Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-04
ERECTION Or POLES
The Commissioners Explain the Telegraph
Situation to the Senate.
The Condition In the Nefghborhood
of 18th Strcet-Fewer Poles
and Less Wires.

In response to the Senate resolution OF
February %. 1893, directing the Commits
sioners~ Of the District Of Columbia to in
form the Senate under what authority OF
law and for what reason telegraph poles
Carrying overhead wires have been erected
on 14th street northwest in the city Of
Washington" the Commissioners trans
mitted the following to the Vice Presi-
dent:
In November last the Western Union
Telegraph Company. having in view the
change Of Its main office from the cor
Fer of 18th and streets northwest to the
corner Of 14th and F streets made ,appli-
cation for permit to renew certain poles
ON 18th street and g street northwest. and
to replace certain of their wires with aerial
cables. The large number. of poles and
overhead wires in this neighborhood having
been source OF many complaints to the
Commissioners and of much contention
with the companies using them, advantage
Western Union Telegraph Company's lines
to remedy the existing conditions in this
section as much as possible under exist
ing law.
While it is not known that the Western
Union Telegraph Company desired to re-
place its overhead wires by underground
conouits, 1t is known that II it had so
desired the Commissioners were without
authority to Issue it permits for the con-
struction OF the necessary conduits. The
Western Union Telegraph Company was
occupying the streets with it's overhead
lines under authority of the act Of 1865.
commonly known as the national tele-
graph act" This act has been construed
by the Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia as pertaining to the District Of
Columbia to the same extent as 1t does
to other portions of the United States, and
the court held that all the municipal au-
thorities had to do with the subject of the
erection of poles and the stringing of wires
thereon by the Western Union Telegraph
Company was to regulate the exercise OF
the right granted by law. that Is to desig-
erected, etc.
Previous to any action by the Commis-
s;oners in this particular instance. the
II after was also sui mitted to the attorney
for the District of Columbia, who was of
the opinion that Inc act Of Congress Of
1888 with regard to overhead wires in the
city Of Washington, and Its subsequent
modification SO far es electric light and
telephone facilities are concerned, did no,
apply to telegraph companies which have
availed themselves of the privileges of the
ne tional telegraph act. He was, there
fore, Of the opinion that there was no OBJ
lection to granting the application of the
telegraph company in this instance, SUBJ
ject to such regulations With regard to
the location of poles &C., as might be
necessary and proper for public safety.
pearing to the Commissioners to be clea-
in this case. their authority extended only
TO a reasonable regulation of these rights,
and. as before stated. due advantage was
taken Of the complny's application to i'm
p, owe the overhead conditions in the sec
ton bounded by 18th, 18th, B and G streets
northwest.
After a careful consideration of the
natter permit was issued to the tele-
graph company to erect certain poles and
string thereon cert ain aerial cables on 14th
street, from B street to G street northwest,
and on G street from 1874 to 14th street.
AS condition Of this Permit the Western
Union Telegraph Con rany is to remove a
double line of poles on 18th street from B
street to Pennsylvania avenue and single
lire of poles on same street from Penn
sylvania avenue to G street, together with
q number of other poles at various points.
and a large mass Of Sill gle wires carried by
these poles and housetop fixtures.
The net result of these changes will be
a reduction of twenty-five poles In the sec
ton referred to, and the substitution of a
comparatively small number of aerial
cables for a large raass Of single wires,
amounting in some II stances to 100 on a
single pole. considerable improvement
will be had in the overhead conditions in
this section when the work now in progress
is completed by the removal of the poles
and wires referred to-