The evening times., 1896-02-13
AGAINST OVERHEAD WIRES
Columbia Heights People Make
Opposition to Them.
WANT THE LIMITS EXTENDED
Hearing Before Com mmissiOners on To-
tomac Power and Light COmpany's
Observation-Disclosures With Refer
enceto G rantlng Right of Way to Co
lumbia Suburban Railway Co.

President Crosby or the Potomac Elec-
trio Light and Power Company and Presi-
dent Ballinger of the Columbia Heights
| Citizens Association were before the Com
missioners today to discuss the projected
| electric light service by the Potomac Com
pany through the northwest suburbs.
| President Ballinger stated that the as
sociation over which he presides Is not
| fighting any company, as such; that II was
not fighting the battles of the United states
Electric Company, whatever may have bee'
| said, either in the papers, before the COM
| missioners or in the courts. What the
people wanted was that no overhead wires
shall be permitted in that territory, and he
| wanted the boundary within which they
are prohibited extended from its present
| line to Piney Branch road.
President Crosby stated that the bill
proposed had been drawn with the view
| of tae maintenance of the present boundary.
He thought IL would be a mistake to ex-
tend it SO far, because IL would he thus
| made an impossibiiity commercially for
any company to render service at many
points where IL might be desired.
TWO SUPPLY MAINS.
The bill now contemplated will provide
! the Commissioners shall deem it expe-
dient to permit overhead wires. There will
lie two supply mains, one overhead. beyond
the limit where the privilege is denied.
the other. an underground conduit within
the boundary.
1t was indicated that the citizens will
formally request the extension ofthe bound
ary. 1t is also understood that the company
l-ro fpr rffYl,f nf fxpa Y
restrictions as may be agreed upon in ad-
vance of the preparation OF the bill.
conference was held today between the
Commissioners and representatives OF the
Suburban Railway, in respect TO its bill now
before Congress granting IL the right of way.
The company which seeks incorporation
has several lines in view, all parts of one
system.
one is from the District line to the juno
ton of Florida avenue and Fifteenth street;
another from the junction of Bunker Hill
road and Twelfth street. in Brookiand. to
Bsdcnsburg road, by way OF Dahlsren
circle and Mount oiivet road; third will
run from Langdon, on Twenty fourth and
Cincinnati streets to Baltimore street, and
by Chapel road to BIadensburg road.
The company was represented before the
Commissioners today by three OF the pros
pective incorporators. Gem. G. Z. Davis,
Gilbert Mayer and l.. c. Loomis.
NO OBJECTION TO EXTENSION.
The existing Columbia Railway was rep
resented at the conference by President
Baker and Attorney Nathaniel Wilson. and
upon being called upon for an expression
of the Columbia views Mr.. Wilson said his
company has no Objection to the projected
Columbia suburban line occupying the ter
ritory and coming into II street by the
Bladensburg road.
A similar bill, he said had passed both
houses of Congress at the last session, but
had failed to reach the President in time
to receive his signature. 1t died then with
fifty-six other measures, for the same
reason.
Mr.. Wilson added that if any other com
pany should attempt to get the right of
way, then the Columbia would become an
applicant. its right being waiTcd in favor OF
the Columbian sububa road only.
The representatives OF the Suburban in
tcrest said they would prefer to build
their own line. They could not be served
as satisfactorily by the extension of an
existing road. and their line covers the
ground to Riyerdale.
1t is believed the Commissioners are fa-
forabIy disposed toward the Columbia sub
urban plan, bat this cannot be determined
until they come to make up their judgment
upon all the projected changes and i'm
provements, when this will be included.
OPPOSED TO THE BILL.
The Commissioners have returned, with
recommendation for adverse action, the
bill defining the qualifications of chief in
spector and deputy inspector of plumbing
in the District.
The bill provides that the positions shall
each be held by a master plumber, and
in the opinion of Mr.. Aaron W. Skinner, OF
of the United States Naval Observatory,
it is an attack on the Commissioners in
appointing the present incumbent.
In passing upon the bill the board seems
to entertain the same view and makes a
defense of Inspector Bail. The Commits
sioners say they regard him as thoroughly
qualified for the position, and that he has
shown aptitude and efficiency. He is q
sanitary engineer, but not a master plumb
er.
The present opposition to the present
inspector is the outgrowth OF differences
that arose over his appointment and since
augmented. The opponents think the posi-
ton should be held by u master plumber.