The Washington herald., 1907-11-08
AFTER GASLIGHT COMPANY
Mr., Ross Says Georgetown Concern
Opens Streets Without Permit.
Old Complaint Reopened, and steps
Will He Taken to Enforce
Regulations.

The attention Of superintendent of
Sewers McComb has been called once
more TO the alleged failure Of the
! Georgctwon Gaslight Company 10 Sc
cure adequate permits TO cover the lay
ing OF gas mains. The latest detection
IS said to have occurred in Cleveland
Park.
Permission was accorded the COM
pany, according TO a report By Inspec-
tor J. Elliot Ross, 10 lay a main in
Macomb street. between Connecticut
avenue and Ross place. Cleveland Park.
In connection with this work" con-
tinues Mr.. Ross, which was done the
following May or June (the permit was
given in April, 1900, main was laid
in Ross place. which main was not COW
cred by the permit. Upon the acct
dental discovery OF the laying of this
main something more than year after
the work had been completed. Mr..
Middleton, secretary and general mana
ger of the Georgetown company, was
requested 10 explain why he had not
obtained permit for this work"
Mr.. MiddletOn's reply to this query
Is contained in the report, in which
he says:
I'VE Immediately took steps to make
application for a permit referring to
the laying Of the other mains in Cleve-
land Park. but in debating to the
stenographer. we in some way omitted
TO include Ross place. north to the
/ Circle"
Inspector Ross incloses also in his
report TO the superintendent Of sewers
I ma no a1fe rfs.a-
cases have happened in the past
The first instance Of record" saws
Mr.. Ross. took place in April. 1902. in
Wisconsin avenue. at Thirty-seventh
street. Next came one in April. IgO4.
and although the superintendent Of the
Georgetown company stated that such
would not happen again. il was fol-
lowed in July Of that year by unauthor-
lied work at Thirty-sixth and NJ
streets. IL is impossible to say how
much other unauthorized work has been
done and never discovered"
Acting Engineer Commissioner Hard
ing, in a letter dated August, IgO4. 10 the
Georgetown Gasiight Company, says in
part;
1t is very simple matter to obtain
permit or modification OF a permit.
in advance OF the actual work. and il s
difficult 70 understand why your com
pany should he indifferent to the reg,ila-
tions Of the District government. l trust
that any further violation OF the Dis
trict regulations by your company will
be prevented by having this matter
brought TO your attention, but you can
readily understand that repeated viola
tiOns OF this character will make il nee
essary for the Commissioners TO take ef
fective measures, however severe. to en-
force a compliance with the District
regulations"
Mr.. Ross, continuing his report saws
that the recording Of all underground
work Is requisite. in order to prevent
unnecessary expense. Many times. he
says. il has been found necessary at
considerable expense 20 change the pro-
posed lines of other construction be-
cause OF gas mains Of which there was
no record.
Mr.. Ross suggests as remedy for this
occurrence in future that the Office OF
the superintendent Of sewers be notified
the day before the work Is commenced
under particular permit, and that the
same office be notified each day by the
various corporations holding permits
where there is work in progress.
superintendent McComb has forwarded
these recommendations TO the Engineer
Commissioner. who has approved them