The times., 1898-10-01

The controversy between the United
States Electric Lighting Company and the
Potomac Electric Power Company over
certain conduits of the Postal Telegraph
Cable Company in Fourteenth Street
near the Wyatt building. made the
subject yesterday of a lengthy opinion by
S. T. Thomas, the attorney for the Dis
trict.
Some weeks ago the controversy devel-
oped, when Capt A. A. Thomas. president
of the United States Electric Lighting
Company, complained to the District
Commissioners that the Potomac Com
pany had been utilizing these conduits,
and had connected with the same. Capt
Thomas maintained that the Potomac Of
ficials had no authority TO make any such
that if they had he would be at likely
to use the conduits of the Metropolitan
Railroad Company to run his companys
cable down Four-and-a- Street. Up
on investigation Capt. Beach, the En-
gineer Commissioner of the District
learned that in one of the vaults under
the sidewalk on the west side of Four
teenth Street, the brick arch had been
broken and two cables brought through
the conduit of the Postal Telegraph Cable
Company, and were traced 10 the room
containing the electric motors of the
Wyatt buildings elevators
The Commissioners then referred the
matter to Attorney Thomas. who shortly
afterward received a letter from the Po-
tomac Electric Power Company, through
James b. Lacey, its secretary, stating
that in November last the service of the
United States Electric Lighting Company
was crippled by reason OF a fire at the
company's plant, and that application was
made 10 the Potomac company by the
Postal Telegraph Cable Company, which
was seriously inconvenienced by the oc-
currence, for connection with the former
companys lines At that time Mr.
Lacey states. the connection could only
be made through the conduits of the Pos
tai company, by Joining the two conduits
at the corner of Fourteenth Street and
New York Avenue.
The opinion of Attorney Thomas reads
in part as follows:
Since the papers in this case were re-
ferred to me have received a letter from
James B. Lacey, secretary of the Poto-
mac Electric Lighting Company. wherein
1t is claimed that that company is Joint
o
conduit for electric lighting purposes was
the subject of a Senate resolution from
which II appears that the placing of the
| cables of the Potomac Electric Power
| Company therein was with the knowledge
( of the Commissioners. There are but two
/ questions involved in this matter-frst
! whether the conduit on Fourteenth Street
! is legal, and, second, whether it was
necessary for the Potomac Electric
| Power Company 10 have a permit from
| the Commissioners TO make the connec-
! tion complained of with the motor In the
| Wyatt Building"
Regarding the first question, Attorney
| Thomas says that clause in the def
/ cheney bill legaliZed all existing conduits
! within the fire limits. whether for tele-
| graph, telephone, or electric lighting ser
/ vice
In disposing of the second question. the
! attorney says:
| House connections are authorized and
this connection is. as I understand it.
/ simply a house connection. so that the
/ controversy is reduced to the point that
1 the Potomac Electric Power Company
made the connection without a permit
! The company should have obtained per-
/ NIT 10 make the connection in question
/ and but for the act of July s. 1898 legal
/ iZing these conduits, the Commissioners
] could, by proper proceedings. enjoin the
/ use of 1t. However, since the passage of
! said act permit would have been grant
ed for house connection, there would
! seem to be no necessity for any action by
| the Commissioners