The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-27

relief should be granted.
Poles and Overhead. Wires.
1.-THE most important change in the
overhead wire systems during the year
has been the removal of number of their
lines by the United States Electric Light
ing Company This work involved the re-
moval of sixty-three poles and eighty
| three thousand feet (15.9 miles, of single
| wire.
In connection with the installation of
! its underground system this department
removed fourteen poles and 136,g5e feet
| 1872 miles, OF single wire.
in March, 1900, the Attorney for the
| District rendered two opinions relative to
| the stringing of overhead wires for tele-
| phone purposes, one covering wires for
! house connections outside of the city
| limits, the other wires on existing street
poles within the city limits. il had been
customary to issue permits to the tele-
! phone company to string wires for house
connections on existing poles outside OF
the city limits, but since the rendering
of the above opinion none has been is
sued. AS a result of these restrictions of
the law, all private parties outside the
city limits who were not already supplied
with telephone service in March are pre-
vented from getting that service, while
inside the city limits only those whose
houses can be reached by means of alley
pc and wires can be supplied. Numer-
GUS applications are on file in this office
for permission to string wires necess airy
for such connections, but until the law is
changed no relief can be had.
The past year has witnessed the nx
auguration OF an underground system for
the wires of the District fire alarm and
toll nh md talk
In the appropriation act approved MaTcl
3, 1897, is the following proviso: That
wherever there are telegraph or tele-
phone poles. or telephone conduits, avail
able for the use of the said fire alarm tel
egraph, the Commissioners of the lis
trict Of Columbia are hereby authorized
to make arrangements for the use of
such poles and conduits without expense
to the said District In the apprepria-
tion act approved March 3. 1899, is The
following proviso: That the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia are
hereby authorized TO grant permits for
the repair, enlargement, and extension.
,lnder proper regulations, of existing
electric-lighting conduits, and in every
conduit constructed or to be constructed
under the provisions of this paragraph,
three ducts shall be reserved for the use
of the United States and the District of
Columbia. The department ayaile9 it
self of this authority to use the telephone
conduits and to certain extent Of the
electric light conduits, and now occupies
SEA feet of the former and 1, AL feet of
the latter. The main cables occupy til
ephone conduits exclusively; in electric
light conduits are laid only small branch
cables.
After the work on the underground
system was completed read, ustment Of
some Of the fire-aiarm signal circuits was
made and two circuits added. An addi-
tional alarm or gong circuit was also run
with a corresponding reimbursement of
several of the engine houses on other
alarm circuits. Three fire alarm boxes
only were added; one at the District
Building, one in the Census Office, corner
of First and B Streets northwest, and
one in the Academy of the Visitation.
corner of Thirty-ffth and p Streets
northwest The two latter were pur-
chased by the parties desiring to have
them installed.
The total number of boxes In use On
July I, 1900, was 2l5.
las mentioned in the last annual report
the Commissioners extended the time fo-
removing the auxiliary attachments of the
Instantaneous Fire Alarm Company from
the FIRE alarm boxes until the close of the
last session of Congress in order that |
they might obtain the legislation neces-
sary 10 operate an Independent system.
They failed however, to obtain the desired |
authority. They have been requested by |
tho Commissioners to deposit a sum suffi-
cient TO cover the cost to the Distlie. of |
removing these attachments. but a. the |
date of this writing they have faiiei TO |
comply.
The Street Railroads.
"The past year has marked great ac-
tivity in street railroads. All the operat- |
ing lines except those of the Capital Trac- |
ton Company, the Washington, Alexan- |
dria and Mount Vernon Railway Company. |
and the Baltimore and Washington Tran
sit Company have Deen secured by SYN
dictate and brought under one management. |
All horse car lines have been abandoned |
and rebuilt as underground electric. The /
cable system of tho Columbia Railway /
Company was changed to underground /
electric. This railway company also built |
new line of overhead trolley from the I
terminus OF the underground section TO /
the District line. The overhead portions t
of the Capital Railway. the Georgetown !
and Tenleytown Railway, the Brightwood /
Railway, and the Washington and Great /
Falls Railway Companies have been re-
built.
Recognizing the fact that the Corhriis-
sioners will soon obtain the desired au- /
ley lines 10 change to the double trolley |
system. the respective companies rebuilt /
their lines on the latter plan. The charter |
of the Columbia Railway Company required |
this system and together with the Capital |
Railway Company, now operates its over
head lines as a complete grounded me-
tailic circuit system. The new cOnstruc-
ton is of the latest and most approved .
design. and has been installed in a most /
substantial manner.
The situation in regard to electrolysis 1
has not been materially changed during /
the year In August, 1899, when the |
portion OF the City and /
Suburban Railway Company was first |
onerated. the rotary transformers in the |
street sub-station were not /
installed, and for a few days
the line was run from the grounded ma
chimes in the power house of the Potomac I
Electric Power Company in Georgetown. /
Trouble Immediately occurred in the
cables OF the Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company and the Postal Tele-
graph Cable Company. and was not RENE
died until the road was connected to the
non grounded machines in the sub-sta-
ton.
Although several of the overhead troll
ley lines have been rebuilt as double troll
ley. they are still operated on the single
trolley system with ground and rail re-
turn. Tie single exception to this is the
case of the overhead line of the Capital
Company (now the Anacostia
and Potomac River Railway Company |
which Is operated as double trolley.
"'The bill requiring the installation and .
use of complete metallic trolley systems
and non grounded generators on all |