Evening star., 1897-01-15
Important Action of the Senate Dis
trict Committee.
THE COCKRELL RESOLUTION ADOPTED
Work Of the Potomac Company
May Be Stopped.
A LENGTH DISCU SSION

Columbia took action today in regard 10
the electric light controversy. which may
be the forerur ner OF congressional action
| to stop the Potomac Electric Power Com
| pany in its work of laying conduits for its
| wires. and will be regarded by many as a
| severe reprimand for the District Commits
sioners.
The committee voted to make a favorable
| report on the Cockrell joint resolution re-
! lating to the laying of electric subways In
| the District of Columbia
| This report will be made to the Senate
| on Monday, and 1T is extremely probable
that the Senate will pass the joint resolu-
| tion and the fight will then be transferred
| 10 the House of Representatives.
Will Stop Tearing Up the Streets
| If the joint resolution is passed by the
| House and signed by the President the
work of tearing up the streets. in order
that the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany's conduts may be put down. will be
| stopped. and that company. il is said by
| those who have studied the legal aspects
| of this question, will have no recourse ex-
| cept perhaps in the prosecution of a claim
FOR the loss Ii will have incurred In prose
| cutting its work up to the time OF the pas
| sage of the joint resolution.
| The CockreII Resolution.
When the Senate committee met this
morning there were present Messrs Nc
| MILAN, chairman: Proctor, Gibson, Martin,
| Smith, Baker. Faulkner and Bacon. The
| important business before the committee
was the Cockrell joint resolution, which is
| as follows:
| Whereas it is provided by the act of June
| III, 1896 t29th Statutes. page 4oD. that no
| underground electric-liSh hting wires or con-
duits shall be laid in the District of Co.
| iumbla east OF Rock creek, excepting in the
| extension of the existing eleciric-ighting
service within certain specified territorial
limits; and
Whereas the Senate and House are both
| investigating, through their respective COM
| mittees of the District of Columbia. the
subject Of the laying of electric subways
| in the streets, roads, avenues and alleys of
the District of Columbia. as recommended
| by the Commissioners of the said District
| In their letter of February s. 1sg6 and as
| provided by Senate bill 2G31 and House bill
1t2p accompanying said letter: Therefore,
Resolved by the Senate and House of
| Representatives of America in Congress as
| sembed, That until definite action il taken
by Congress regarding the construction of
| SAID general subway system it shall be
| unlawful to open any streets, roads.
nues or alleys in The District of Columbia
| fer the purpose of laying electrical wires
cables or conduits therein, excerting in the
extension of the existing electric lighting
service within .he territorial limits speci-
fed in said act: Provided, however. That in
| cases where the public interests shall, in
| the opinion of the Commissioners OF the
| blsliiNt VI NoiuAisbld. ItQutIt ht
extension of existing service. permits may
be issued therefor, and also for all neces-
sary house connections 20 the United States
| Electric Lighting Company in the terri
| tory lying east OF Rock creek, and to The
| Potomac Light and Power Company in
the territory lying west of Rock creek.
| Commissioner Truesdelrs Argument.
There was quite lengthy discussion over
| the question involved in the joint resolu-
| ton. Commissioner Truesdell had a cou-
pie days previously argued for two hours
| to show the committee why the Potomac
Power Company should be allowed 10 con-
| tirue to lay its subways, and It is gener-
| ally believed that he considered that his
| arguments would prevail and that no ac-
| tion adverse to the course he approved
| would be taken by the committee
What Maj. Powell Said.
When the three Commissioners were he
| fore the Senate committee few days ago,
| Mai. Powell, the Engineer Commissioner.
| had talked in advocacy of the position
| taken by the board of Commissioners in
granting permits to allow the Potomac
company to dig up the streets in order that
| they might lay subways for their wires,
| to be used in fulfilling contracts for public
| lighting for the current fiscal year.
That contract WAS signed by all the Com
missoners, Commissioner Ross Withholding
his signature for a time pending inquiries
he made regarding the propriety of the
boards action in granting a contract TO the
Potomac company, when the United States
Electric Lighting Company had previously
done the work, and claimed that the Com
missioners had no authority to grant per-
mits for such lighting except to themselves.
Appropriations Committee Indignant.
There is no doubt that that potent fac
| tor in legislation, senatorial courtesy"
had some influence in deciding the Senate
committee to order the favorable report
| on the Cockrell joint resolution.
The Senate committee on appropriations
claimed that when it passed upon legisia-
ton in favor of the Potomac Electric
Power Company that company had agreed
that 1t would confine its operations west OF
Rock creek, leaving the territory east OF
r at stream to the United States Company.
In bidding for and securing a contract
east of Rock creek the committee members
claim that the Potomac company broke
faith with them and there has been a very
decided feeling of indignation in the APP
propriations committee over the action OF
the Potomac company ever since il invaded
the territory east Of Rock creek
The action of the Senate committee on
the District of Columbia today places that
committee IN lire with the committee on
appropriations. There is little doubt that
| the Senate will promptly indorse the action
of the committee on the District of Column
bia. While the Potomac Company has
proceeded legally and under a strict inter-
probation OF the law bearing electric
llSntlDS IN tne DlSlflCl Oh SOlunlDld ultn-
bers of the Senate appropriations commit
tee are no less indignant because they
claim that their understanding" should
have beer respected by the Potomac Com
pany.
What the Potomac People Claim.
1t is claimed by those interested I'm the
Potomac company that the Understand
ing regarding territory to be allotted to
the Potomac and the United States COM
panies referred to private lighting. and not
to public lighting, and that in respect to
private lighting the Potomac company has
made no effort to come east of Rock creek.
On the other hand. the friends of the
United States Company say II is absurd
to suppose that the Potomac Company
would spend the great sum of money neces-
sary to lay the subways II is now con-
structing merely to receive a small profit
from public lighting. Its contract now in
force with the District of Columbia
amounting to $4,000 per annum
The electric light controversy win be con-
tinued with much vigor on both sides and
a desperate struggle win be made IN Con-
gress from now on between the two com.
panies contending for right to do electric
lighting east Of Rock creek.