Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-15
DENIAL BY HARR|ES bLACKMA|L CHARGED
No Irregularities He Says in Business Man Victim of an
Electric Light Contract. Alleged Badger Game"
NEW LIGHTS FAR BETTER FOUR ARE UNDER ARREST
Only 700 Candepower But Give Woman Admits Participation
More Light Than Old. Scheme to Get Money
FACT NEVER KEPT SECRET PHOTOGRAPHS PLAY PART
Delighted Husband" Through in
Results waI-$5.ooo Demanded.
No Irregularities, He Says, in
Electric Light Contract.
new LIGHTS FAR BETTER
Only 700 Candlepower, But Give
More Light Than Old.
FACT NEVER KEPT SECRET
Change Made at Request of Com
missioners, Who Were Delighted
With Results, He Asserts.

There are no irregularities in connec-
ton with the electric lighting contract
between the District of Columbia and
the Potomac Electric Power Company,
according to Gen. George H. Harries, vice
president of that concern.
The District Commissioners. in ''discov-
ering" a discrepancy In candlepower con
tracted for and furnished. are merely
stirring up the dead leaves in last
years mares nest, according to Gen
Harries.
The appropriations subcommittee on the
District of Columbia, of which Repre-
sentative Gardner of Michigan is chair
man, gave a special hearing this morn
ing to Gen. Harries. Yesterday and the
day before. the District Commissioners,
when before the subcommittee, discussed
the difference of 800 candlepower per
lamp that 1t was alleged the District was
paying for and not receiving.
Calls for 1000 Candlepower.
In other words, while the contract be-
tween the District and the Potomac Elec-
trio Power Co., and also the stipulation In
the District appropriation bill. provides
for the purchase of electric lights by the
District on the basis of $S5 per year. per
1000 candlepower lamp. 1t was pointed out
out that the street lamps now In use are
only Of 700 candlepower. There was
electric light company.
Gen. Harries ridiculed this idea today.
He told the subcommittee that up to
eight years ago the streets of the Dis
trict had been lighted by what were
known as open arc lights. and which
oF 4 Int at
time there was no instrument for the
measurement of the candlepower of an
arc lamp, and consequently this 1.OO0-
candlepower standard was purely arbt-
ment was devised, it was found that
these lamps gave 1.Oe0 candle light only
at an angle of As degrees.
The Commissioners eight years ago.
learning that an inclosed arc lamp very
much superior to the old open lamp. had
Potomac Electric Power Company to
make the change. This the company
did. at an expense of $4,000. The lamps,
although cheaper to maintain, used more
were of 100 candlepower. But this wai
actual candlepower. In all directions. and
tests demonstrated that one OF the in.
closed lamps gives three times as much
light as one OF the open kind. In other
words, two inclosed lamps on q square
take the place Of six open arcs in th'
same place.
Delighted With Change.
The Commissioners, Gen. Harries, said
were delighted with the change, knew all
of the details Of the candlepower DIFF
ference through Electrical Engineer Al
len; knew that the 1000 candle power
standard was purely technical. and never
made the slightest protest. In fact. they
were entirely alive to the improvements
in street lighting made possible by the
installation by the inclosed arcs.
Gen. Harries told the subcommittee this
morning that in view Of these facts he
considered the intimation conveyed to
the subcommittee that there had been
some irregularities in connection with the
fulfillment of the contract between the
District Of Columbia and the Potomac
Electric Power Company for the last eight
years to be entirely uncalled for. He
was indignant, he said. that such rehec-
tions upon the Potomac Electric Power
Company had been permitted to go forth
without there being the slightest founda-
ton for them in fact.
The committee heard Gen. Harries with
considerable attention. but no member
would express an opinion upon the merits
of the case at the conclusion Of the hear
ing