St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-27

wires which may be crossed with
powerfully charged electric light
wire. TO rescue people from
burning building is impossible, when
network of wires prevent the ladders being
hoisted against the building. The city of
New York. a few years ago. ordained that all
poles and wires must be taken down. The
telephone and electric light companies
simply ignored the new law and matters
went on as before for some time. At length
new street commissioner came into Office
and he threw bombshell into the camp of
the companies by putting men to work who
cut down poles and wires at a lively gait.
To-day the business portion of New York
city presents vastly different appearance
from what it did few years ago for all the
wires are underground.
There is a strong feeling in the council that
st. Paul should be free from poles and wires
in the business district, and a special joint
committee has been appointed to investigate
the ACCESSIBILITY of putting the wires under
ground. This committee will commence
work tomorrow and will, after careful in
curry, make report to the council.
-O-O-
The retirement of Superintendent jenkins,
of the fire alarm system, is being discussed
in municipal circles and the feeling
is growing up that the time has come
when the fire alarm and police telegraph sys-
TENS should be combined and placed under
the control of one officer in the same manner
as is done in Chicago and all cities
east. AT present the two systems are
run separately, each having its own
superintendent and set of operators and line
men. The board of fire commissioners meet
tomorrow evening, and lake up the question
Of appointing a successor to Supt jenkins
has H.
department. Whether the two departments
are combined or not it is to be hoped that
the fire board will appoint ST. Paul man in
preference to bringing some one from abroad
Of course the position must be given TO a
competent man, but there are to-day in ST.
Paul electricians who rank as high as any in
the country. The two systems could be
legally combined. and there is little doubt
but that the interests of the city would be
benefited by such a step. Both departments
at present are working very short handed,
and, by having one superintendent instead
Of two, extra help could be employed with
out additional expense to the city, the same
to be paid for from the salary of the Office
which would be abolished.
Through the meddlesome interference of
persons always on the lookout for their own
interests, the proposed ambulance service
has not been authorized by the council. The
matter was fully Investigated by special
committee, who heard all information from
the proper officers as to the cost and main
tenance Of the system. The committee, fully
convinced of the necessity of an ambulance
service and the cost of the same,
was about to recommend the same to
the council wnen a person stepped
in with most impracticable scheme for
building an ambulance which would cost tn 9
city twice the sum originally recommended
The result was that certain members OF the
committee fought shy. and to the disgust of
everyone connected with the affair the ambu-
lance service has fallen through. simply ow-
ing to the interested action of lake grinders"
Just why persons who have plans by which
they hope to make money. and railroad sur
geons who are not city officials should under
take to force their views upon committee as
to what kind of an ambulance should be
used, and where it should be kept is as alb
surd as if a locomotive engineer who had
bee in his bonnet should undertake to dictate
to his superiors what kind of engines they
should purchase 3,