The morning times., 1896-06-09
TROLLEY COMES TO LIFE
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ton to reconsider for the alleged reason
that it was evidently dilatory and intended
to obtain another roll call.
The motion agreeing to further confer
ence was then adopted, and the same con
ferees reappointed
EFFECT OF THE SCHEME.
This action, if IL can be contaminated in
| the Senate, although theTei hardly chance
| that it will pass the honest scrutiny OF
Senator's will throw the entire region west
OF Rock Creek into the hands of the inter
lopcrs. 1t is very plain that the true pur-
pose of the Potomac Company cannot BE
| to serve patrons in that vicinity, because
| the United States Electric Company has
| always been able and ready TO fill every
| demand.
Asamattcro of fact, when the new corpora
ton, headed by Mr. Crosby and stecred by
| Commissioner Truesdell, bought up at pub
| lie sale the overhead wires and poles of
| the defunct and obsolete Potomac Com
| pany, the United states Electric Company
had sixteen or seventeen times as much
wire strung in that section, but all or it
underground.
This pseudo trolley-lne legislation
cannot deceive the readers of The Times
I who have been made familiar with every
move of the electric octopus. Once given
aninchin esuburba nterritoryt the Widener-
Elkns- Doian monopolists will take an ell
OF trolley wires extending in the course
of time into the heart of the city.
Give the Potomac Company West Wash
ington and next they want AnacoStia as
was so inadvertently but correctly stated
in Senator Harris recent report on tue
question to the effect that "our wires
will in the course OF time be taken into
Anacostia- The report was supposed to
have been and should have been writtenb by
Senator Harris or his committee, but the
personal pTonun is cautiously left in the
edited text OF the matter written 10y the
Potomac Company, the very subject of the
report, not only shows the sub rosa power
of moneyed corporation but also diSclOses
condition OF affairs altogether too COM
mon in these days.
SOURCE OF ITS PULL.
Every member of Congress, whether Of
the House or Of the Senate, knows the real
status of the Potomac Light aud Power
Company, and, therefore, they know that
except for the interest OF a least two OF
the Commissioners in the present scheme
the company would have no standing IL,
Congress. AS some Of them may perhaps
have conveniently forgotten that status,
and. as il is evident that Mr. Pitncy and
other quasi-attorneys for the corporation
have forgotten !t, II is Just well 70 make
this final statement OF the company. its
affairs, and its able assistants, Messrs.
Truesdell and Powell of the Commissioners.
Every member Of this Congress knows
that there was an old electric light COM
pauy in Georgetown which failed in busi-
ness. Its assets consisted of some old POLE.
wires, and other things. The purchase or
| these was made by Nessrs. Crosby and Licb.
| but ii is appa rent TO any business man that
H
| or prontably where the old company had
| failed aud gone into the hands Of u re-
| ceiver. 1t has been stated in this cOnnec-
| ton that Mr.. Crosby was an old friend OF
Major Powell. and be soon became a
| business friend of Mt. TrUesdeII.
| The sale OF the Old electric light COM
| pany was effected to Messrs. Crosby and
| Lieb in November last. II was understood
| at the time that the field of operations
| would. of course, be Georgetown. but the
| cloven foot became visible by a mere acci-
| dent.
THAT LEXINGTON PLANT.
Mr.. Truesdell had erected an electric
| light plant in ECkin gton to give value to
| his property there. A great deal of the
| property had been sold and it is believed
! that the electric light plant having served
Its purpose was becoming a dead loss 10
| him. 1t is certain that he desired 10 sell
| from the fact that he offered il TO the
| United States Electric Light Company. Mr..
| Truesdeirs offer was rejected He then
| entered into negotiations with Mess rs.
| Crosby and Lieb and succeeded ID selling
| to them the property.
In order that the property could be of
| any value 10 MeSSrS. Crosby and Lieh as
| it was confeSsedly not paying Mfr. TrGes-
| dell. certain concessions OF territory were
| necessary from the Commissioners. and
| these were at once forthcoming.
| An Innocent looking para graph appeared
| in The Times in December reciting the fact
| that these gentlemen had been granted q
! permit by the Commissioners TO string wires
| from Georgetown TO lexington. Whether
| or not this was a part OF the agreement
| in the sale Of the Truesden plant is not
| known but the facts followed each other
| inlosicalSequence. This permit was granted
! in violation OF the general law Of 1883
| against the strnging of overhead wires. and
| Major Powell admitted on a hearing that
! such permit was contrary TO thdtlaw.
The United states Electric Light Com
| pany interviewed to bring this infraction of
| the law to settlement. and the proceed
| ingS resulted in a decision by Justice BinE-
| ham, which has not been controyeTted. that
the acts of the Commissioners were Illegal
| 1t was sucn Il clear case that the Commits
| siOneFS did not enter an appeal.
had OIHER kESOJ EJES.
To carry out any favors for the Potomac
Light and Power Company, then, required
| the Intervention Of Congress The law
| was declared against the company, but they
| did not take down their poles or abandon
their fight and, solely it now appears, be
| cause there were other strings TO Se pulled
| and schemes to be Matched. The whole
| history of the transaction Indicates to
most people that the Commissioners We're
| bound to make good Some occult agree
| meut with the gentlemen to whom Mr.
| Truesdell had sold his nonpaying plant.
This view has some ground more than
/ conjecture for its belief from the fact h.
when the court had decided against the
company, it was given out that they would
shut off the light in lexington. 1t was
necessary that they should be paid for this
work by somebody. The next thing heard
OF the Commissioners recommended Spe-
cific sums for the electric lighting OF Eek
ington, which, if realized on would. OF
course, go to the Potomac Light aud Power
| Company. 1t resulted in the passage OF
an appropria ton of S500-for such lighting
In the meanwhile, the Commissioners, Il
have certain other strings 20 their bow
approved of certain bills comforting Ger
tain rights on the company. and these have
been permitted TO siumber for o purpose
that is now evident 1t was thought that
the scheme had been abandoned.
| As last ditch movement, there was ar
effort made To give the Comniss ioncrs
power to grant permits to electric light
companies, but the true object stuck out
several feet when the proposed amendment
included one to validate the permits here
tofore granted by the Commissioners. Thi:
latter cla use was an open confession thai
the heretofore permits were absolutel;
illegal
WAS PLAYING 'POSSUM