Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27

The opening of new streets and the
erection OF numerous houses in them out
side of the city limits required these exc
tensions. At the same time the most trav-
eled Of the suburban roads have been
lighted, all man thoroughfareS having
the lights extending to the District line.
Where gas lamps were erected the
practice has been to place the posts as
near as possible. 125 feet apart that dis
tance having been found to give good re
suits for residence streets. AS that is
closer together than the lamps are placed
IN the older portion of the city it gives to
those Sas-Iighted streets better lighting
system than the city proper.
Lamps Closer Together
During tho aforementioned period 1t
has been tho practice to readjust the
lamps on tho streets where improvements
To TIE ruadways or sidewalks were made,
adding lamps where necessary to secure
tho spacing Of approximately 10 feet
Advantage was taken of the tearing up of
tiuc old pdvemcnts to lay the necessary
gus mains and erect the posts. Outsid
thcS- scattered improvements the majority
"i the residence streets inside the city
a!c ~ tho same condition as to lamps that
flfc% We're years ago. OF course, where
E,H7 lamps have been replaced with cleo
trio arc lamps there las been a decided
Improvement in the lighting. But the
time mas come. | think, when more at
teution should be paid to the city streets
and particularly TO those important thor
"ughfares thoth resident and businessl
~ncrc the great amount Of travel IS at
night"
Aftcr giving a table showing the rcla-
tive cost Of lighting of typical streets In
The District, based upon the present con
tract rates. Mr.. Alien continues:
Thirteenth street from New York TO
Florida avenue and 18TH street from III
street to Scott circle are typical Of the
majority OF the gas-lighted streets in the
city. The cost OF lighting X and Il
streets * somewhat greater than these,
due 10 tho fact that they arc crossed by
several streets lighted with arc lamps.
he cost of the latter being. of course.
added in with the & as. II Will be seen
for instance, that We paying more
per foot OF street TO light Georgia avenue,
tour miles from the heart OF the City
than for the average street at the heart
o. the city-aS compared to 10th street
from III street To Scott circle, the cost
Is practically - per cent more. The cost
OF lighting North Capitol street north of
Florida aVcnt.e-a purely residence section
IS - per cent greater than that por-
fton OF the same street south of Florida
avenue, where there are numerous stores
ana much greater amount OF travel.
AS ii beginning Of the movement to
improve the Lighting of such streets /
have the honor 20 submit the following
recommendations concerning three OF tho
most Important business thoroughfares In
the District-recomnenda for other
streets VIII be made later. IN tho case of
residence streets. after the conclusion OF
The experiments now being made TO de-
SermIno the value of tncandcscent electric
lamps for city residence districts
Half Night Service.
In each OF the following cases tho
suggestion is made that the greater Dor
tiOn, If not all. OF the additional lamns
burn only during the first half OF the
night. or until midnight. The number of
lamps burning tho latter half of the
night Will IN no case be less than that
now used. which Will insure as ample pro-
lection To the property on these streets
as is afforded now
The officials OF the Potomac Electric
Power Company have told me that they
VIII furnish such half-night service of
lamps similar To those now in use for one
half the price. j am informed by the
auditor for the District that such an ar
ranSement as this can legally be made
under the terms OF the present appropri-
alton law. In the ease OF PENNSYLVANIA
avenue. however. i have recommended
the use of so-called ''fiame'' arc lamps
which have much greater illuminating
value than the present type OF arc lamp.
They VIII cost considerably more, how
ever, and il will be necessary to obtain
authority from Congress FOR their use
PENNSYLVANIA avenue from LIST to 18th
street northwest-rhiS thorouchfare with
a roadway 1ob feet wide and with nu-
section with the cross streets. requires
toned in this report. Moreover, this ave-