Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-21
DO NOT WANT THE WIRES
Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant
Against the Commissioners
They Object to Amending the Potomac
Power Compan y's Bill So ms to
Permit Overhead Lines.

The recommendations of the District
Commissioners as to House bill No STTG
IN relation 20 the Potomac Electric Power
Company, in which Congress Is asked to
amend the bill SO as TO permit overhead
wires through Columbia Heights and Mt.
Pleasant, meet with strong dissatisfaction
among the residents Of that part OF Wash
ington. Mr.. NJ. VI. Baiinser, president of
the Columbia Heights Citizens Associa-
tlon said today to a Star reporter:
The clause in the bill which the Com
missioners think is Objectionable is the one
prohibiting overhead wires between the
fire limits ard the city limits, and the rea-
son assigned is that some of the streets in
THIS district are not graded, and, therefore,
Underground wires are not reasonable
requirement. OF all the Straws for
drowning man to grab at,sthis is the lasl.
why not apply the same rule to large
part or the city of Washington Where the
streets are not graded, whore there are
no houses present or prospective, and
where there is neither business nor resi-
dences TO suggest 20 the Commissioners the
prosperity of taking this large section of
the city proper into the fire limits?
What is the idea of a fire limit? 1t is
to mark line within which the growth
and development is such as to suggest and
require city rules and regulations for the
protection of property holders Florida
avenue is the boundary of Washington
city as fxed by law, and yet for all pur-
poses that section of the city north of
Florida avenue is much more city than
that which lies Immediately south of this
statutory line.
Il wonder if the Commissioners have
knowledge of the fact that we have filed
the statements of the property owners be
fore Congress Cmany Of them sworn to-,
showing investments in buildings for
homes In Columbia Heights of $500, 900
in the last two years of the panic, and /
wonder I "a r. hat Inn't
know what we want and must go to the
Ccmmiss!oners' office to find out?
II some OF our streets are not graded
and regulated as is suggested by the Com
missoncrs 1 thank the Lord both branches
OF Congress have provided for having II
done in the District appropriation bill
ANA IL they are not to be graded then
there Will be living upon them to
require any electric light. | get tired and
worn out with this eternal cry of the Com
missoners for overhead wires in our sec
ton.
I'VE have defeated this scheme in the
courts at 10 small cost, when the Commits
sioncrs granted overhead wire permits all
through our territory and on streets that
were graded. We have defeated it in Con
gress, where II. r. 13S was introduee I'd on
February s. We have defeated the same
scheme when some trickster q don't care
who he was) slipped it into the District
appropriation bill, and we propose to de-
feaf 1t every time it comes up, If we can
only have half a chance We think we
know what we want, and do not pro-
pose to sit quietly by and have the Com
inissioners tell US that in the interest of
lexington or the lexington Electric Light
company. or its assigns, or in the interest
of the Potomac Electric Power COMPANY or
any other section or company. we must sub
mt to nave our section damaged TO the en-
tent OF hundreds of thousands of dollars
and its future growth checked
Mr.. Crosby has in writing agreed that
his company Will not traverse Our streets
with overhead wires even if a bill were to
pass permitting his company TO do So Mr.
crosby has stated to the Senate District
committee and TO the House District COM
mitee that his company was willing to
submit to underground wires inside the
ire limits. and upon these statements made
by Mr. Crosby himself and fully known at
the Commissioners Office the bill--I r.
SII6-was framed and introduced by Mr.
Bapcock, and an exact copy introduced in
the Senate by Mr.. McMiIldn-S 2o4 Now
II Mr.. Crosby We're to ask that this part of
MS Dill he amended SO as to allow him to
use overhead wires inside the fire limits he
would lose the respect of every man who
mss ever heard HIM make these statements
DO not believe he is asking ANYTHING
OF the kind, and if his company is salts
lied to give us underground conduit inside
the fire limits, and if he has stated The
tTutn in his letter to Mr.. Somervile and
myself, and If he was honest with the
committees of Congress, ali of which /
must assume to be true then car Won won
Ger that when ne is satisfied with his bill
as IL stands WneE our citizens all demand
the conduit inside the fire limits | say
can You wonder that l am surprised al the
action OF the District Commissioners
With the United States Company ready
to give us underground service, with
CrosbyS company asking Congress to per-
init 1t to give us underground service, with
an our citizens asking the same thing. We
lhinK the Commissioners might let the
matter rest in that way for appearanre
sake, II for nothing else"