The morning times., 1896-05-22


strongly, positively and Indignantly TO the
Commissioners The residentoftheColum-
bia Heights Citizens Association III
talk with The Timesiast nighthad somenew
and interesting things to say about the
manner in which the Commissioners are
bent on introducing the overhead abomin-
alton into that suburb, notwithstanding
the protest of its citizens
| Mr.. Bailnger also made a statement
about the Potomac Light and Power Com
pany which will interest the public, but
more especially Congress, which is being
badgered by the Commissioners in behalf
| OF that company
Mr.. .Ballinger said: I'VE areright grateful
I! to The Times for the part it has taken in
letting US know from time to time the
efforts that are being made to give us
overhead wires against our will; and
we also agree with the positioni 1T has taken
that this community has already had enough
| of the overhead wire.
"Our people on the hill are pained, sur
prsed, and dsgusted with the conduct OF
| the Commissioners on this subject. They
| attempted to force the overhead wires on
Us by granting permits to the Potomac
| Company. In a courteous and dignifeG
subject requesting them not to do any
thing of the kind. but they never even saw
fit to dignity our letters with reply
GOING BEHIND THE COURTS.
eve then went into the courts, and at
| considerable cost and expense Of time, we
| tied up the movement OF the Potomac Light
! and Power Company, so far as an over
| head system was concerned, and the com
pany was tied up SO far as their ability
| 10 DO business was concerned. The Com
missioners then went to Congress to get
| the right to DO just what the court said
they had no right to do.
I'VE appeared before the District Com
mittees of the Senate and House, but be-
fore that, we obtained from Mr. Crosh:,
the president OF the old Potomac Company,
which is now merged with the Potomac
| Electric Light Company, a written state
| ment and agreement that under no condi-
tions would he put any overhead wires in
our territory between the city limits and
the fire limit lines no matter what ac-
tion was taken by Congress. or what per
Inits were granted by the Commissioners.
| Mr.. Crosby acknowledged the justice Of
our claim. that we were no longer part
OF the country. but that We belonged to the
City Of Washington, and, as well, If not
better, placed ttfan the city.
When we appeared before the House
committee MIR. Crosby acquiesced in The
request that the bin before Congress on
the subject should be so amended as TO
prohibit overhead wires as far as the fire
limits THIS w2s accepted by the com
niittee OF the House, believing that Mr.
Crosby meant wfrat ne said
Later on we appeared before the Senate
committee, with Senators Mcmillan. Proc
tor, and Faulkuer as special committee
appointed to hear the case, and there
Mr. Crosby, representing the Potomac Light
and Power Company, again declared his
perfect Willingness 10 accept the bill pro,
hibting overhead wires anywhere within
the fire limit lines.
TOOK CROsBY's WORD.
''Air Mcmillan and Mr.. Rabcock, taking
Mr.. Crosby at just what he stated as a
fact, and believing he was in earnest. as
we did, prepared the bills that were pre-
sented to Congress, the House bill being
S776; the number of the Senate bill
can't recall at this time.
These bills in positive ana absolute
terms required that company to use moth
ing but the conduit inside of the fire limit
lines
Now, there is no question between Mr..
Crosby, the Commissioners and ourselves
that such was MIR. Crosby's plain, un-
eQuivocal, written statement and verbal
understanding, and that he is perfectly
ready and glad to accept the bills in that
shape, for, las / have Just said, the bills
were prepared in conformity with Mr..
Crosby's own statement before the two
committees.
what hurts our people, and what we
complain of the Commissioners about, is
that the United States Electric Light Com
pany has stood ready for considerable
period asking permits to give us the under
ground conduit, and the Potomac Company
is begging Congress to do the same thing
and nobody is asking fer overhead wires
Our citizens want the underground cur
rent, Congress has setits seal OF tiisapproval
on the overiIead system, as has everybody
on the face OF the earth except the District
Commissioners, and we cannot understand
why they should raise their hands to insist
that we accept the overhead wire in spite
of our remcnstrances and in spite of the
fact that we could have the underground
conduit whenever they will permit it, ant
in spite of the fact that such a system is
not wanted in this enlightened age.
, ARE BREEDING TROUBLE.
"There are no members OF our association
who are paid So 900 year to keep these
internal nuisances on the hill, but it is
probably time for the Commissioners tc
understand that there is as much loyalty
Of it's citizens to Columbia Heights as il
necessary to defeat any scheme that can be
set up by the Commissioners for any sucl
.purpose as this.
I'VE propose to see the thing through tc
} the bitter end. We have never chosen tc
} say anything unkind about the Commits
} sioners. We have never chosen to tax,
sides for or against the United States
Electric Light Company or the Potomac
Company, but we DO propose to protec
ourselves and if the Commissioners con
} tinue to rub us hardthc wrong way, the
! will be wholly to blame if unkind thing
are eventually said by some of our people,
This statement of Mr.. Ballinger convey
: the conviction that tits not the mere matte
: of underground, or overhead wires for th
suburbs in which the Commissioners ar
interested; for it is evident that the conduit
r system could be applied there either by TIN
Potomac or Electric Lighting Company
: 1t is apparent that what is wanted is SOM
means OF connecting with lines outside o
the District in a cheap manner which
points to the desire to make combin
with the outside syndicates heretofore
referred to in The Times.
1t is not unlikely that the thing will b
pushed so far that the true inwardness o
the whole scheme will be exposed. Tn
| exposition is not very far off now.