Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-03
Injunction Sought Against the Poto-
mac Light and Power Company.
DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS ARRAIGNED
Legal Protest Against Placing
Poles and Wires in the Streets.
TEMP ORARY RESTRAINT

Upon the petition of Anton Gloetzner,
Michael F. o'Donoghue. Clarence F. Nor
ment, Joshua r. Buckelew, Rosalind r.
Bagger, Arthur II. Whitlark, Annie A
Thomas ami ]. Donald Cameron, Chief
Justice Bingham today signed an order re-
straining the District Commissioners Os-
car I. Crosby, Charles A. Lieb end the Po-
tomac Light and Power Company from
permitting or causing to be erected any
poles and the -stringing Of wires on the
same upon or over any of the following
streets or public highways: 18th street
extended, kenesaw avenue, ,kenesaw street,
Sherman avenue. Bismarck street, 7th street
extended. Lincoln street. 9Th street ex-
tended, College avenue, Linden street, Elm
street, LIE Droit az enue T stree: and North
Capitol street extended. The chief justice
made the restraining order returnable
Saturday. the 11th instant
In their petition, filed by Attorney James
X. Redington, the petitioners state that
they own property on the streets and high
ways referred to, and claim that the District
commissioners, without authority of law,
rave granted permit to the other defend
for the purpose Of erecting poles and string
ing wires thereon for the purpose of electric
lighting, power, etc.
Violations of the Laws Alleged.
The legal existence of the Potomac Light
an0 Power Company is denied and II In
claimed that Crosby and Lieb have erected
within the last ninety days wires over and
above High street, Rockville pike and
Woodley road in direct viola ton of the acts
of Congress of July As, 1883 md February
II, 1895. -
Messrs. Crosby aud Ldeb, say the COM
plainants, obtained a permit from the Dis
trict Commissioners to erect poles and string
wires thereon from the -istersection OF
Woodley and Kl,ngle Ford roads upon and
over the streets and highways above mem
toned to the entrance Of Soldiers Home.
This permit they further say, was obtain
ed under the assumed name Of the Poto-
mac Light and Power Company. and was
issued, they assert, without legal right or
authority. So far, explain the complain
ants, the poles have been erected as far as
10Th street and Kenesaw avenue, the pur-
pose being to connect with the lexington
electric light plant at lexington. Besides
asserting that the proposed erection of the
overhead wires is unlawful the Complaint
ants state that 1t will greatly and irrepar-
ably damage their property. that 1t will be
unsightly, dangerous to. Life, and a public
and private nuisance. They also saw that
the clelr intent of Congress since 1855 has
been to prohibit within the District of Co.
Iumoia the erection of any additional
poles or overhead wires for electric light
ing or other electrical purposes, except by
express and direct permission granted nv
Congress, and that to Congress is reserved
the exclusive right to grant such permits
No Objection to Underground wires.
1t is said by some OF the interested par
ties there is no opposition to an under
ground electric system and that while they
Greatly value electric lighting and power,
they will do without it very willingly if
they cannot have such benefits save through
overhead poles and wires. II was also
claimed today by a well-known resident Of
Columbia Heights that the United States
Electric Light Company failed TO secure a
permit to construct an underground electric
lighting system in Columbia Heights. and
That when District Commissioner Truesdell
transferred his interest in the Eckinpton
electric light plant to the Potomac Light
and Power Company the permit referred to
in the bill of complaint filed today was
granted by the District Commissioners.