Morning journal and courier., 1882-05-04
5Sournal au0 Courier.
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY
 HARRINGTON x CO.,, No. 400 State Street, Courier Building
 JOHN B. HARRINGTON. RowARp T. oAnR1NGroN. 1oHN B, oAaR1NeroN, JR.
Thursday Morning, May I, 1882.
sUBTERRANEAN WIRES.


 Tine special committee appointed by the
 New York State Senate to inquire concerning
 the feasibility of placing telegraph wires un- l derground has done the duty assigned to it
 thoroughly, and in spite of the efforts of
 those interested in having no change the re-
 port is strongly in favor of doing away with
 the poles and wires which have become so
 numerous, inconvenient and dangerous in the cities
 The report points out that in no other
 country but this is the obstruction of public avenues and thoroughfares in large cities by telegraph poles and structures permitted. It questions the existence of any authority for such obstruction. In lS48 the Legislature of New York authorized the formation of tele- graph companies, with the right to construct telegraph lines 'along and upon any of the public roads and highways, provided the same shall not be so constructed as to incom- mode the public use of said roads or high ways" This act was modified in 1853 by authorizing such lines ''upOn, over or under any of the public roads, streets or highways" but subject to the same restrictions. These are the ts under which the system has reached its present dimensions. The compa- nies were empowered to construct their lines over lands of private owners by making such owners suitable compensation. But" says the report 'under this faint color of author ity companies for telegraphic, telephonic and electrical purposes have relieved themselves from the payment of such damages by taking permanent possesSiou of considerable DOT tions of many of our country roads, and of the very finest avenues and streets of our cities, and have built upon them structures for purposes not known when these acts were passed. These structures unquestionably do obstruct and incommode the public use of these streets and avenues, mar their beauty, and are 8 standing offense to the eye that looks upon them. Not only are these struc- lures multiplying with arithmetical progress sion under system which places no limit upon the creation of new companies, but the diameter and height of poles has been in- creased, until some of them are loftier than the buildings in front of which they are placed''
 In the opinion of the committee, the testi- mony in regard to the feasibility of placing wires underground establishes beyond con- troversy the entire feasibility of subter ranean wires for telegraphic, telephonic and electric light purposes, and shows it to be the duty of the present Legislature, 50 far as the larger cities are concerned, to provide by law for the prompt commencement of the l work of putting these wires under ground, | and for insuring the removal of the posts | and wires from the streets of such cities l within the next two years and six months. l The committee recommends that the growth | of the evil be promptly and definitely arrest ed, and that the construction of new lines or the erection of posts in any of the streets to which the proposed bill applies be declared | So clearly unlawful to justify their de- struction by any individual who may choose | to remove them. They also recommend that 1 the corporations be required to remove all | the posts or other fixtures from all the | streets, avenues and highways in such cities within two years and six months, length of time which the committee believes to be am- ply sufficient for the change.
 This is definite and to the point But committee report is one thing and law an- other. It will be surprising if the New York Legislature passes such bill as is recom- mended. When the matter comes up there will probably be a powerful and persuasive lobby on hand