The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-10-16
NEW YORK STREETS CLAD IN BLACK.
The City Apparently in Mourning for
the wires Victims.
Heavens Lamps ana las Lights
struggling Against the Gloom.
makesn,fts at the Theatres-The
case Begun In Court.

Nrw YORK. October 15.-The argument
was begun today in the Supreme Court on
the application of the electric light compan-
les to make a permanent injunction restrain
ing municipal interference with tneir wires.
The companies claim that until suincient ac-
commodation is provided in suDways, the
wires must be permitted to remain overhead.
If any defects in insulation exist, the COM
panies are willing to shut of the current
from the wires on which such defects are
found. The arguments will proceed tomor-
row. Meanwhile the companies will keep
the current shut off on all circuits. The city
is dark again tonight. A few gas lamps have
been brought into use. The weather is clear
and wayfarers are not SO ulpleasantly sit
uated as last night.
Last night the action of the companies did
not prove such calamity as some supposed
it would, although the darkness was not les
sened by the moon and stars. which hid
themselves behind the storm clouds. Many
storekeepers got out their oil lamps. but the
absence of the lights was most noticed In the
important streets, avenues and parks. Broad
way below Twenty third street was for the
most part in pitchy darkness. Upper Broad
way was almost as well lighted as usual from
the theatres, restaurants and hotels along II
which have gas lamps on the sidewalk. The
avenues were most of them rescued from
total darkness by the lights in the show win
dowS of the shops, but the important cross
town streets. such as Twenty-third, Thirty
fourth and Fifty-ninth, were enveloped In
gloom. Union Square looked particularly
sombre, while the blacknesS of Madison
Square was relieved by a few gas lamps. All
the other electric light companies ran as
usual, so that electric lamps were burning In
most parts of the city.
The sand bagging and robberies which had
been predicted did not take place. A double
force of police patrolled the streets and pc
destrians Stunned the darkest spots, few
women caring to cross the squares and parks
while at the tunnel between First and Sec
ond avenues where it was so dark that abs0-
lutely nothing could be seen, many took the
horse cars and paid their fairs for the short
ride through the blackness.
Some of the theatres had to resort to gas
for lighting the stages and auditOriums for
want of the usual electricity. They were all
prepared to do so at short notice except the
Academy of Music. The first scene of "The
Old Homestead" is deep and wide and high,
and it has never been lighted by gas before.
The consequence was that some brisk work
had to be done to get the necessary piping
done In time. But when the curtain rose
everything was ready, and the effect was as
usual. At the Casino four calcium lights
were placed on the sidewalk to guide people
to the place, and inside the house gas was
used. At Palmer's. too. the older method
had to be resorted to- OF the other theatres
some had private plants and some never had
used electric lights at ALL A few depended
on the Manhattan Company AMI were all
right.
Members of the Health Department were
making preparations for an expected attack
upon the electric light wires yesterday. and
President Wilson said the department might
cut down the wires if Mayor Grant urged
such course. The Board of Health could
declare the wires dangerous to life and order
their removal. Section No. GIG of the Con-
solidated Act protects the Health Depart
ment from being enjoined by the courts in
time to save the wires. 1t reads as follows:
mo preliminary injunction shall be granted
against the Board of Health, OF its officers,
except by the Supreme Court at a special or
general term thereof, after service of at least
eight days notice of a motion for such in
junction, together with copies of the papers
on which the motion for such Injunction is
to be made"
Chief Inspector Martin, of the Bureau of
Offensive Trades, probably will direct the
cutting of the wires If the Health Board de-
cides that they are dangerous His assist
ants, by order of President Wilson, have
been inspecting the electric wires for two
days.