Evening star., 1939-12-24
Fifty Years Ago
In The Stur
The last Congress failed to advise and

adopt q general plan of burying the
overhead wires of the Cap
ouIy"y ital," reads an editorial in
OveFheoo The Star of December %,
Wires 1889, though it received an
elaborate report from Maj. Raymond on
the subject in accordance with its re-
quest, and though its hostility to such
wires was indicated in many ways. The
new Congress gives indications from the
outset that it will also take the side of
the people in this controversy, and it is
hoped that with the early start which
the District appropriations bill has re-
ceived time may not be lacking to estab-
lish general plan of underground wires
which will protect individuals and the
appearance of the city, with only the
inconvenience and expense to the cor
porations which are absolutely necessary.
The pending appropriations bill for the
District proposes additional legislation
encouraging the electric companies to
bury the wires of their own accord, and
indicating very distinctly the public dis
appreciation of the present dangerous
and ugly system Under existing law no
additional overhead wires may be erect
ed in the City of Washington. Under the
provisions of this years bill no overhead
wires for public and private electric
lighting will be permitted on or over any
of the streets or avenues of the cities of
Washington or Georgetown after Sep
tember 30 1890. The prohibition of the
existing law against additional electric
wires of any kind in Washington remains
and by September 30, 1890, all the over
head electric light wires now in place
must be removed, and from the streets
of Georgetown as well as from those of
Washington. The existing wires of the
telegraph and telephone companies are
not affected by this new provision, but
another section of the bill is aimed at
them. This section directs the Commits
sioners to impose and collect a license
fee of S25 per annum against any cor
poration, person or persons for each and
every telegraph or telephone pole main
tained by 1t, him or them in any street
or avenue in the cities of Washington
or Georgetown after July l, 1891.
"The debates of the last Congress in
oicated that our legislators, almost as
a unit, desired to rid the city of the
overhead electric wires, and the obstacles
to decided and comprehensive action in
the matter were an alleged lack of time,
and of the opportunity for that deliber-
ate consideration which a plan of this
kind, to be impartial in its application,
ought undoubtedly to receive The
present Congress, voicing the same pub
lie sentiment which prevailed in its
predecessor, ought to take time by the
forelock and bury the wires. If that can
be accomplished by separate piece Of
legislation better than through amend
ments to the appropriations bill, care
fully considered measure with that end
in view should be promptly introduced
and vigorously pushed"
The Star Of December "a, 1889, prints
the following editorial as its Christmas
message to its readers:
Couse for "The people OF this
Gratitude country have special rea-
sons for congratulatory
rejoicing over Merry Christmas Their
prosperity, though modified in places by
fire and flood, has been notable amid the
gloom Of other civilized peoples, and the
devastations that have befallen portions
of the land have brought out conspicu-
ously the inherent manhood Of the Ma
ton. Our political example has been
followed by another American people,
and now we have the satisfaction of
knowing that all autonomous America is
republican. Christmas, 1889, throws its
mantle of peace, good will and freedom
over much the greater part Of hemi-
sphere where little over 100 years ago
the name Of king was spoken with bated
breath. The work Of the year in the
moral vintage has not been inferior to