The evening times., 1896-11-17
LIGHT CONTEST IS ENDING
Judge Wilson Argues for the 0. S,
Electric Company.
OFFICIALS CHANGE OF FACE
He Shows the Commissioners Con-
Trajectory Attitudes Upon the
QuestiOn-NO Right to Compete
for Lighting This Side of Rock
Creek.

Mr.. o. T. Crosby, who bought Mr.. Trues-
delPs lexington electric light plant, ap-
peared In court this morning for the first
time to coach his attorneys in the electric
light contest now going on before Judge
| Cole. He has abandoned for the present at
| least the effort To build an overhead cir
cult from Georgetown to lexington, and is
| devoJing ms time To the eITorI 10 secure from
the courts for his inchoate establishment in
| Georgetown the privilege or tearing up
| he streets of WasnlngtUnin in order to put in
| lamps and wires.
This, too, begins to appear hopeless, and
he seems TO be good deal worried over it.
| He spent his time in court between giving
! Mr.. Worthington points and writing an
essay on the corner of the bar rail.
MIR. Worthington represents the District
| Commissioners in the case, but Mr.. Crosby
| had his ear for suggestions and directions.
| CASE NEARLY CLOSED.
Mr.. Jere Wilson took up the argument
| for the United States Company at 1870
O'Clock and said he would finish during the
morning.
! Mr.. Worthington remarkedthereupuntha that
| lie would require only about two hours for
| his argument. TINS program, II carried
out viii leave the case in Judge Coles
hands at the close today.
MIR. Wilson drew parallel between the
attitude OF the Commissioners toward .hc
Gas Company and toward the United States
Company at this time, that Indicated some
such disturbing influence AS Mr.. IrueS-
dell's trade with Mr.. Crosby.
He pointed out that the gas company is
as much monopoly as any such business
ever is. A competing company asked the
privilege to lay mains here.
The Commissioners replied that 1t was
an un wise policy 10 disturb the streets. in
order 10 have done service which the ex-
listing company was able to perform as well
as the other company could promise. IL
the prices charged were too high. 1T was
within the power OF Congress olower them.
anu mat oI.,nt To be dOhe-
There wasno need, said the Commissioners,
to subject the public to inconvenience and
loss to establish competition when the
whole matter was entirely under the con-
troll of Congress. But when the question Of
electric lighting came up, the CoInmis-
siuners changed face,
The conditions were precisely the same
in the two cases Congress equally had
control OF the prices, etc, for electric
lighting. To Introduce competition would
require the tearing up OF streets and great
disturbance OF travel and traffic and harm
to the public ways. Nevertheless, the Com
missioners, in this case, were desirous to
let in the new company.
INJURY TO The STREETS.
In showing the injury to the streets il the
Injunction against the new company were
not granted. Judge Wilson said in part:
the United states Company has con-
duits already around three sides Of this
Judiciary Square; 1t has conduits around
the other parkS mat are To be lighted. lad
has conduits extending into the PARKS.
The company need not tear up foot OF
street Ia do this work. 1t is all ready now.
ION the other hand, this new company
has not a foot OF wire this side OF Rock
Greek. 1t would have to tear up the streets
all around the parks; if 1T came by the
lexington line, as proposed, ii must trav-
erse mile and hair OI streets 10 reach
the parks
Congress, continued Judge Wilson, is well
informed in regard TO these matters. 1t re-
fused TO consider the new opinion of the
Commissioners to he correct II held 10 the
old view and declined To do anything for
this new applicant for privileges.
y question arose rs to whether the new
company had done any plLblIc lighting in
Georgetown. Judge Wilson said, upon in
fOrmaj.pn from his client. tlIit the new coal-
y u .i dome no InCandcScent lighting in
georgetown.
-. -lington contenGed it had His
$ atoILcHJ was verified Ly Superintendent
Of Lamps Alien, who was il court.
But what want to know is said Mr..
Wor ,hington, how Cor tgress can know all
these facts, as alleged by my opponent,
when we have thus Iaboriogsly to bring
them out?'
why, easily enough replied Judge
Wilson. Congress has before it the i'll
formation of your client, the District Com
missiouers. 1t is well known that the COM
niittee of Congress had the Commissioners
before it for two days, and inquired care
fully into all these matters. 1t makes no
appropriation for the District without full
Information on all these details, obtained
from the district government. These facts
are well known, and ask the court to take
judicial recognition Of them
EFFORT FOR PRIVILEGES.
Judge Wilson then went on to show that
a special effort had been made before the
recent Congress to get privileges for the
new company this side of Rock Creek.
Advertising for public lighting was so
done that this company had an opportun-
ity to make bids.
1t was never the intention of Congress
said Judge Wilson, for the new concern
to compete for lighting this side OF the
creek, but 1t put in the bid and was here
making a contest for the contract.
He then went into the legal techn ALI
ties, and reviewed the facts to show that
tt law as passed offered no opportunity