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

tackled by the current from the electric
lighting mains rather than from the con
Quits of the street car companies. Mr..
Leetch said he had not determined that
point
us that pipe you have there cast iron
or wrought iron?" asked General Harries.
'It is cast iron,' replied Mr.. Leetch.
Don't you know that experts have de-
clared that cast iron cannot be attacked by
electrolysis?' asked General Harries.
Mr.. Leetch said he did not know that
cast iron could not be attacked by cleo
Mr.. Allen was then asked for an opinion.
He said that he had never heard Of cleo
trolysis attacking cast iron, but that in
the opinion Of experts 1t did attack wrought
iron.
mr.. Leetch, have the Investigations of
experts been SO complete" asked Mr.. West,
that you can go into court and prove a
case that your gas pipe has been destroyed
by electrolysis?
Mr.. Leetch replied that he had only the
opinion Of experts on which to base his
conclusions. General Harries declared that
in the opinion Of experts cast iron cannot
be destroyed by electrolysis.
Attorney Perry then said that 1t is to the
interests of both the gas and the electric
companies to keep the currents they con-
troll under proper restraint so as not to
damage the other mains.
Mr.. Middleton then said that he had
heard of cases wherein cast-iron pipe had
been attacked by electrolysis. He also said
that his company agreed with the Commits
sioners that the streets should not be cut
during the winter months.
Gen. Harries Caustic.
IT agree with the gas companies" said
General Harries, that from their point of
view the electric light company should not
be allowed to do any more business than
they can help. But from our point of view
I think we ought to be allowed to make
little cuts In the streets to extend our serv-
ice and increase our business. We have
had on Pennsylvania avenue an example
Of what Inconvenience an open cut in the
street can cause. II the District does not
desire to risk the resurfacing of the cut In
the winter, we are willing to fill the cuts
with proper material and do the work, as
we have the discretion to do that, any
way. Let the electric light company do the
work and take the responsibility.
lit is serious matter to say that a
householder shall not have the privilege of
connecting hts house with our wires during
three months OF the year. In Washington
we are putting up the fences SO that we
shall be nothing else but beautiful after
awhile
Commissioner Biddle indicated that the
order had been made from the considera-
lions of expense and that II the electric
light company or the gas or telephone COM
panies desire to make the cuts ana take the
expense incident to their proper repair, That
he saw no objection to such a practice.
The matter of the cuts being settled the
discussion was again directed toward the
overhead wires. The conference. continued
until about S o'clock, the District officials
maintaining their position and the OFFICIALS
of the electric company declining to re-
cede from their former position. 1t is like
~ that q future conference on this matter
will be held within a short time unless an
agreement is reached In the meantime