Evening star., 1897-01-20
STILL ON
Debate Resumed on the Electric
Light Question.
A LIVELY time IN rHE SENATE
Mr.. Faulkner Defends the District
Committees Action.
MR.. HILLS ESTION s

l. IL - IN
The galleries of the Senate were filled
today with people interested in the con-
troversy over electric lighting companies
of the District Of Columbia When Mr..
Pettigrew entered into a long argument
over his resolution calling on the Secre-
tary of State for information about the
arbitration treaty made by the President
with Great Britain the friends of the Cock
rel ]efnt resolution became nervous, fear
ing that the entire morning hour would
oe Consumed without opportunity to
consider the question, which had been
debated with such vigor yesterday.
At the first opportunity Mr. Cockrell
was on his feet to call up his joint reso-
iutlon Mr.. Hill at once became attentive
ana Mr Faulkner secured the floor
MIR. Faulkner's Reply to Hill.
Mr.. Faulkner opened his remarks bv re-
lerring to the statements of Mr.. Hill yes-
terday which reflected on the acts of mem
bers of the committee on the District of
Columbia.
=" men senator Uses such language as
This is a trick and a scheme II Is not
ohly unparl1amentary, but it impllzs that
mere are motives other than public mo-
yves that actuate and control the gen.
ators who are responsible for such a reso-
luton"
Mt Faulkner wished to repudiate Mr.
aill ehal ses and to say that for himself
ne nad no interest IN either of the COM
panies involved in this controversy The
question involved in the controversy was
not one of digging little ditch IN the
streets of this city, but involved principles
relating 10 the control of every corporation
In the District of Columbia.
There was evidently lively interest in
the electric light fight among senator's as
a large number of them gathered about to
near what Mr.. Faulkner had to say. There
were Messrs. Gray, Morgan, Cockrell,
Bacon. Hill, Mills, Voorhees,. German,
Pugh, Roach, White, Mitchell of Wiscon-
sin, Vest Hawiey, Caffery, Villas Stewart,
Mcmillan, Allison, Gallinger. Platt, Hoar,
Aldrlch and Carter, among others.
Mr.. Harris Not Opposed
Mr. Faulkner reviewed the litigation that
has been had in the courts of the District
OF Columbia regarding the electric light
contracts. He then referred to Mr.. Hilrs
statement yesterday that Senator Harris
as opposed to he Cockrell resolution and
said Mr.. Harris had introduced in the
senate and later reported from the COM
mittee on the District of Columbia A bill
which involved the same PRINCIPLES involved
in the Cockrell resolution
ne Said that at almost every point where
the commissioners had designated lights
should be established there were already
wires, and, Notwithstanding that fact the
Potomac Electric Power Company had been
given permits to tear up seven miles of
asphalt paVementS.
Mr.. Hill took exception to this statement
but II was reiterated by Mr.. Faulkner who
said the only exception to it was in the
case or New York avenue. He did not
mean to say that the United States Electric
Lighting Company had conduits on all the
streets dug up by the Potomac company
but he referred to the points which the
Commissioners had designated should be
furnished, with lights.
The Case of Lafayette Square.
Mr. Hill wanted to know If that was the
case with Lafayette Square.
Mr.. Faulkner replied that on three sides
of Lafayette Square there were under
ground conduits. while, in order that the
Potomac company should reach that
square it had laid two and half miles of
underground conduit. 1t had dug up seven
miles of asphalt pavement to lay it's con-
duits, while 1t might have been done by
the United States company by the laying
OF half mile of conduit, and surely not
more than one mile.
MIR. Hill asked if that was the case In
reference to Lincoln Park.
Mr.. Faulkner replied that under the plan
adopted by the Commissioners in letting a
contract to the Potomac company three
miles CT asphalt pavement would be dug up
in order to supply that park with seven
electric lights. He said that the policy CT
the committee on the District of Columbia
had been to secure general subway sys-
tenn by which all the wires In this city
should go underground and when that sys-
tenn should be established any company
would have an opportunity to use the con-
duit and pay the District for that privilege.
Maintaining "a Monopoly.
Mr.. Hill said that the keeping of the
Potomac company ont of the territory east
Of Rock creek was maintaining a monop-
oily.
Mr.. Faulkner replied that the policy OF
Congress had been to establish monopoiies
in the District of Columbia, but not in the
sense that a monopoly was meant by the
senator from New York. 1t had been the
policy of Congress to permit only one COM
pany to do necessary work and to get the
advantages desired by competition through
control by Congress.
1t was in pursuance of this policy that
Congre So had not given new railroad COM
panies charters to come into the city of
Washington. He said experience hal
taught members of the committee that It
was better to give extensions to existing
corporations than to charter new ones
which might become bankrupt. They didn't
want new companies to come into the city
and then when Congress wanted to force
them to improve their facilities to have
them plead that they were too poor and
that their stock paid no dividends.
What case has there been in which YOU
have forced a railroad 10 extend it's tracks
where IT didn't want to?' asked Mr. Hill
Numerous cases." replied Mr.. Faulk-
ner
What case?" retorted Mr. Hill.
One Case Cited.
''The Metropolitan Railroad Company
was made to extend it's tracks," replied
Mr.. Faulkner. Congress has compelled
the existing railroad companies to give
rapid transit. and, with the exception of
, two lines. We have no horse cars here
now. The policy of Congress in respect
to all local corporations was to allow but
cne company to do particular kind of
work.
This city is in most unfortunate con-
dition In relation to telephone companies"
said Mr. Faulkner.
Pursuing the general policy of Congress-
the telephone company has not been all
lowed to lay conduits for the extension of
their lines. The Commissioners only two
weeks ago decided that they could not per-
nit the telephone company to lay a con-
duit, and no one can get a felenbona ",