Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-12

Companies and the Chesa peake and Po-
| tomac Telephone Company Gen. George
| H. Harries, vice president Secretary Lack
| ey, Treasurer NARROW and General Manager
| Fuller appeared for the electric lighting
| company; Attorney r. Ross Perry and Mr..
John Leetch appeared for the Washington
Gaslight Company and r. L. Middleton rep
| resented the Georgetown Gaslight Com
pany. ts- ~
| One of the interesting incidents of the
proceedings was a little clash between the
gas companies and the electric lighting
| company when the subject of electrolysis
was mentioned. The representatives of the
ing company of "electrocuting' their gas
mains, and in retaliation the officials of the
t-eiectric lighting company declared that the
| gas company blew up their electric con-
| Quits This incidental locking of horns on
| the part of the two lighting interests was
! characterized by show of good nature
on both sides, but it added Zest to the pro-
ceedings
No Agreement Reached.
No definite agreement was reached with
reference to the question of the Commission
ers' authority to require electric light con-
| nections to be made from conduits rather
than from overhead wires, and it was sug-'
gested that this question might be referred
to the courts for settlement. CORPORATE ton
Counsel Duvall. it is understood, believes
| that If such action is decided upon the Dis
trict will win Its case. AS to the cuts in the
streets during the winter months 1t is like
ly that the Commissioners will rescind their
recent order and make some arrangements
whereby the companies making the cuts will
bear the expense of filing them properly
until the resurfacing can be satisfactorily
done.
Cen Harries. on behalf of the Potomac
Electric Power Company, mentioned that
the company has recently had considerable
trouble in connection with the refusal of
the electrical department to grant the per-
mits for house connections in certain cases.
He said that the department has been in
slstlng that the company shall make con-
necuons with the conduits instead Of with
the wires stretched from the poles In al
leys OF on private property. In some eases,
he declared, the conduits have no wires in
them and in some instances the company
would be required to make cut all the way
across the street in order to make the con-
nection with the wires In the conduit. He
thought that the company should be per-
mttted to make the connection with the
overhead wires from the rear of the prem
ises
Gen. Harries asked to be shown the law
which gave the authorities the right to
demand that house connections shall be
made from conduits rather than from over
head wires IN the rear of the premises. He
said that he had noted with much interest
the opinion Of the corporation counsel to
the effect that the legislation on the SUBJ
ject indicated that 1t is the policy of Con-
gress to minimize the existence Of overhead
wires, and also that the Commissioners
have authority to require connection to be
made from conduits when there are con-
Quits in the streets in front Of the prem
ises But" said Gen. Harries, 1.-The cor
poratfon counsel does not quote the law
in his opinion, and would like to have the
law produced -.-.--..-.
| Commissioner Macfarland mentioned that
the corporation counsel had submitted the
opinion that the Commissioners have the
authority in question under the law. General
Harries retorted that the counsel for his
company had declared that the Commits
sioners did not have any such authority
Mr.. Mcfarland mentioned that the Com
missioners would likely be guided by the
opinion of the corporation counsel. Some
talk was then INDUCED in by General Har-
ries about settling the matter in the courts.
Mr.. Aliens Statement.
Electrical Engineer Allen then stated that
Congress in 1897 had legalized the existence
of overhead wires which had been strung
without authority of law. He declared that
1t is the policy of Congress to do away with
overhead wires, and In the law of 1897 had
directed that where there were conduits and
overhead wires that the connections for
electric lighting should be made from the
conduits.
In response to questions from Commits
sioner West, Mr.. Allen stated that it has
been the uniform practice of the department
during the last eight years to require con-
nections made from conduits when possible.
1t developed that the matter has been
brought to q crisis at this time owing to
the increased extension Of the electric
lighting service, and also owing to the oper
alton of the new electrical wiring law.
Heretofore the Commissioners have had no
jurisdiction over wires strung on private
property, but only over wires in streets
and public space. The new law gives the
Commissioners authority over all electrical
wiring.
Mr.. Allen also said that in the past the
company had used the conduits to large
extent without any questions being raised.
He mentioned cases occurring several years
back, in which he had refued a permit for
connection with overhead wires when there
was a conduit in front of the house.
In response to Gen. Harries' repeated re-
quests for the law on the subject, the laws
were produced and read. but the electric
that the laws did not give the Commits
sioners the authority they claimed. Gen.
Harres also questioned the statement that
It Is the policy of Congress to remove over
head wires from alleys.
The reason why It Is desired to have the
overhead wires removed, Mr.. Allen stated,
work OF the fire department that they are
unsightly, and besides that they are dam
gerous to the extent of seriously shocking
persons who may have the misfortune to
come in contact with them.
Cuts in the Streets.
The subject Of electrical connections was
dismissed for time in order that the gas
companies representatives might be heard
relative to the cuts in the streets. Mr..
Leetch told the Commissioners that his
company is heartily in sympathy and in
favor of their order that the streets should
not be opened during the winter months.
Mr.. Leetoh then produced a piece of gas
| pipe which he said had been taken from the
gas main system. The pipe had several
| holes in It. and was unit for use He de-
I clared that the pipe had been attacked by
electrolysis, or by electric current escaping
from the conduits OF the electric companies.
He thought that the Commissioners ought
to require the electric lighting company.
to lay its conduits certain distance away,
from the gas mains.
General Harries asked Mr. Leetch IL he