Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-08-30

This company contracted to put up 120
electric lamps of two thousand candle
power each, one half "to be in position
and lighted by the 10th of August, 1888,
and the remaining sixty lamps shall be in
position and lighted BY tho 10th Of Sep
tember, 1SS3." 1t ID not necessary for ne
to tell our readers that, although the
period for lighting the first sixty lamps ia
long past, not lamp IL yet in position MOI
likely to be for some timc to come that
this company has violated its contract
with the city, and has not been called to
account for 1t by councils.
But besides violating its agreement, this
company has made itself more obnoxious
to our property holders than any other cor
porati0n that has ever put up poles in this
city. We have examined its contract with
councils carefully, and nowhere in that
authority or authorization - tho part of
the city authorities that cad 0e construed
into . right or privilege to the company to
erect its poles on the sidewalks and before
the doors of property owners. The right
OF the city to delegate such privilege 10
not now under discussion. The fact We
have to deal with is that It did not confer
such authority on the electric light COM
pany, unless such a right Is implied by
virtue Of the contract itself, and yet this
company has, without tho consent of
owners. entered upon hundreds of premi-
ses within the past few days, and regard
less of the owners protests, set up the
poles on which they propose to suspend
their wires. In the absence of any direct
authorization to erect its poles, has the
company legal standing against the
citizens whose premises it has invaded 1t
has made no effort TO- secure such rights
by purchase, the only way perhaps it could
legally secure them. 1t is a trespasser in
every instance, and must be held respon-
sible for this invssi on of private rights.
But this is not tho only cause of COM
plant. It does not seem to have proceeded
with its work upon any we'll defined plan.
It has crossed from one side of street to
the other with a frequency that is very sug
gestive. There are good reasons !or be-
lieving that an uDjustitiable favoritism has
been shown in the way it is doing its work.
Particular individuals have succeeded
in having the obnoxious poles, intended for
their own premises shifted to those of their
neighbors on either side OF them and not
unfrequently to the opposite side Of the
street. A system that allows of such
methods is highly Objectionable, aud the
company that permits itself to be made
the instrument Of such acts of injustice
deserves no sympathy from public whose
rights, we believe, it has persistently VIC
lated. Such course was sure to meet
with violent opposition aud the result is
what was to have been expected. Several
indignant citizens, resenting the planting
of one of these obnoxious poles before
their doors, cut down the obstruction.
This We hope will lead to settlement of
the whole matter. Let the company DOW
show up its rights and privileges in the
courts, if it has any. Let it show its au
thority to enter upon the promises of citi-
zens and take possession not only without
having purchased the right, but without
having SO muca as politely requested it,
If it has authc rity to do all this, the time
has come to make it known.
The Poles should Co.
Harrisburg Independent.
The Lancaster INTELLIGENCER thinks
the wooden poles must go. The people do
not want them on the streets. The prop
erty owner, on whose pavement they are
planted, does not want them. They must
yield to the public sentiment which pro-
tests against them, backed as it is, by the
property owner 8 power to cut them down.
Right it is. They must 90.