Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-08

| city for a number of years, there still re-
main many miles of overhead electric light
| wires in the streets and alleys, and existing
conduits are not of sufficient capacity to
| contain them. Even if Congress deems it
inadvsable to authorize any extension OF
conduits under the present system Of cor
| porate ownership, there can be no doubt
as to the wisdom and desirability of taking
such action as may be necessary 10 re-
| move these overhead wires pending the set
| Element of the question of a general con-
| duit system for the city. All legislation
heretofore enacted upon this subject has
been contained in the various acts making
| appropriations for the expenses of the Dis
| trict of Columbia, and has been more or
| less fragmentary, incomplete and uncer.
| tain as to meaning. The enactment of
| carefully considered legislation is extreme
| ly desirable.
Provisions of the Bill.
The substitute bill submitted by the
| Commissioners is follows:
For the removal of overhead electric
| lighting wires in the Distric; of Columbia,
| and for other purposes.
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representa- tives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, that all
overhead electric light and power wires,
| excepting house connections from alley
| poles, now In existence in or over any
| street, avenue, road. alley. highway, park
| or reservation within the fire limits of the
District of Columbia shall be removed by
their respective owners within one year
from the date of the passage of this act,
| and that hereafter when the said fire limits
are extended by competent authority to In
clude any additional territory all OF the
provisions of this act shall be construed as
applying to such additional territory as of
date Of the day upon which such extension
was made; provided, however that in the
discretion of the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia, alley poles and overhead
wires may be erected and employed for
6iStr ihnf nf Or nd
power by overhead house connections, but
no such overhead house connection shall
be extended across any public space other
than alleys, and all connections between
the said alley poles and the main conduits,
or between any two alley poles, shall be
made underground, provided. further, that
the Commissioners of the District OF Co.
lumbia are hereby authorized to cause to
be made such relocation and readjustment
of alley poles and overhead house services
therefrom now in existence as they may
deem wise and proper for the interest and
safety of the public.
Sec 3 That the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia are hereby authorized
to issue permits for the construction of
such conduits as may be necessary to ac-
complish the requirements of section l Of
this act. and to accommodate the said
overhead wires or their equivalents, and
such additional number of wires as the
Commissioners may judge to be necessary
for the future: Provided, That the said
conduits shall be constructed nearly as
practicable under the overhead wires that
to be placed in them, and shall be linn
tied as to length to that necessary for the
placing underground of such overhead
wires, except as may be hereafter specin-
cally provided in this act.
Permits for House Connections.
Sec 3. That the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia are hereby authorized
to issue permits for house connection with
conduitS adjacent to the premises with
which connections are 20 be made, for pub
tic lighting connections with conduits in
the portion of the street proposed to be
lighted. and for connections from conduits
to public parks and reservations adjacent
thereto. Said Commissioners are also here
by authorized to issue permits to the said
companies to lay service conduits to and
into alleys of all squares adjacent to any
conduit of such companies: Provided, how
ever, That the square into which service
conduit is to be laid shall have a public or
private alley opening upon that portion of
the street in which conduit exists. Said
Commissioners are also hereby authorized
to issue permits for the repair of existing
electric light conduits and for their enlarge
ment by increasing the number of ducts;
but when the number of ducts in any con-
dLit is increased the new construction shall
be SO laid to form one conduit with the
existing ducts, so far as the same shall be
prs cticable.
Sec. L. That all conduits constructed. re-
paired or enlarged under the provisions of
this act shall be subject to such regula-
tons as the Commissioners of the District
Of Columbia may prescribs as to inspection
location, length, number of ducts and
method and character Of construction: Pro-
vided. however, that in all said conduits
enc or two ducts, as may be required by
the Commissioners of the District of Co
iumbia, shall be set aside for the sols use
OF the District of Columbia for the convey
ance of District, telephone, telegraph and
fire alarm wires and for the use of these
reserved ducts no charge shall be made by
the owner or Others of the conduits nor
shall any compensation be paid by the
District of Columbia.
Power to Remove
Sec. 5. That should any of the overhead
wires which are required to be removed by
the provisions of this act remain in exist
cree in or over any street. avenue, road,
alley. highway. park or reservation within
the fire limits of the District of Columbia
after the dates hereinbefore provided for
their removal, 1t shall be the duty of the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
to cause the said wires and the poles car
rying the same to be removed within the
period not exceeding ninety days from the
expiration of the time herein provided for
their removal by their owners. The said
Commissioners shall charge the expense of
said removal to the company or companies
owning such wires and poles, and il within
thirty days after notice to such company
or companies of the cost and expense of
such removal the company or companies