Evening star., 1898-12-23
EXTENSION OF CONDUITS
Communication From Business Mems Associ-
alton Addressed to Commissioners.
Reasons Why Pending Bill Should Be
Removes Source of Danger.

dressed a communication to the District
Commissioners in support of Senate bill
1881, which provides for the extension of
existing electric lighting conduits the ex-
preston of views being as follows:
'In accordance with the suggestion con-
tanned in your communication of the 21st
instant, we have the honor to submit the
following reasons why, in our judgment,
the bill s. 1881, for the extension of ex-
isting electric lighting conduits in the Dis
trict of Columbia, should be enacted into
law:
1--WE feel it is a matter of congratulation
that the hearing before you the 22d instant
disclosed not only that there was no oppo-
stion to the bill from any source, but that
the United States and Potomac companies,
speaking through authorized representa-
tives, placed themselves 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 thu construction of
the conduits of extension and connection to
the sound Judgment and wisdom of the
District Commissioners. This bill has been
pending since the 9th day of December.
Ample time has been allowed for it's con-
s1deration. The representatives of both
companies spoke, we feel sure, after mature
dellberation, 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.
Reasons Assigned.
THE Business Mems Association of
Washington D. c.. favors the enactment
of this legislation for the following rea-
sens:
First. Because it permits competition in
the furnishing of electric light. heat and
power, certainly through all the business
portion of the city, and wherever else par
allel conduits may be constructed. The
beneficial effects of such competition upon
all business houses using electric light,
heat or power cannot be measured A
better service is secured prices are regu-
lated by competition. and electric light
neat and power furnished at a reasonable
cost Tn competing companies act as a
check upon each other in the matter of
unnecessary or veXatioUs regulations. In
snort The consumer is taken from under
tiie power or single monopozng
pany to which necessity compels him to
summit III all matters regarding the product
OF that company, and given all the ad-
Nantages which arise from situation in
which his patronage is catered for by COM
petng companies vieing with each other
IN Offering inducem ents to secure il The
value OF this to the consumer cannot be
OvereStima.ed.
second Under the proposed law all cleo
,rlc Hghtng wires now overhead must
De placed underground within one wear
mus removing source of grave danger
from our streets during fires storms etc
fIAPefiehce mas demonstrated that overhead
eIectilc . .i wires or cables carrying high pow
er currents are a source of great danger
IN storms and hurricanes and during tireS
ana the advantages of having them So felv
Underground are too obvious to need ar
gument. 81
Accrufng Advantages
In regard to the tearing up of some of
the streets which the extension of CON-
QUITS will render necessary, after fuIlv
testing the Of
the subject, we have no hesitation in saw
ing that the advantages accruinp 1o tbnr,,
through the establishment of competition
In electric service are SO great that the
inconvenience of opening the streets for
extensions will be welcomed. We believe
ihere is scarcely business man in Wash
lngton who would not rather have the
street before his place of business OBJ
Structed by the small trench necessary for
the conduit for ten times the Deriod actuaI
ly required for the laying of the conduit
than to suffer for unlimited time in the
future the eXactions of single, mcnopoliz-
ing company, to whose terms rates regu-
latiops and limitations he must submit or
lose the great advantage of electric light.
neat or power IN the conduct of his bust
ness AT this day electricity in business is
no longer luxury. 1t is an absolute
necessity.
AT the hearing some suggestion was
made that the extension Of existing con-
uHtS HlSnt De 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 a manner that
they Will become valuable part of any
general subway system which may be CON
Structed in future
Expressing our appreciation for the
courtesies you have extended to the Busi-
ness Mems Association and its representa-
tives, we again assure you of our warm
est support and approval of the bill intro
duced by Senator Mcmillan for the extern
sion of electric lighting conduts in the
District of Columbia"
The communication was signed by W. s
Knox, president, Business Mems Associa-
ton: NJ. DyrenfOrth, vice president; Con-
rad H. Syme, general counsel: Lawrence
Gardner, chairman, committee on law and
legislation.