The morning times., 1896-01-14

Engineer Commissioner Powell denies
emphatically that the United States Eiec-
tric Lighting Company ever made appli-
cation to the board for a permit 10 lay
an underground electric system through
Columbia Heights or elsewhere.
His attention was called yesterday to
the published statement authorized by
President A. A. Thomas of that company,
in respect to the controversy, and he was
asked for statement as TO the charges
1t contained.
Il very much prefer not To say anything
about IT, he replied ut is not my desire
to enter iuto public discussion or the
natter
Asked with reference to the specific
statement that the United States companys
application for Il permit TO lay Il conduit
had been ignored, he said:
NEVER APPLIED.
at is only necessary to say that the
United States Electric Light Company has
never presented to the Commissioners an
application for the construction OF con-
duit system through that territory, con-
sequently no such application has been
refused or neglected by the board. l ask
for proof that the application was ever
presented
n permit for the overhead system until
after it was announced in the papers that
a permit had been issued to the other com
paDy, for which permit the Potomac com
pany had applied weeks before.
The statement that the United States
company did not bid when proposals We're
invited because of the absence of an APP
preparation is net true. On the contrary,
Mr.. Thomas stated distinctly that his com
Ih desire "a sion n the
county.
Had his company made Il bid at any
time 1t is very likely that Congress would
have made an appropriation for term
of three or five years, but when We went
TO Congress at that time without bids we OF
course got no appropriation.
I'VE then asked for bids, under date OF
May 20, SS5, for years contract, when
We had the money, for street lighting other
than by the present are light service. and
the bids were to be opened June 3. at noon.
The contract was to begin July | S95. and
The United States Company declined to
bid, for the reason that ii did not desire
the county patronage. We sent the propo-
sition to the several electric railway COM
panics. believing one or more might want
to take the contract along the tracks.
.Thc United States Company did once ap-
ply for and receive permit To construct a
line through Washington Heights. but it was
revoked because il was discovered that n
part OF the proposed line wouid traverse
Florida avenue, for a short distance, and it
would he put up in violation Of the law OF
1888. / revoked the permit, and the
board sustained me. We then Offered to re-
new the permit, with a short underground
section included, and the company refused it.
THE United States Company came here
on the ith OF November with an applca
tion for a permit TO put up an overhead
ystcm over the same territory for which
a permit mad already been issued to the
Potomac Company. That is n matter OF
record, and constitutes the whole case
FOR TRUCK ID.
The Commissioners have recommcnded
10 Chairman Cannon, of the House APP
Committee, the Incorporation
in the urgent deficiency bill of provisions to
pay the force necessary to operate truck
ID, of the fire department, for the
period beginning January l, 1896, and
ending with the close of the fiscal year, the
appropria ton TO be made Immediately
available.
The separate items required are stated rs
follows: For the pay of one foreman, at
the rate of 81 900 per year: one tillerman, at
the rate of $40: one hostler. at same COM
pensation. and for the pay of nine privates,
at the rate of $500 each.
A house has been erected for the COM
pany. ana is now ready for occupancy, while
the reception OF the apparatus is daily eX-
pected. 1t is very desirable that the COM
pany shall be put into service, and pending
of the new truck, the Commission
crs say, the extra truck now at the disposal
OF the department can be used.
Inquiry having been made of the COM
inissioners as to the safety OF the ska ting
rink at Convention Hall, an inspection was
ordered and yesterday the building insrec-
tor made 4 report, in which lie says lie re-
CARDS the rink as perfectly safe with one
thousand skaters on the floor. Mr.. Brady
says that under the most adverse circuni-
stances the presence OF n thousand skaters
would subject the floor TO n strain of but
5 "a pounds per square inch, and this he
to be within a safe limit.
The Commissioners yesterday sent n COM
TO the Hon. J. G. Cannon. chair |
man of the House Appropriations Commit
tee, transmitting copy OF a communica tion
from the United States Attorney General,
in which the request is made for an appro- |
priation of $1,000, under the urgent de-
ficiency bill, TO defray the expense of de- |
tense of suits against the District in the |
court OF claims.
An order was entered by the Commits |
sioners yesterday annulllng previous order |
for the issuance of n certificate of indcbt- |
edness of S2,562.03 against the Ana
costa and Potomac Railroad Company in |
'avor of the Washington Asphalt Block |
and Tile Company, and Il new order made |
against the railroad covering the sum of
S3,931.64 in favor of the Asphalt COM
pany for work done in connection with
the paving of L street southeast, between
South Capitol and Third streets.
SOME DISTRICT NOTES.
Private Edward Wortz OF the Metro
politan police force was yesterday pro-
NOTED to the rank of the second class, vice
Cottcr, removed, the promotion TO take cf- |
feet December 13, 1895, and in this con-
nection an order was made revoking the |
order for the promotion of Private Paul
kortZen, he having been already advanced
under an order GATED September 1 +, 1895. |
The superintendent of the street and alley
cleaning department has been given au-
thority by the Commissioners To direct the |
10 put sufficient force at
work to cleanse all the cutters now re-
quiring attention. All the accumulations
must be removed. The men are to be paid
at the market rate per day for eight hours,
with 1 0 per ent added.
The resignation of Private F. A. Gardiner
of the metropolitan police force, was ac-
ceptcd yesterday to take effect December
81, 1885, and Private Charles Stevens