The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-17
WAR ON G0ULD'S WIRES.
GOTHAMs AxMEN BEGIN TO CHOP
DOWN THE POLES.

The Action One of the steps in the Ef-
fort to Enforce Underground Teleg-
raphy-No Force Sent by the Com
pany to Oppose That OF the City.
NEW YORK, April 16. Up TO 10 80 o'clock
this morning the expected raid on the tele-
graph poles and wires had not been begun
by the department of public works, Com
missioner Smith of that department at that
hour said that he had not received any word
from the mayor to begin work, and he
would take no steps until he heard from his
honor
Shortly after 10 o'clock Mayor Grants
secretary received a certified copy of Judge
Wallace's order dissolving the injunction
procured by the Western Union Telegraph
Company against the mayor and board of
electrical control. The order was sent
shortly afterward to the department Of
public works. One of the inspectors was
on hand with corps of axmen expecting u
war signal
CUTTING DOWN THE POLES.
Before II o'clock the poles on Union
square were being cut down. Hundreds of
people gathered in no time to witness the
novel sight of men cutting down telegraph
poles. Two men, one on each side Of the
street attacked the poles.
Another company of strong armed wood
choppers made an attack on the poles on
Sixth avenue. They commenced on both
sides of the avenue at Twenty-third street,
and intended leveling all the poles on the
avenue as far as Fift-yeighth street. The
mayor sent to the commissioner Of
pubic works a letter to-day
notifying him of the poles and wires that
were to come down. They were as follows:
On Sixth ave lue from Twenty-third street
to Fifty-eighth street, except tho Western
Union wires on the elevated road on Broad
way from Fourteenth street to Forty-fifth
street, except the fire department line; on
Twenty third street from Sixth avenue to
Broadway; on Twenty fifth street from
Sixth avenue to Broadway and on Forty
second street from Sixth avenue TO Madison
avenue.
CARS NARROW ESCAPE.
One of the telegraph poles on the Broad
way side of Union square, which was being
taken down by a gang of men, fell sud
denly aud a passing Broadway street car
narrowly escaped getting crushed. No one
was injured, however. Ten poles were cut
down every half hour. The gang on the
west side of Broadway have cleare the
Tiffany block Commissioners Gibbens,
Hess and Moss were on the spot and say
coming down. The fall of every pole was
hailed with cheers by the crowd. Com
missioner Gibbens sent for more police so
as TO be ready for any emergency.
LEFT IN THE DARKNESS.
Mayor Grants raid on the overhead cleo
trio light and other wires in the subway
district, produced a very noticeable effect
up town tonight In Madison square aud
Union square, where electric lights before
transformed night into day, there was
nothing tonight, but the pale flicker of
the gas light. On these squares, which
are centers of gayety at night, the effect is
especially noticeable The leading cross
town streets, such as Twenty-tnird, Four
teenth and Forty-second, which were lit by
electric lights exclusively before the war
began, are as dark as pockets tonight. Not
even a gas lamp relieves the mantle Of the
darkness.
FIFTH AVENUE LIKE A COUNTRY ROAD.
Fifth avenue presented the strangest ap-
peara CO Of all. Its gloom without electric
lights brightness was like that of country
road through which a few pedestrians
passed AS if with bated breath. Broadw way
was fairly we'll lit up with gas, but it was a
pale and sicIly looking substitute for the
glare of electricity.
The only relief to the absolute gloom of
Madison and Union squares we're the lights
in the surrounding streets. Not flicker"
lit the darkness within the park themselves.
1t was a strange scene and the talk Of the
town. 1t was an object of interest which
drew many spectators TO the spot to see the
transformation.