New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-14
TIE COMPANY WILL WAIT.
WESTERN UNION MEN TELL THEIR SIDE.
rHEy THINK THE PUBLIC WILL BE THE
GREATEST SUFFERERS IF TIKI. WIRE 49,

1HEY THINK THE PUBLlC WILL De- @@A'
GREATEsT SUFFERERS IF TKE WIRE ~.
COME DOWN.
swe are I'D q stump was the expression USED
By Superintendent W. c. Humstone, yesteuay' IN
describing the position In which the western Union
Telegraph Company had been placed by judge wal
iaoe's decision Of Thursday. This decision Vaoa'oo
the Injunction obtained by the company restraining
the Board OF Electrical Control and the Mayor Iom
Interfering with its poles and wires, ana placed us
overhead lines practically at the mercy OF tne syor
Mr. Humstone said that there was nothing ior
she company to do but TO wait and see what action
the Mayor would take. No unusual enort would De
made 10 nut the wires IN the subways, for In the only
nation of the city where tho company would be So
nously affected by the summary removai OF is pores
and wires, the subways had boon thoroughly tried
and found useless account OF the proximity OF the
steam heating company's pipes. An effort was 70
Gently made, Mr. Humstone said, TO repair the dam
ago done by the steam pipes to the cables In the con-
duits south Of Chambers-st. on Broadway, but the
men who undertook the work found the manholos at
Murrsys and other points hot that they could not
remain in them, and these operations, necessarily,
ha1 10 be abandoned In uptown subways, NE COM
pany had number Of cables working satisfactorily
but connections underground could not be made with
the good cables because those downtown were ron
dered useless by steam heating pipes, gases, etc.
Tho company had been using the elevated structures
for carrying its trunk cables UP and down town, but
thero was no provision them for reaching branch
ofBces, many of which, in various parts of the city
would have to be closed when the pole lines we're cut
down. Tho cables on the Third-ave. elevated road,
nom the City Hall to Twenty -third-st, would be
useless because the conduits between tho company's
main Office at broadway and Dey-st and the City
Han station were made unavailable by the steam
pipes. Aerial cables used at present on
poles through Park Row to connect with the Third
ave- cables at the City Hall station. II the Park
he ant 40 Mr. ms
the company would lose large number Of Its wires
to the east and north because they through that
thoroughfare. None Of the newspapers would have
wires in their Offices, all situated in the
particular section where underground wires will not
work
In lower Broadway the company had experienced
great deal of trouble with stesmppes, and con-
peciions between the main Office and the various
exchanges. were made through aerial cables
stretched on poles. To remove the poles would be
to cut of the leased lines of scores OF business houses,
whose daily transactions depended upon their tele-
graphic facilities. Mr. Humstone declared that while
the company would suffer serious loss Of business,
should the Mayor order the poles cut down. he had
doubt that the public would suffer far more II deprived
Of their facilities There was a constantly growing
demand for increased facilities he said, and portion
Of those available could be spared without
causing serious Inconvenience upon the public at
largo. Few people have an idea how serious
matter It would be to take away the overhead lines
before an underground service had been perfected.
1t was true that there were subways throughout the
city, In which wires could be but what he asked
was to be done when the wires failed to work in
them owing to causes which the company could not
remove
Mr.. Hunstone said that the order of Judge Wallace
yseaang the injunction would probably be handed to
the Mayor on Monday and then that official would
have enre control of the underground question far
as 1t affected the Western Union Company He did not
believe that summary action would be taken by the
Mayor although there had been no sSpondence be
tween Lin and the compsny's officials tho subject.
He understood however that the Mayor had expressed
the intention of proceeding cautiously and doing nothing
that would seriously inconvenience the public. So
far as he knew. Judge Waace's decision settled the
Whole question of subway service. The Board VI
Control had nothing further to do with II. The
courts had ruled that under the law all that the
board had TO DO was 10 express opinion that the
subwaSs all right in order to compel the cleo
trea companies 10 them. No extra forces Of men
had been set to work In expectation Of the removal Of
the poles and wires, Mr. Humstone said, and no at
tempt would be made to rush wires underground Tho
elevated structures would be used far practicable
and the company would do its best transact Its bust
ness under any circumstances. but there were limits to
the possibilities within Its reach, and this he thought
ought to be considered. II finally the wires should
be taken down summarily the company would not
abandon its case, but would bring action against
the city for such damages as II might suffer.
". B. Somervle. who has charge Of all Of the press
service Of the company, said that the public regarded
that corporation the chief IL not the
,nly one affected by Judge Wallsce's decision. while,
matter Of TACT 1t owned scarcely an eighth part
Of the so 900 miles Of wire in the city Of New-York
SIR. somervile did not wish to crJclse the decision
Of Judge Wallace, but the fact remained that the COM
psny could not possibly work underground wires In
places where the seam-heating pipes were close to
the subways.
Mr.. Taggart Of Dillon g. swayne, the company's
counsel said that nothing could be done by the
company at present II the Mayor chose TO cut down
the wires and poles, he was fully authorized by law
20 do The company did not criticfse Judge Wal
lsce,s decision, that the company's poles and wires
were subject to police regulations In the city and
State but commended that IL was not police regnla
ton TO force It to put Its wires in subways that had
CART said, that conference would be had between
the Mayor and the companys representatives on Mon
day, when II would be learned Just what tho Mayor
Intended, and what the company would have 10 90.
Mayor Grant has omphatically declared that upon
receipt Of Judge Wallaces official order vacatng the
Injunction he will order the poles and wires sumnariy
removed.
Mayor Grant did not receive a certified copy of
judge Wallaces order dssoving the Western Union
injunction yesterday. ii will probably be delivered
Of Public Works for removing all poles and wiros
in the subway districts viii be Issued Lines OF
poles parallel to the Manhattan Elevated Railway
structure viii also be removed The Mammalian
Electric Light Company reported yesterday 10 me
Board Of Electrical Control that It had I'VE miles
law days all its wires in the subway district above
Fourteenth-st, with one exception, would be II was
sad, placed in the conduits
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