Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-09-12
lancaster fntrlIiqsnrrr.
WEDNESDAY EVENING. SEPT, i2. ee
A Gail That Must BE Heard.

There Is general call throughout the
country for the suppression of the
wooden pole nuisance In cities. Th,
action OF the commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia In notifying the tele
graph companies that the time has come
when their wires must go under ground
is warmly applauded by the press every
where. The practcability of the under
ground system has been fully demonstra
tsd. Chicago has successfully used il
and 50 has Pittsburg. The Dispatch oI
the latter city claims thai it has Leo
the other cities of the land by establish
ing subterranean conduit for electric
wires which has been proved To work
with great success !" and it demands
that all the overhead wires shall be taken
down at once. The Washington CORES
pondent of to-day's New York Hcrdid
says:
Congress was the first to condemn the
unsightly masts by prohibiting their erec :
tion on or anywhere near the capitol
grounds For several years every wire
running into the capitol has been through
with congressional sessions now know
what q vast amount ui elegraphlng is
done from the Senate and House galleries
and at the offices in the public corridors
1t has never been necessary to take mp the
cables since originally laid, and no com
plant has arisen to interfere in prompt
transmission Of business. The example thus
established by Congress. 1t is understood,
will be enforced by the commissioners,
and at no distant day all of the telegraph
companies will be required TO put their
wires underground. An application is
already before the commissioners to in.
augurate the movement by laying an un.
derground cable for tclegraphic and
telephone uses between the capitol, White
House and all Of the departments, thus
dispensing with the unsightly wires which
now disiieure the buildings The success
Of this enterprise will hasten the reform
which the commissioners have determined
to enforce.
In this time of general dcnuuciation
OF electric wire poles, the councils of the
city of Lancaster through pre-. emf
nently stupid committee has entered
into q contract for the lighting of the
streets with electricity which IL is claim.
ed coDfers upon private corporation Of
Philadelphia spectators the privilege
of putting as many poles upon our
streets as they please. Thenumber they
intend to plant they say is six hundred
and fifty. The contract, though care
lessly drawn, does not, in our Judgment,
authorize the co.iDstructiUu that the city
hac 70 10 nt
an unlimited privilege. Il is still within
the city's power to forbid the company
to put up its electric wires in an obnOX.
ious way; but even if the city
was restricted by the contract
when made, it need be so no longer, as
the time las long since passed when the
lights were to he erected, and the con
tract is clearly forfeitable. The city
authorities, however, seem to have no
desire to forfeit it. They have con.
tracted strange love for the Maxim's
ugly poles. That which is lovely in them
to these men is concealed from the mass
of the citizens, who see nothing III them
OF redeeming character. The lamp
committee and the councils, however, 60
on as though there was no hereafter and
no people TO be faced at the election polls.
When they come there they will learn
what is thought Of their Stewardship
Meanwhile they choose to abuse theil
power and undertake to force upon the
streets the $50 posts which its people do
not want. The chairman of the lamp
committee has seen tit to shield the
Maxim company and to make complaint
against those who cut down lis poles.
lie is as rash as stupid.