Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-14
Hearing on the Subject Of Under
ground Conduits.
COMMISSIONERS EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS
Messrs. Ross and Powell Both
- Questioned Freely.
Mr.. CROSBY AS AN EXPERT


In this subject are involved the questions
of franchises for new electric light and
new telephone companies and the owner
ship Of wires and conduits by the city. 1t
is a broad field. but the committee hopes
to thoroughly traverse it before the session
ends.
At today's hearing the District Commits
s:oners were present to give their views
upon the plan proposed by them for gen
eral subway system. This project has been
hel etofore fully described liz The Star.
Commissioner Ross Remarks.
Commissioner Ross said that in the opin
ion Of the Commissioners there is no more
important question before the mmittee
than this one of underground wires. He
reviewed the history of legislation upon
this subject, and the status Of the law at
present relating to underground wires.
There are dangerous overhead electric
light wires in this city today" said Mr..
Ross, land yet The authority to require
them to be put under ground is question
able"
In addition to this fact there are numer-
Gus applications from new telephone COM
panies for the use of the streets. The
Commissioners desire to take some action
that will give the people reduced tele-
phone rates. but they are confronted by
the objection of the tearing up of the
streets by the new companies.
At this tuncture the Commissioners have
prepared the general subway bill
method of solving the difficulty. The main
feature of this plan is that in time the
whole system is to become the property OF
the city and provide for every wire.
How will that affect existing subways?"
asked Chairman Babcock.
1T Is the purpose to take them in," re-
piled Mr.. Ross
Further questioning. however, elected the
fact that there is no provision requiring the
existing companies to come into general
system of conduits, and this led to the re-
mark by Chairman Babcock that there will
be duplication of conduits.
Yes, there may be at first said Mr..
Ross. What effect upon this bill would
the granting of new electric light or teie-
phone charters have?' asked Mr.. Richard
son. 49,. --.-.
1T would certainly complicate matters"
replied Mr.. Ross This matter of under
ground wires has been pending since 1880,
and every years delay in settling II adds to
the embarrassment. There are many ugly
questions arising from time to time, and we
sometimes have to go into court with
them"
In the course of the hearing the question
of gas was touched upon, and Mr.. Ross
said the Commissioners favor the dollar
gas bill, and hope it will pass. He said the
Commissioners have been trying for several
Congresses to get such bill enacted into
law.
COmmissiOner POwcll's Views.
Commissioner Powell then addressed the
committee. Every time the Commissioners
have had to consider the question of con-
duits and gas mains they had come to the
conclusion that such trenches should be-
long to the city and be rented to the users.
The pending bill comes nearest to munic-
ipal ownership than any other presented.
Chairman Babcock asked Mr.. Powell If
the passage of either one of the telephone
or electric light bills would not operate to
prevent the necessity of passing the sub
way bill.
Mr. Powell replied that such was the
case, but added that the Commissioners
had reported the Potomac Electric Light
bill so that in csse the subway bill fails to
pass the other may be used as a substitute.
The Potomac Electric Light bill provides
for modified system of subways for gen.
eral use.
Mr.. Powell made it clear that the Commits
sioners expect either the subway bill to be
reported or bill admitting rival corpora
ton to relieve the existing monopoly of the
use of wires for electric lights or telephones.
way bill would not necessarily mean the
building OF separate conduits, but that some
Of the existing ones might be enlarged. 1t
was estimated that $539,O0O would provide
system of conduits necessary to do the
present business Of the city. The city would
not furnish cent, but the contractor would
build and own them during the time specified
in the bill.
If the city had the money it would be best
to build the conduts outright and rent them
to the companies desiring to use them.
Il believe in municipal ownership right
from the start" said Mr.. Powell, but we
cannot get it."
why not?" asked Mr.. Richardson.
Because Congress has not seen hit to
allow u.s." said Mr.. Powell =
Mr.. Hulick suggested that as a result
of this policy the corporate monopolies in
the city had been reaping the benefit and
asked If it were not time to change the
policy.
Mr.. Powell assented to this and added
that the pending proposition was in line
with that idea.
MIR. Crosby as an Expert.
Mr.. Crosby of the Potomac Electric Light
Company was introduced to the committee
as an expert on conduits. He doubted the
advisability Of pressing the general con-
duit scheme as at present outlined. He
saw numerous difhc llties in the way of
granting one corporation the right to con-
troll the general subway for period of
thirty years He said it Is possible for q
new company to come in and lay trenches
beside the existing conduits, making there
by no more disturbance than the present
occupants will make If they attempt neces-
sary extensions.