Evening star., 1896-03-03
WIRES AND CONDUlTS
Subjects Treated in Reports by the
Commissioners.
PROPOSED ELECTRIC LIGHT EXTENSIONS
Commissioners Suggest Some
Amendments to Congress. 49,
OV Z r H E A D p Err MITS

The Commissioners today made favor
able report upon Senate bill 2124, to au-
thor!ze the extension of the lines of the
Potomac Light and Power Company, and
substituted a new bill, embodying the
changes recommended by them.
In their letter to Chairman Mcmillan
upon The bill. they say: ..s
The proposed legislation is regarded in
the main as advantageous for the public
interests. in that it provides means for
lighting streets and roadways and public
aid private buildings by electricity, in the
parts of the District outside of the city Of
Washington where such lighting cannot
now be had, and therefore the bill, with
some changes noted below, IL recommended
for favorable action. TN object of the
changes is to more securely guard the puD-
lie interests, to increase the compensation
in kind to be furnished for rights and priv
ileges granted, and to harmoniZe the bill
WITH and make its provisions preliminary
to, legislation lately recommended by the
Commissioners for the establishment of
general system of subways for wires.''
After giving an account of the Potomac
Light and Power Company, and stating
the facts showing how the company had
been restrained by court from extending
its lines, the Commissioners go on to say:
AS the Commissioners understand the
situation, the company finding it's hands
tied and it's property and projects leopard
ized, asks for congressional authority 10
extend its existing lines. erected under
permits, and offers to provide certain priv
-ileges and submit to certain conditions
compensation therefor. Among such priv
ileges and conditions are the free use of it's
conduits and poles, where poles are allow
ed as along county roads and unimproved
suburban streets, for public wires; the right
CT purchase by the public of it's condui;s
upon specified and reasonable terms; the
furnishing of public arc lamps at ma xi-
mum price of s1OO, where existing law
makes the maximum price SAG, and pri-
vate lighting at not more than 10 per CEN
,um less than rates prevailing iii Decent
Der, 1886.
The Commissioners nave added to the
bill. among other provisionS one for a
right Of purchase of the cdAduits by a
general subway company or contractor,
which may be authorized by Congress to
operate in the District of Colombia, re-
serving to Congress the right of fixing
maximum rates for public and private
lighting; and limiting the use of overhead
overhead wires shall be wholly removed
from street or part of street within
six months after the date of the approval
of al act of Congress appropris ting money
for. or otherwise authorizing, the paving or
improvement by standard macadam or
araveling of suck street or part of street;
that the erection of poles on a concrete
sidewalk shall be prob bite,'. and the re-
nloval of poles from sidewalk space about
to be paved with concrete shall be re-
quired.'
The Commissioners send with the letter
a bill drawn up to cover the changes they
Suggest.
The Commissioners also submit letter
from President Crosby of the Potomac
Light and Power Conn any upon the mer-
it's of the pending bill.
About Overhead Wires.
The Commissioners this afternoon sent
their reply to Congress upon the subject of
the resolution calling for information con-
cerning the number of permits granted for
the stringing of overhead wires since'1s>S.
In their reply the Commissioners say that
s.nce that date four permits have been
granted for the erection of overhead wires,
upon and over streets and avenues of the
city. Then follows list of the permits.
Continuing, the Commissioners say:
Neither the act approved July is, 1888,
nor any subsequent acts of Congress pro-
hibit the erection of overhead wires in the
alleys in the city of Washington, nor the
erection of overhead wires in any. part of
the District of Columbia outside of said city.
Under the general police clause. conferred
upon them by Congress, the Commissioners
have granted permits to the following cor
porations.'
Then follows list of the companies, the
Commissioners adding it would take con-
siderable time to make a transcript of all
such permits. but it can be done if desired
The Comm ssioners quote the paragraph in
the appropriation act of August {, 1894
concerning the erection of overhead wires
in all alleys. and say, under it's provisions.
permits have been granted to erect poles
and string wires in the alleys of the city
In conclusion they say:
"Since March 3, 1891, the Commissioners
have issued the following permits for the
construction Of conduits for electric wires,
which We're not an addition to, nor extern
sion of a previously existing conduit or SUBJ
way established under previously existing
law.
THE Commissioners having agreed to en-
ter into contract with the Potomac Light
and Power Company to light the Aqueduct
bridge. permit was given this company on
November 26, 1895, TO lay an underground
conduit across NJ street northwest for the
purpose of connecting it's existing lines
with the Aqueduct bridge. This conduit
has not been constructed.
December Is. 1885. permit was given the
Washington. Arlington and Falls Church
railroad, successors to the Washington and
Arlington railway, to construct a conduit
across NJ street so as to replace two wires
which had been formerly strung across the
street.
In their letter of transmittal the Com
missioners forwarded copies of the permits
and copies of opinions rendered by their
legal advisers.
Wires In COnduits.
The Commissioners also transmitted
other statements sent to them under the
resolution cited above as follows:
Col. Wilson, in charsc of public buildings
and grounds, states that the only under
ground conduits under his control is one
six-inch pipe conduit, 135 feet long, running
from 18th and G streets to the State, War
and Navy departments, and one eight-inch
pipe conduit, $50 feet, running from the
south side of G street north and North
Capitol street through the Capitol grounds
into the basement of the Senate.
Superintendent Miles of the District tele-
graph and telephone service reports that
the District owns about five and one-quar-
ter miles of conduits. but they consist of
cheap wood boxes about eighteen inches
below the surface of the ground.
The manager of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company reports that the only con-
duit owned by it is located under the side
walk on South Capitol street, from B to c
streets, thence to the Capitol building, the
total length being about LOO feet. a-
The Postal Telegraph Company reports
that it has 14,31j feet of conduit.
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Co.
reports that it has 70,9O0.42 feet of SUBJ
way trench. In letter to the Commission
ers accompanying this statement" President
Bryan states, that while there is no stip-
ulation in relation to reservation of duct
for the District he has always been ready
and willing as heretofore stated, to permit
the District to use duct without charge