Daily Republican., 1889-04-18

tonight that was held to hear discussion
about placing wires under ground.
City Solicitor Turner was the first
speaker. He said he had taken the bill
home and made several changes. "This
thing" he said, "must be done some
time. Council Of Wilmington did not
wish to destroy any industry, AID If it
could be done, then Council would not
do 1t, but unless that was done, the repre-
sentatives Ct the city OF Wilmington were
entitled to consideration. Rather than
have 1t defeated, they were willing to
have some amendments, such as pre-
sented limits and affecting other interests.
Copies Of the bill had been placed in their
hands" Mr.. Turner then presented
set of resolutions adopted by the firemen
In favor oi placing wirei under ground
on the ground that the overhead wires
inierfered with lhem. He further said
that none OF the provisions of the bill
were i'll conformity with anybody's con
duit. That was matter .or the com
panies whose condu twas used. The one
thing Council wants Is the removal OF
these overhead wires at a definite time.
You can amend this bill as you see At,
provided you preserve the central idea,
Put the wires under ground"
3. N. Trump for the Electric Light
Company said he would like to state OBJ
jections.
j. H. iIofI.cker then appeared for the
Wilmington Company. Sorry not a
larger attendance of the members pres
cnt. He criticised the action OF Council
in saying that 1t was not able to place the
wires under ground. He said Councils
action was a confession that public policy
was not so urgent as to require Council
to pay for it.. The c0mpany's objections
were then stated.
First, there are no feasible plans Of put
ting wires under ground; true, there are
many, but they are expensive. Dampness
and gases are exceedingly injurious to
under ground wires. Mr.. IiolIccker IT al
letter from j. II. Vail of the Edison
| company, that their wires could not be
placed under ground properly. Continu-
ing he said; at is the popular thing to
ciiticise," "oyerhead wires. There
have been no accidents nor popular
uprlsii 2 for THE. This movement is at
| the instigation of another concern"
"The laying of the Edison conduit iB
CouHbus, uhio, IVES S52, 200. In Will
mington there are IS miles of wire and
4,OJ0 lamps. The cost OF laying Edison
lights would be SIS. 900, and the com
pany has six miles of arc light that
would cost $50 Ga mile. There would
te total outlay OF S270, 900, aud the
| -" fvss % $4,000. A great deal will
be said about New York. | have eeen
the papers there and say what is posi-
BILE thtre is not here. There the lights
are compact, in W lmington the wires are
spread out" Mr.. HotIecker concluded
by calling attention to the use OF over
head wires for street cars aud declared
1t would kill the Eighth Street Railway
Company aud said: "If you propose Ia
Kill existing industries for the interest OF
come hing thst ie an experiment then all
right"
Mr. Turner ssid Council is perfectly
satisfied with amendments that would ex-
! clude street railways and presented
ChrisiIana and Madison and Poplar
streets.
He thought the bill could be amended
so as suit the best interests of the com.
panies.
Mr.. Ecclestine read two amendments
in regaid to the points spoken Of by Mr..
| Turntr.
MIR. Gil, of the Western Union, asked
Mr.. Ecclestne If the amendments were
correct. lie said they were not.
Mr Gill. They are the Johnstone Con-
duit Cumpany's."
Mr. Ecclestine. mo they are not"
Mr.. Gill then asked II Council had
Withdrawn the bill, and thereon, Mr.
Quinn quickly stepped up, and said
"rhe City Solicitor N, the representative
OF Jay Gould can withdraw that BILL"
George IL. FsaroDs, representing the
| Delaware and Atlantic Telephone Com.
Eany, then said in part; This is a sub
= 1 1F
gas teen te:Ily dIeces;29s1, ee!Leye yS;; ySs
intend TO exam he into this under ground
wire matter fairly and not impose cost
thai will prohibit the use of telephones.
The bill was acted upon by Council with
out notice beiag given to the interested
parties. You are asked to destory sys.
ten that has z ven satisfaction. 1t is not
a |, cal question, 1t involves your neigh
| bors.
~ can refer you to a number of expert
ments, and neai ly all total failures. Gle
then read an affidavit from G. II. Wilson,
superintendent of tie Chicago eubways,
which said they were a failure there.
Many different plans had been tried, and
up to the present time all had been un-
! satisfactory. The expense would be
great. 1t would force our company out
of existence. In Indiana a reduction of
| the rental value OF telephones had driven
| the company out OF the business. A mes
sage system went into operation, and the
next session Of the General Assembly the
bill was repealed The company is pro-
hibited by its meaere resources from
placing Its wires underground, The poles
and wires are erected uLder licenses
granted by the city OF Wilmington. He
did not believe that the Legis ature would
want the telephones driven out. The
company could not begin to furnish tcle-
phones to outlying subscribers. No cities
Of the size OF Wilmington are seeking to
disturb the electrical interests of the city.
Is right and proper for Wilmington,
after inviting us to do business, to come
here aud try to drive us out of businessl
(He quoted from the Board OF Electrical
Suhways Of BrooA lyn, asking other cities
TO walt. The rental in towns where
they have subways is double WI at it is in
Wilmington.
This is urged by other parties than by
the citizens of Wilmington. These
schemes have failed elsewhere and be-
lieVe they will here or misjudge your
Intelligence OF the efforts OF certain peo-
pie to have somc thing TO sell to be euc-
cessful.'
He concluded by an exempliilcation of
Ithe ramidcations Of the tslcphone sys-
'tem.
Il. F. Pickels said in part, "There is
one phase that has not been brought out
in the exhaustive, was going to say ex.
haustiug. Messrs. Quinn sund Turner
said they represented Council ard should
be given weight. There is another class
here tonight, the men who elected mem.
hera of Counnil They ranraaant ~ aY,ita1