Evening star., 1898-12-06
ELECTRIC LIGHTING
An Important Bill introduced by Sen
ator Mcmillan,
TO EXTEND UNDERGROUND CONDUIfS
District Commissioners Given Right
to Grant Permits.
District Commissioners Given RIGHT
WILL. ALLOW COMPETITION

A short and insignificant looking bill was
introduced into the Senate today by Mr..
Mcmillan. chairman Of the Senate commit
tee Oh the District Of Columbia. This bill.
however. is Of widespread Importance to
the people Of the District and is apt to take
a prominent place In local legislation dur
ing the present session OF Congress.
The bili provides that all overhead cleo
srie light wires within the fire limits of
the District shall be taken down, and fur
theT provides that the Commissioners shall
have authority to allow either Of the cleo
TFic lighting companies to extend their
condults without limit. whether to enter
int" NV territory or parallel existing con-
duitS. The text of this hill follows:
section ]. That within one year from the
pasSaet Of this act any person or corpora
ton operating or maintaining overhead
electric hight wires within the fire limits
OF the District Of Columbia shall he sub
jeCt to fine Of $50 for each ta! during
which such operation or maintenance com
tinueS- which fine may he recovered in-any
court Of competent jurisdiction.
section 2 The Commissioners Of the Dis
triCt 0f Columbia are hereby authorized to
grant permits for the extension of existing
electric lighting cCnduits and have con-
nectinn- made with the same under proper
regulations. In every such conduit al least
three ducts shall he reserved for the use of
the United States and Of the District OF
Columbia"
Great Change.
This LilI Il absolutely without limitation
- to thu. extent that the Commissioners
Nay go in granting permits for the con-
structiDu IF underground cOudujts. 1t il q
radical change from the custom in relation
to such motters that has been pursued in
the past. From the time the first electric
lighting company began operations in this
city Congress has maintained the policy If
sTFfNTFf fFTElr 10
underground coHduits as might he provided
for Such provision has always been made
& part of appropriation bills. And 1t has
been within the appropriation committees
that these matters have been regulated
The Potomac Electric Lighting Company
wased q hard fight in order to extend jts
cOnduits east of Rock creek, and the great
Gsht that was made in Congress over this
u-atter viii be remembered 10y all when that
company opened miles of the city streets
an1 laid down its conduits.
Eject of the Bill.
There Is little doubt that il the bill intro
GuCed IA the Senate today becomes q law
there will he an energetic rush to secure
extension OF COnduits. The bill. as intro
duced. Will permit either Of the electric
lighting companies to parallel the conduits
Of the other. and in that way to provide a
competition in prices for electrical current.
The necessity for q more general extension
of the electric Conduits has often been dis
cDS~~ti I'll congress. II the present Dill be
CONS - law 1t viii have the effect praC
tfd!ly Of permitting any extension either
Of th- companies may desire and q rate
war j. regarded as possibility.
Tn" provision that permits will be grant
Cd by IN" Commissioners under proper
regulations is regarded as merely applying
10 ;h' method in which the cOnduirs shall
Ds tuiit and as having no effect on the
question If the direction or extent Of such
eCHdHit~
Measures for the same general purpose
hiil har- been before Congress during the
presidency Of Mr.. Thomas OF the United
States Electric Lighting Company, but al
though they have been fought over. none
Ct them have ever become q law.
Time TO settle the Matter.
A S,ar reporter today asked Senator Me
MI Mcmillan replied:
1T has long been the intention of Con-
Eress to do away with overhead wires on
z street and some other localities here. It
seems ia me that this matter should be dis
posed OF now. There has also been an ex-
Geusive demand Tor extension of the under
ground eiec tric light cOnduits 50 that many
people desiring electric light may be ac-
cOmmOdated In the future. l see no reason
why people who want electric light should
not have It. and / hope such legislation will
be adopted as will permit them to have It."
Senator Mcmillan further said that ne
was prepared to support the above bill in
the form in which he introduced il in the
Senate.
The bill was To-Day referred to the Senate
Committee on the District OF Columbia.