Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-04-22
THE WAR OF THE TELEPHONE
DnT

"A very unusual degree of feeling has been
awakened among the residents Of High street
this week, occasioned by the erection of a
line of telegraph or telephone poles along the
the street by F. w. Childs & Co. The setting
OF the poles began ON Tuesday, and was COM
pleted during the day, or nearly so. Their
appearance was rough and unsightly, and,
none OF the residents of the street having
been consulted in the matter, they felt that
their rights had been trespassed upon. Dur
ing the afternoon and evening a petition to
the seleetmen for the removal of the poles
was circulated, and universally signed by the
residents of the street. On the following day.
1t being the opinion of many that it is the
baihfs who have authority in the matter, a
petition to those officials was circulated and
signed.
1t was not at first known by whom or in
whose interest the poles were being erected.
or under whose authority the parties were act.
ing. Developments show, however, that the
parties above named IF. w. and w. II. Childs)
are the persons in interest they being agents
for the Bell Telephone Co., although that
company has no interest or responsibility in
the construction Of the line, except so far as
their ownership Of the instruments TO be
used on 1t Is concerned. The intention is 10
set the poles as far as West Brattleboro, and,
when the Wilmington and Brattleboro tele
der the statute of 1880, be placed on these
poles, and that company must pay its fair
share OF the cost of construction. The poles.
If allowed to stand, are TO be used. as far as
possible, for the accommodation of the various
private telegraph and telephone lines which
now run up through that section of the vii
lage and are placed upon the trees along the
way. permit for the erection of the poles
was given by the selectmen March Sd last.
This permit says that the poles may be erect
ed from the junction of Green and High
streets, near Main, up High street and West
ern avenue to West Brattleboro. The select
men, however, do not seem to have had any
definite idea of what they were signing, Mr..
Herrick saying, when first questioned, that he
had only given permission Ia a general way
in conjunction with the Wilmington and
Marlboro selectmen, to erect a line to Will
mington, and Mr.. Richardson saying that he
had no recollection of having signed such
paper. The facts in regard to the permit are,
however as stated.
The feeling developed among the High
street people has been so strong that an
effort has been made TO placate their
wrath by the removal OF several of the
poles, the changing of others to less conspio-
uous locations, and the painting of those re-
naming, SO that the appearance of the street
is now very different and oifends the eye very
much less than it did on Wednesday morning.
We do not think the young men in erecting
the poles can be charged with any intention
to injure or offend the High street people,
although their manner of operation seems 10
have been hasty, ill-considered, and, in the
opinion Of many, illegal.
The proper way would undoubtedly have
been to let 1t be fully understood what was 10
be done and SO have given the people a
chance to have been heard In the matter