The evening times., 1900-03-20
FOR UNDERGROUND WIRES
District Commissioners Report to
the Senate Committee.
Recommendations That Amendments
BE Made to the Bill-Oyerhead
Lines May BE Operated Outside OF
the Fire Limits-The Provisions
for the Leasing of COnduits.

| The District Commissioners this morn
! ing submitted a report to Senator McMil-
| Ian. Chairman of the Senate Committee ON
! the District of Columbia on Senate bill
! S411, which provides for the removal of
overhead telegraph and telephone wires in
this city, for the construction of conduts
and for other purposes, referred to them by
| the committee for report.
| The report of the Commissioners is most
| ly a series of suggestions on the various
sections of the bill and is as follows
Section 1 of the bill requires that all
telegraph and telephone wires and poles
in a specified section shall be taken down
and the wires placed in underground con
duits within two years from the date OF
the approval of the act.
Section 2 authorizes the Commission
ers to permit the construction by any in
dividual, company, or corporation now op-
Grating and maintaining a telegraph or
telephone plant or system to construct
conduits for the reception Of the wires
which would be removed from overhead
under the provisions of section L, and for
such other wires as may be needed by
them for the future growth of their busi-
ness. 1t also authorizes the erection of
alley poles for the use Of distributing
wires.
Section 3 prescribes the control which
the Commissioners may exercise over the
construction of conduits, and then extra
ducts shall be provided for the use of the
Government and of the District OF Column
bia. 1t is believed that the following
could be added TO the end OF the section
with advantage: All construction made
under the authority OF this act shall con-
form to a general subway system approv-
ed by the Commissioners of the District OF
Columbia And when the subway is con-
structed along any street, avenue, or high
way il shall contain all conduitS and such
constructions existing in said street, ave-
nue., or highway, as said Commissioners
may decide, and under such regulations
and upon such terms as they may pre-
scribe
section prescribes the size of con-
duits and gives authority to any party
constructing a conduit to rent portions of
IL TO any other company which may not
desire to build for itself. The first SEN
tence on page of the bill states That
all sub-ways or conduts constructed un-
der the provisions of this act shall be
of sufficient size and capacity to contain
all telegraph and telephone wires and
cables now existing along the route OF
the conduit TO be constructed together
with a provision for their extension.
page 6, state: And such individual, COM
pany, or corporation shall not be compell-
ed to construct any such conduit OF ca
pacity greater than its own needs will re-
Quire until the owner or owners of the
other wires or cables to be placed therein
shall have obligated itself TO use such !
conduits when completed. and TO make |
reasonable compensation for such use to |
the party constructing the conduits. This |
is apparently in conflict with the |
first sentence on page ., which /
requires all sub-ways or conduits con- |
structed under the provisions of the act |
to be of sufficient size 10 contain all tele-
graph and telephone wires and cables. II |
is believed that the discrepancy can be |
avoided by adding the words by any COM |
pany or corporation after the word act.
page 3 line 3 and striking out the words
telegraph and telephone in line 3. page |
), and inserting in lieu thereof the word
its so that the clause will read: That all
sub ways or conduits constructed under |
the provisions of this act by any company /
or corporation shall be Of sufficient size
and capacity to contain all its wires and
cables now existing along the route of the /
conduits to be constructed. etc. This would
require each company to look after and
provide conduits for its own wires. but
would allow arrangements to be made be-
tween the companies, so tnat one cOE:~
Dany might lay conduits for one or more
other companies receiving rental from
hem therefor.
Section authorizes the use Of an over
head system outside of the fire limits of
he District This. 1t is believed. is no
more than reasonable. as owing to the dis
ance between the buildings into which
electricity would be introduced to require
he companies to build conduits would be
INVOLVING them in expense not warranted,
t is believed. by the benefits received.
1T is recommended that the term COM
ANY or corporation be used throughout
he bill instead of the words individual
ompany, or corporation as at present"
A copy of the amended bill was inclosed
With the foregoing report and the Commis-
toner's recommend favorable report to be
made on it,
The Commissioners stated this morning
hat the bill was a most important one and
would tend to greatly improve the city il
t became a law.