The times., 1898-12-24
THE CONDUIT SYSTEM.
N Explanatory Letter. iarom the
business Mems Assdeia4fon.

An Explanatory Letter. From the
business Mems Assdeiaaion.
The Business Mems Association has ad-
dressed a communication to- the District
Commissioners in support or Senator Nc
Millan's bill providing for The hextension
of electric lighting conduitS. fhe letter
reads in part as follows::
1--WE feel it is a matter 6f congratula-
tion that the hearing before you On the
22d instant disclosed not only that there
was no opposition to the bill from any
source, but that the United States and
Potomac companies. speaking through
authorized representatives, placed them
selves on record as being in full accord
with the purposes of the bill. and willing
to trust the regulation of the method and
details of the construction of the conduits
of extension and connection to the sound
Judgment and wisdom of the District
Commissioners. This bill has been pend
ing since the 9th day of December Am.
pie time has been allowed for its con-
sideration The representatives of both
companies spoke we feel sure. after ma
ture deliberation and We have no doubt
will do all in their power TO urge Congress
to enact the bill into law at the earliest
possible moment.
! ..The Business Mems Association of
Washington. D. c.. favors the enactment
OF this legislation for the following rea-
sons:
First, Because it permits competition
in the furnishing of electric light, neat
and power. certainly through all the busi-
ness portion of the city, and wherever
else parallel conduits may be constructs. J.
| The beneficial effects of such competition
| upon all business houses using electrlc
| light. heat or power cannot be measured.
| A better service is secured; prices are
| regulated by competition. and electric
light, heat and power furnished at rea-
| sonable cost The competing compan eS
! act as a check upon each other IN the
matter of unnecessary or vexatious reg
ulations In short the consumer is taken
from under the power of single monop-
| olizing company to which necessity COM
| pels him to submit in all matters regard
! ing the product of that company. and
! given all the advantages which arise from
| a situation in which his patronage Is
| catered for by competing companies vie
/ ing with each other in Offering induce
ments to secure 1t. The value OF this to
| the consumer cannot be overestimated.
Second Under the proposed law al
| electric lighting wires now overhead
must be placed underground within one
| year thus removing source of grave
| danger from our streets during fires,
/ storms. etc Experience has demonsirat-
ed that overhead electric wires or cab.es
carrying high power currents are source
of great danger in storms and hurricanes
| and during fires. and the advantages OF
| having them safely underground are loo
/ obvious TO need argument
I'm regard TO the tearing up of some of
| the streets which the extension of con-
| duits will render necessary. after fully
J testing the sense of our business men en-
| the subject, We have no hesitation in say
Ing that the advantages accrufng to them
I through the establishment of competition
in electric service are great that the
! Inconvenience of opening .tbe streets for
| extensions will be welcomed. We believe
there is scarcely business, man in Wash
4 ington who would not rather, have the
! street before his place of business OBJ
structed by the small trench necessary
| fer the conduit for ten times the period
/ actually required for the laying of the
! conduit than To suffer for an unlimited
! time in the future exactiors of single
monopolizing company, to whose terms
rates, regulations and limitations he must
/ submit or lose the great advantage of
I electric light, heat or power in the con-
4 duct of his business At this day cleo
| tricity in business Is no longer a luxury.
4 1t is an absolute necessity.
AT the hearing some suggestion was
made that the extension of existing con-
duits might be detrimental to the scheme
of general subway system at some time
in the future. Even were this so it would
be a poor argument against the bill We
feel, however. that under judicious regula-
tons of the Commissioners all extensions
can be constructed in such manner that
they will become valuable part of any
general subway system which may be
constructed in future.
Expressing our appreciation for the
courtesies you have extended to the Busi-
ness Mems Association and its repre-
sentatives we again assure you of our
warmest support and approval of the bill
introduced by Senator Mcmillan for the
extension of electric lighting conduits in
the District of Columbia"
The communication contained the sig
natures of W. S. Knox, president Busi-
ness Mems Association: VI. Dyrenforth.
vice president: Conrad II. Syme, general
counsel: Lawrence Gardner. chairman
committee on law and legislation.