St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-03

to call, and took up the underground wire
ordinance. Although the electrical men
felt inwardly that all was right until after
election, il was, for obvious reasons, neces-
sary that
A SUPERFICIAL OPPOSITION
display should be made, and the program
was religiously carried out, but it was of a
much more quiet order than had previously
characterized the meetings of the commit
tee. A portion of the committee was dis
posed to consent to an indefinite postpone
ment of action. while Others were in favor
OF immediate action. The exigencies of
municipal contest was undoubtedly not a
unmportant factor in the consideration of
the problem. 1t was freely admitted that
minority report would be submitted TO
the council tonight.
L. 5. King, the enthusiastic secretary of
the Minnesota Brush Electric Light COM
pany, was one of the first TO Lake his pres
ence known and felt withal in the confer
ence. He volunteered to give the information
that he had spent considerable time in in
vestlgating the question in the East. He
had positively learned that no underground
system had proven practical for electric
light wires. Indeed, east of Minneapolis
all the cities We're agreed that nothing had
been devised that gave satisfaction. IN
Minneapolis they say that down East all
wires are being put underground. In the
Eastern cities they say that out West in
Minneapolis n system has been conceived
that works admirably. The whole thing is
nothing but matter of conjecture or spec
ulation. The Western Union Telegraph
company has expended $3.50, 900
WITHOUT SUCCESSFUL RESULTS.
In Philadel, hia both the conduit and the
cable systems have been abandoned after a
fair trial. The experiment in Chicago is
totally humbug. Mr.. King also alleged that
prominent and well-infomed insurance
agent had said that underground wires
would very materially increase fire risks.
Mr.. Haynes represents the American
District Telegraph company. He followed
Mr. King in the same strains
He had devoted considerable time
in research and had learned that
vast sum of money had been expended i'm
Chicago, and without successful produc-
ton, in the hope and attempt at discover
ing some system by which wires can be
| placed beneath the streets. lie acknowl-
edged that it would be advisable for the
electrical companies TO put their wires UNI
der ground just as soon as system is de-
vised that will work successfully, but he
had been convinced that the Improvements
that will be made upon the system pro-
posed will be so Importantly improved in
the near future that it would be the sheer
est folly to carry out the plans that have
been suggested so far. lie sympathieed
with the committee. 1t finds itself in the
undesirable and perhaps odiouS position of
being
BETWEEN TWO RAGING FIRES.
One was the fire kindled by sound judg-
fuel is furnished by what has been desig-
mated as public opinion. He assured the
committee that should the companies be
compelled TO go under ground, they would
be forced to eXpend thousands of dollars
where hundreds now suffice. He thought
it would prove an unwarrantable hardship.
Mr.. Dawes represented the Baltimore
d Ohio Telegraph company, which is now
a petitioner for franchise which shall
grant them the right to erect poles and 10
maintain telegraphic wires on the same.
His company, he said, We're particularly
DESTROYS of carrying out the system con-
templated in an ordinance which had been
presented, and to the end that a healthy COM
petition would result Should his company
be denied this right, they should take the
matter under calm consideration, and make
careful estimates to the end of determining
whether or not it could be made self
sustaining or profitable.
THEY MUST GO DOWN.
The discussion was continued until $3.50,
when the committee retired and went into
executive session. They sat with closed
doors until ) o'clock. Upon emerging q
GLOBE reporter cOralled Aid. Cooley
and Aid. johnson. AT first they
were inclined TO be reticent,
but upon being pressed agreed that
to divulge the result of the secret session
could be no injury to the cause, and gave
the information that at the meeting tonight
a recommendation would be submitted to
the effect that ordinances be adopted giving
the Baltimore d Ohio ami the North Amer
lean Telegraph companies rights to come in
the city. provided they place their wires
beneath the streets. The question of fore
ing the wires already in use underground
was not touched upon. and in that respect
the report will studously avoid expression
either pro or con. However, it is plain Il
see that the ice has been broken; the initia
tive step has been taken looking to the ulti
mate dethronement of the mid-air system
| throughout the fire limits