Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-23
ELECTRIC LIGHTING
Hearing Before the Senate subcom-
mittee Today.
BOTH COMPANIES REPRESENTED
Amendments Suggested by the
United States Company
BUSINESS MEMS WANTS

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The subcommittee of the Senate commit
tee on the District of Columbia on electric
lighting held hearing this morning on
Senate bill 1881, for the extension of cleo
trict lighting conduits in the District.
The subcommittee consists of Senators
Mcmillan. Gallinger, Hansbrough, Faux
ner and German.
The electric lighting companies were rep
resented as follows:
United States-James l.. Norris, president;
Jere Wilson and T. A Lambert of counsel.
Potomac-O. c. Crosby, president; c. A.
Lieb, vice president, and F. H. Stevens, di-
rector and large stockholder.
Mr.. Conrad H. Syme was present as gen.
eral counsel for the Business Mems Asso-
citation, who have declared themselves in
favor of the bill under consideration.
The bill on which the hearing was held
provides follows:
THAT within one year from the passage
OF TINS act any person or corporation oper-
atine or maintaining overhead electric light
wires in any street within the fire limits
of the District of Columbia shall be sub
ject to a fine of $50 for each day during
which such operation or maintenance con-
tinues, which fine may be recovered in any
court of competent jurisdiction.
Sec. 2. That the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia are hereby authorized
to grant permits for the extension of exist
Ing electric lighting conduits and for con-
nections with the same, under such condi-
tons and regulations they may pre-
scribe. In every such conduit at least
three ducts shall be reserved for the use of
the United States and the District of CO.
lumbia.
Sec. s. That the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia shall require all con-
Quits laid under authority of this act to be
so located and constructed that they will
form part of a general subway system
which may hereafter be constructed
Mr.. Lambert's Susrestions.
When the hearing was begun Senators
Mcmillan, Gallinger and Hansbrough were
present.
Mr.. 7. A Lambert presented the case of
the United States Electric Lighting Com
pany. He suggested an amendment to the
bill excepting from the wires to be placed
underground overhead electric light wires
now in 18th street west between B street
south and Virginia avenue and on Maryland
avenue between 18th street west and 81
street southeast and providing that wires
on the streets indicated might be continued
until otherwise ordered by Congress.
He also proposed to amend the bill to pre-
vent any laying of conduits to parallel con-
Quits of a competing company. He also
wished TO strike out thesast section relat-
ing to a general Subway system. He said
that section would create confusion and be
system a present in effect.
Mr.. Mcmillan said he thought that the
Commissioners had the authority given
them specifically in the last section in the
other portion Of the bill and that they
could control the location and character
of construction of the conduits He said
the Commissioners would be consulted
about that question.
Mr.. Crosby Favors the Bill.
Mr.. Crosby then spoke in favor of the
passage of the bill as it was without fur
Their amendment He said that If the pro-
vision allowing. one company to parallel the
cCnduits of the other company were strick-
en- out, it would leave the city with very
unsatisfactory condition in it's electric light
service. He said his company would be
prevented from extending it's conduits into
a section where there was no conduit if it
should be necessary for a short distance
to parallel conduit of the competing COM
pany. He said his company was satisfied
that it could light some Of the public build
ings in this city now lighted by plants
owned and operated by the government
and make money, while the government
could save money by the arrangement, yet
this companys inability to parallel the con-
Quits of the United States company which
was not supplying such a service, would
make it impossible for it to do SO.
What the Business Men Want
Mr.. Conrad H. Syme, for the Business
Mems Association, said the association of
600 business men which he represented
wanted the bill passed without further
amendment, as the amendment proposed by
the United States company would prevent
competition in the price of electric current
in the business portion of the city and it
was this competition which was wanted
He said that in streets in which there are
conduts of both electric lighting compa-
MES the United states company supplies
electric current at cents per 1000 Watt
hour, while it charges 10 cents per Watt
hour where there is no competition.
Mr. Gallnger-"Three times as much in
streets where there is no competition"
Mr.. Syme replied that that was the case
and that the amendment to prevent paral-
leling of conduits by competing companies
struck out the very meat of the bill
with this amendment" he said com
petition is prohibited and the monopoly is
perpetuated.'
He said business men of the civ must
have electric light if they would keep up
with modern methods, and they are obliged
to pay whatever is charged them when
there is no competition.
Bill to Be Reprinted.
AT the conclusion of the hearing it was
agreed that the bill should be reprinted
with the amendments suggested by Mr..
Lambert so that they might be laid be-
fore the Commissioners for their opinions
and that the committee might further con-
slider them.
Mr. Mcmillan said if a further hearing
were wanted it could be had, but that il
could not be long delayed.
Mr.. Gallinger-''We must bear in mind
that the session is drawing to a close"
ACROSS THE RIVER