Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1889-04-19
The Supreme Court Of New York
DissOlves the Injunction Against
Mayor Grant,
And the Overhead Wires and Vele-
graph Poles are Ordered
Cut Down. ~
A Serious Accident NarrOwlyaAv0itled
by the Falling of One ot the
Poles.
Sketch of the Samoan Cores.
pondent Who Wrote the Account
of the Recent Storm.
War on the Wires.

NEW YORK, April 16.-The chips have
been flying in the streets of the city to-day.
Poles and wires are falling at last, after
more than two years pickering between the
authorities and the telegraph. telephone
and electric light companies in regard to
overhead wires and poles in subway dis
tricts. The company's fought for delay to
the bitter end. The Western Union tele-
graph company, jacting like drowning
person catching at a straw, didn't surren-
der till they had appealed to the United
States courts to prevent the mayor issu-
ing an order taking down the wires and
poles. Judge Wallace's order dissolving
the Injunction against the mayor left the
company no leg to stand on, and it only
waited the receipt of the judges order for
removal of the wires and poles to COM
mence early to-day. The counsel for the
board of electrical control went to the
mayors Office, bringing with them certi-
fed copy of Judge Wallace's order. Mayor
GrantO was not present. but Commits
sioner Gibbons and Expert Wheeler OF the
board of electrical control were waiting
its arrival. Secretary Grain handed Com
missioner Gibbons the order signed by
Mayor Grant directing the commits
sioner of public works to remove
the poles and wires from the streets in
the specified order. 1t was 20 minutes
past 10 o'clock when Gibbons served the
order on Commissioner Smith. The latter
summoned Superintendent John Richard.
son of the bureau Of encumbrances. Com
missioner Gibbon and Expert Wheeler left
for the scene of destruction. followed
shortly after by Superintendent Richard
son. Together with spurs and climbers,
the workmen took with them axes. pinch
ers. hatchets and reach trucks, the latter
to be used in taking away the poles cut
down and wires cut off. The pole on the
southeast corner of University place and
West Fourteenth street was the scene of
the first attack. The foreman had his spikes
on and in few minutes. with nippers in
hand, he quickly climbed the pole while a
gaping crowd gathered around Commits
siOner Gibbons, who was on hand, and
wondered what was going to happen. The
nippers were put in use and the Western
Union wire dropped into the street. This
was followed by others until twelve wires
had been rendered useless. The work OF
clearing the pole was accomplished in six
minutes and the pole was allowed to re.
main standing to support the now useless
wires running south. Then the forces di-
vided and one section crossed into the park
and began on the northerly lines of the
Western Union. The other gang began
clearing the heavily laden poles OF tho
Brush Electric Light Co., starting with the
pole on the northwest corner of Fourteenth
street and Broadway. When the cutters
began work it was found that the notice
given the different companies affected by
the motive of the board of electrical con-
troll to cut off the electrical current, the
Brush Light company had left five circuits
in full working order. The linemen. how
ever. were prepared for this difficulty and
wore rubber gloves. As the nippers went
through the wires there was a flash that
made the crowd below step aside in a
powerful currents for arc lighting were
turned on the wires. Commissioner Glib.
bons. who stood on the street below watch
ing the work, became indignant. In about
ten minutes eighteen electric light wires
running north on Broadway were rendered
useless. The crowd grew larger as the
people realized that the war on the wires
had begun, and fully 1000 thronged the
space around the statue of Lincoln.
While this work was in progress
the other gang cleared the second Western
Union pole which stood in the park few
yards above Fifteenth street. 1t was 4
long pole and as the lineman decended
from the perilous position. it swayed. At
that moment the street was crowded with
people and vehicles. but few Of the specta-
tors realized the danger threatened. A
cracking sound was the only notice Of
warning, but it was sufficient for the
throng, which scattered. The pole with its
half dozen cross arms tOppled over just as
Broadway car was standing at the street
crossing to allow some women to get off.
A cry Of mingled warning and horror went
up from the crowds as the pole in
clined toward the car, which had about
fifteen passengers on board, mostly women.
The driver saw his danger and with a
single bound jumped from his car just as
the pole crashed to the ground, the part
bearing the cross arms falling between