Evening star., 1897-01-08
ELECTRIC LIGHT CONTRACTS
Further efArgummt Before the Senate Distric
Committee
Mr.. BrittOn Speaks In Behalf Of the
the Congregational Record.

After The Stars report of the hearing
before the Senate committee on the District
of Columbia on the subject Of electric light
ing in the District closed yesterday after
noon A. T. Britton made a lengthy argu-
ment in behalf Of the United States Elec-
trio Lighting Company. He said the Gal
llEger ana Cockrell resolutions were with
cut ambiguity and do not warrant any Of
the lnferences Of trouble to the District
anticipated by Commissioner TruesdeH
The Commissioners themselves had urged
upon Congress the passage of the subway
bill.
The Bill Not Lost sight OF.
Mr.. Britton said that. beginning in $780,
Congress had never lost sight of the sub
way bill and never appropriated a dollar
without restrictions in view of the ultimate
passage of that act. He went on to show
the Importance and absolute necessity of
such system. considering the size and
ing necessities of the city as to future
telegraph, telephone and electric railway
facilities. Congress, however. knows tnat
there are equities to be considered in case
the bin passes, not equities affecting any
individuals, but those in which the whole
body polite Is interested. A good deal had
been said about monopolies. The United
states Company Is one but not in the in
to. Whatever was said on this subject 1t
was undeniably true that the policy of Con-
gress was toward monopoly in the city gov
ernment and had been for a hundred years.
rms was proved by its policy toward un-
derground railways. 1t undertakes to regu-
late one company rather than to permit a
number Of contestants or "collusive COM
petitors for a sell out or freeze out >"
There could be no question that Congress
had recognized the United States Electric
-isntihg Company as the only company up
Mr.. CrOsby's Denial.
Mr.. Crosby denied that this statement of
Mr. Britton was correct, hut the latter re-
piled that II was even admitted by Judge
Cole. Mr.. Britton then went into the his
tory OF the formation of the Potomac Com
pany as competitor in 1894-'95, its efforts
TO get permits and the adverse decision of
Justice Bingham. Defeated there they
went to Congress. and in this connec ton
colonel Britton described the efforts there
made in its behalf All of the de-
vices for letting in outside bidders were
struck out of the House amendments
Dy the senate. and there was a return to
the Old system. In the legislation which
was eventually passed there was no doubt
that the Potomac company was confined
west Of Rock creek
Quoting the Record.
Mr.. Britton said when the Senate was
considering the amendments referred To
the cleanest and best statement on the
SUBJECT was made on June by a senator
who said:
mere mas never been a proposition upon
the part of the Potomac Company to in
xade the territory of the United States
Company"
Senator Harris inquired from what docu
ment Mr. Britton was reading.
fhe Congressional Record" replied
Mr.. Britton.
Mr.. Harris wanted to know what sena
tor was being quoted.
You. replied Mr.. Britton, and a broad
smile covered the faces of the senators
and others.
Mr.. Britton read other portions of the
Record to show that statements were made
on the floor of the Senate in effect that the
Potomac Company would not come east of
ROCK creek, with view of securing legis-
iation Ior that company. He then claimed
that the Potomac Company was paralleling
the lines of the United States Company,
but Commissioner Powell said this was
Only done on short lines, and he submitted
both companies.
COnduits Criticised
Mr.. Britton criticised the Potomac Com
pany conduits, and gave the impression
that they were not as substantial as they
should be. and were not deep enough to
escape injury from frost He said the So
called decision Of Judge Cole was not on
the merits of the controversy, and that
this the Commissioners knew when they
issued thd permits The Commissioners
had an opportunity to get a final decision,
but they would not cooperate with the
United States Company. It was time that
was wanted, and not the law They as
sumed that mere utterance on an inter-
locutory order declared a legal principle.
ana then hastened on to grant the permits
with the subway bill pending and the
knowledge that the whole matter would
be discussed again in the Senate. Yet the
permits were granted on December 9 be-
fore the meeting of Congress.
The hearing was adjourned and will he
resumed on notification from the commit
tee
In the transmission by telephone ycster-
day Of report of Mr.. o. T. Crosbys state
ment before the committee he was incor-
rectly made by The Star to say that Only
one electric light company should operate
east of Rock creek" Mr.. Crosby said that
II the intention Of Congress was that only
one company shuld be permitted to oper-
ate east of Rock creek. that intention
should be expressed in the law, which is
not the Case"
COmmissiOners' Letter.
Commissioner Ross has written a letter to
Mr.. Mcmillan, chairman of the Senate COM
mittee on the District of Columbia, In re-
lation to the hearing that was conducted
yesterday afternoon by the Senate commit
tee on the resolutions relating to electric
lighting in the District Of Columbia. Mr..
Ross says:
AT the hearing yesterday before your
committee on the electric conduit resolu-
tons no time was given the Commissioners
to reply to the statement made by the
counsel for the United States Electric
Lighting Company, which was inaccurate
in the opinion of the Commissioners in this
regard: The Commissioners are satisfied
that the United States Electric Lighting
Company could not furnish all the electric
lights under its contract for lighting streets
and parks without. the erection of poles or
the construction of conduits. i
'"They also wish to state that the conduits
laid by the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany constitute good construction in re-
gard to depth, capacity and method and
they would be glad to have any Of the
members of the subcommittee personally
inspect the work now In progress II they
have any doubt as to these statements.
Much stress was made by the counsel
for the United States Electric Lighting
Company upon the point that the permits
granted to the Potomac Electric Power
Company are made revokable at the will
Of Cor gress. as indicating that Congress
now has mower to annul contracts enfare0