Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-13
NO RATE REDUCTION
SENATE PASSES TELEPHONE CON
DUIT BILL WITHOUT CHANGE.
Even District Committees Amend
ments Withdrawn to Prevent
Any Slip.

The Senate this afternoon passed the bill
relating to an extension Of telephone wires
In the District Of Columbia exactly as it
was passed by the House OF Representa-
tives, so that it will noe be necessary to
have any conference on the subject, and
the measure will be sent to the President
as soon as it can be signed by the president
pro tempore Of the Senate and the Speaker
of the House. This bill was called up by
Mr.. Gallinger, who withdrew all Of the
Senate committee amendments.
Mr.. Stewart said that this bill was Of
far-reaching Importance, but he stated that
he would not oppose It's passage, but gave
notice that at the beginning of the next
session of Congress he would introduce a
resolution providing that the committee on
the District Of Columbia should Investigate
the subject Of telephone charges in the Dis
trict because Of the general belief that
these charges were excessive
Company Asks Investigation.
Mr.. Gallinger, in response to this state
ment, said that he had been called upon by
a representative of the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company few days
ago, and this representative of the COM
pany said that he hoped Congress would
take action to investigate the charges Of
excessive rates. He stated that his COM
pany was willing and anxious that these
charges should be investigated by Con-
gress Mr.. Gallinger2 stated that the bill
under consideration had nothing to do with
the charges made by the telephone COM
pany.
No reference was made by any one to
Senator Hale's proposed amendment to the
bill providing for rate of telephone
charges in the District Of Columbia to meet
the objection to putting into effect the law
of 1898 fixing rates that the company might
charge its subscribers. f.L
The Bill's Provisions.
This bill! was passed by the House May
26. and reported from the Senate District
committee May 20. 1t provides that all tele-
phone poles and wires not the property Of
the United States or the District Of Column
bia now upon the streets and avenues with
in the section Of the District bounded by
line beginning at I'd and streets southeast
and running thence along B street south
Sd street west, Missouri avenue, 9th street
west, street north, 23d street west Rock
creek, Cincinnati street, Columbia road,
18th street west (extended), Park street.
Whitney avenue, 18th street west, r street
north, New Jersey avenue, G. street north
and I'd street east to the point Of beginning
shal, from time to time, as may be pre-
scribed by the Commissioners, be taken
down and removed. The Commissioners are
empowered to authorize, from time to time
any Individual, company or corporation
head and partly underground, in the Dis
trict, to extend and enlarge its system of
underground conduits for the reception Of
such cables and wires as may reason
ably be required in the future by the
growth Of such individual, company or cor
poration. or to adequately.meet the require
ments of the public for telephone service.
Alley Poles Permitted.
The Commissioners are empowered to
cause the punishment by fine Of the inter-
ests guilty of neglect to obey their man
dates under the law. They are also en-
powered to authorize the serection of poles
in alleys and the stringtng thereon of con-
ductors from alley poles or housetop fix
lures In one square to alley poles or house
tops IN another sqc9re, to permit house con-
nections, and also to authorize the erection
of poles in the District outside of the area
specified. They are further authorized to
permit the erection OF poleS In streets with
IN the area specified where there are no al
!eys to enable the erectioEr pf alley poles for
house connections. and such other places
as the public tnterestsado nat require the
burial of the wires.
In all conduits conStructea under the
act such space shall ba furnished, not ex-
ceeding three ducts in Zach conduit, to the
District as may be necessary for its fire
alarm or police patrol wires G cables free