Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-13
THE WAR OF THE WIRES.
The Western Union 90 EDJoin the
Brush Electric light Company-A
secret session.

Brush Electric light COmpany-A
secret Session.
The Western Union Telegraph com
panv has determined-in as-much as per
suasion. and what that company consid
cred reasonable propositions proved of nc
avail with the Rock Island County Brush
Electric Light company--to see what car
be done through legal force. Last evening
Col Henry Curtis. attorney for the West
ern Union company IN Rock Island,
served President Huesing of the Brush
company, with notice that a temporary in
junction had been secured in the federal
courts at Chicago, restraining the Brush
company from turning its electric cur
rents into the incandescent wires along
the north side of Second avenue between
Seventeenth and Nineteenth streets and
directly under the wires of the Western
Union company.
The local public is doubtless aware of
the impending trouble between the two
companies, the facts icing that when
the Brush company stretched its incan>
descent wires along Second avenue be-
tween the streets namedabove, the Vest
ern Union company, through its local man.
ager, Mr.. Looney, and its general super
intendent, Mr.. Tubbs, who came to Rock
Island for the purpose, demonstrated.
stating that the Western Union p
erly had become endangered by REL IN of
the close proximity of the wires of the
two companies Supt, Tubbs explained
this definitely and cited instances where
property and life had been destroyed by
the dropping of telegraph wire on one
of the electric light wires, the current be.
ing as result carried into the telegraph
office. setting it on fire. and perhaps de>
stroyipg the life of the operator. In view
of this situation of affairs, this West
ern Union company submitted a PROPOSE,
ton to the Brush company through its
president, A. D. Huesing, agreeing to bear
all the expense of removing the Brush
company's wire If that company would
nsent to move. The proposition was re-
jected by Mr.. Huesing, and after con-
ference between the representatives of
the two companies without disposition to
yield on either side, the matter was aps |
pealed to the council for adjustment. |
The municipal body wisely kept aloof
from the imbroglio, and while it was sugs
gested that the Western Union company |
remove to First avenue, a proposition
which appeared to meet with some favor
in Superintendent Tuhbs' mind, the city
more the position Of an inter-
asted observer than participant In the
light. Happily the city isin no way cons
,erned in the war which tho two compa-
lies are entering upon. Superintendent
rubbs returned to Chicago, leaving mats
ers in an unaltered condition. and tn G
next We hear from him is the notice of
pjunction.
The directors of the Brush company
leld a secret meeting at the office of
'resident Huesing this morning, but de-
ided not to divulge what was done.
President Huesing, when approached
Ipon the subject by an ARGUS reporter
his afternoon. stated that the company
lad either got to fight the motion for the
Injunction to be argued before Judge
'resham in Chicago next Tuesday. or
low the thing to go by default. He de- !
lined to say what the company intended |
D do. He declared though that the COM
any proposed to continue using tn wire
n Second avenue right along to light !
he stores already in the circuit, and add /
8 many new ones as possible. II