The evening times., 1896-08-06
LOCATION OF THE LIGHTS !.

uc Ulu8 EetCIIeu W d6 udflu6 pccL tlluQ0
by the Potomac Company are: For 25 arc
lights on H street northeast, AZ arc lights
on Four-and. half street southwest, 80
arc lights on Ninth street northwest. and 18
arc lights on New York avenue north west,
500 each per annum-
At the same time these bids were re-
ceived the United States Company filed
letter declining to bid, but stating that the
company was willing to continue the sup
ply of street lights already established, and
to extend the service as provided form the
approriation act, for the price per lamp
per night which Congress stipulated should
be paid.
President Thomas questioned the valid
ity Of the call for bids. He said that mas
much as the United States Electric Light
Company had been specifically declared
and recognized by both the courts OF the
District and Congress as the only COM
pany authorized or entitled to furnish or
maintain electric arc lights in the public
streets east of Rock Creek, the Commits
sioners had no authority to advertise for
electric lighting.
PRESIDENT THOMAS PROTESTS.
In the name of his company, Mr.. Thomas
PASsSotCa hOo ohhy o6uASot VIC uCS VI du-
vertising for bids, but to any action by the
Commissioners under such advertisement,
such procedure being, In hts opinion, a clear
contravention OF the will of Congress
On these lines the contest has since been
the progress of the proceedings by the
accounts published In The Times.
The action taken today is one among
81 f,vy f.,et .
when the board OF Commissioners deemed
it advisable to override the opinion Of the
attorney for the District.
In this the board was not unanimous,
Commissioner Ross filing q statement as
follows:
"After very careful consideration Of
the legislation with regard to electric light
ing embodied in the appropriation act for
the year ending June so. 1897, and the his.
tory of that legislation contained in the
Congressional Record, and the very able
arguments of counsel. and the opinion of
Mr.. Justice Bingham in the case OF the
United States Electric Lighting Company
VS.. Ross ct al, equity No. 16,962, am
satisfied that there is no power vested in
the Commissioners of the District of CO.
lumbia 10 make a contract with the Poto-
mac Electric Power Company for public
arc lighting in that portion of the city OF
Washington east of Rock Creek. or to issue
a permit to the said company for under
ground conduits in the same territory.
ROSS APPROVES THOMAS OPINION.
II therefore vote to approve the opinion
OF the attorney for the District. rem
dercd July 81, 1896, with regard to the
bid OF the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany for electric lighting for the current
fiscal year. and also the opinion OF the
attorney rendered August 4, 1896, upon
the letter OF Col. John NJ Wilson, with
regard TO the power Of the Commission
ers to iss,c permits for underground con-
duits to the Potomac Electric Power
Company"
This left the decision Of the question to
Col. Truesdeil, who, SO far as the papers
show, was not yet on record, and hc ap-
proved the motion made by Maj. Powell
The matter was decided yesterday, prior
to Commissioner Powell's departure from
the city. but, as stated In the Evening
Times, the announcement was withheld to
give President Ross a chance to read up on
the case.
The decision was also reached, and by
the same vote, that In case Col. Wilson
shall see proper to award to the Potomac
Company the contract for supplying the
parks with electrics lights; permits will
be issued for making the necessary conduit
connections.
The proposal Of the Potomac company,
first designated as b, was Tor the arc
lighting west of Rock creek; the others,
designated as d, and I, comprise the
maintenance OF the electric street lights
along the line Of the Metropolitan raH-
road from -Four -and-a-half and p streets
southwest to Sixth street and Missouri
avenue, and on and L streets SOUTH
west; for the maintenance OF arc lights
from Ninth street and Massachusetts, ave.
nue to Tenth street and Florida avenue,
northwest and on Florida avenue between
Seventh and Ninth streets; and for the
required lamps on New York avenue be-
tween Ninth and Fourteenth streets. ).
GIVES POTOMAC CoMPANY's LEGAL
STATUS.
This, in connection with the lexington
plant, will give the Potomac Company the
status west of Rock Creek which it has
been industriously seeking.
tits rumored that the Potomac Company
is In its fighting clothes, and propose TO