company
has refused to construct lines anywhere
else. He had invested $15,000 in East Wash
1ngton improvements and had tried several
times to get electric light service, but the
reviewed the history of the appropriation
bills under which the wires had been put
along Pennsylvania avenue and H street
east
Mr.. Dodge rad some statistics to show
now much cheaper Massachusetts gets its
electric lights than Washington, having
a state commission that regulates the
price OF beth electric light and gas. He
also produced statistics to disprove the as
sertion made by the United States Electric
Light Company that it was the pioneer in
this country in electric lighting and under
ground conduits. Mr.. Dodge favored mu-
nicipal control of lighting plants, but as he
realized that this is impracticable at pres
ent in washington, he favored the bill
or the Potomac company as the best al
tentative and as coming nearer to munich
pal control. He said the monopoly claim
ed by the United States Electric Com
pany Is based absolutely upon the de-
cision Of the courts that Congress has not
authorized the Commissioners to contract
with other companies.
Compliments Exchanged.
THE United States company is an old
fosy, one-horse concern" said Mr.. Dodge,
both In its plant and the conduct of its
business, as one of the stockholders said
to me the other day.
THANK you," sarcastically remarked
President Thomas of the United States
company, who was present Mr.. Dodge
continued that proof Of that statement
city and other institutions own their own
electric light plants because they are cheap
er and better. Twice within the past year
when the United States company asked
permission of the Commissioners to extend
its conduits the Commissioners said they
would grant the request If the company
would give the city one duet for its own
wires.
And the company Indignantly refused"
added Mr.. Dodge.
lexington is in the Dark.
Mr.. VIM. J. Henderson of the North Capt.
tol and lexington Citizens Associa ton said
his people are in favor of granting a fran
chise to aIy company which Will give COM
petition in electric lighting In lexington
and West lexington the streets are as
pEalted, sewers laid, sidewalks tagged and
yet there is not light there today. That
territory pays annually taxes amounting to
$4,000. There are - two hundred occupied
houses, with probably a population of 800
The street paving and sewers have not cost
the city one dollar. The improvements were
contributed, and in return for them the city
gives the people one policeman to protect
the property.
1--WE feel assured that if this Potomac
company or some other be allowed to con-
meet with certral station We can get
lights said Mr.. Henderson. The citizens
do not want to tear out their houses to put
in gas pipes. He thinks it will be possible
after while for the city to get control of
the conduts under the proposed bill.
Mr. Redington's Remarks.
Mr.. Redington of the United States Elec-
trio Light Company then took the floor.
He said Mr.. Dodge is a gentleman with a
grievance. He wants electric light, and
should have it, if possible. However, since
the organization of the company there have
been but two requests for light in that
section of the city, and one of those re-
quests was Mr. Dodge's. To supply him
the company would have to construct a
conduit one mile long at a cost Of $1,000
and the revenue $50 year, leaving loss
to the company of S4GO year.
Yes, but you assume that no one e.se
would use that wire except Mr.. Dodge"
suggested Mr.. Mines. To this Mr.. Reding-
ton said no company would extend its lines
on a venture. before there was demand for
the light.
why have not the people asked for The
hghts?' asked Mr.. Hulick. rs it because
they are too expensive?"
Mr.. Redington was incredulous thet auch
consideration could enter into the case,
because he did not think the charge was
excessive.
Proceeding to his argument, he said the
pending bill if passed would reduce the
United States Electric Company to practi-
cal insignificance in electric lighting and
sacrifice it to the Potomac company.
Claims Exclusive Right.
IOeS your COupdLy Claim exclusive
right against the world to light this
city," asked Mr.. Hulick.
"Unde0 existing legislation and decisions
we do,' replied Mr.. Redington. "Of course.
Congress has the right to change the con-
ditions at will"
He said the Potomac &C mLany comes be-
fore the committee with no equitable
claims in that regard. Here Mr.. Redington
reviewed the history Of the Potomac com
pany and the way it obtained it's foothold,
which is familiar to the readers of The
Star. Referring to the complaint of the
lexington people, he said it could not be
charged to the United States Electric Com
pany, but to Commissioner TruesdelI and
the Potomac company, who, between them
were responsible for not lighting that sec
tion.
MIR. TrueslelPs Offer.
Mr.. Redington said Mr.. Truesdell had Of
fered to sell the lexington lighting plant
to the United States company for s25OOO
but the offer was declined 1t was subse-
quently bought by the Potomac, and since
that time, Mr.. Redington said, the power
Of the District Commissioners had been ex-
erted against the United States Electric
Light Company, in court, out of it. and be-
fore this committee, and in favor of the
Potomac company.