St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-05-14


three sets of poles as at present
They sent men here to carry out their
plans. They got permission from
the trustees to locate the line on the
south side of the Avenue and on
Wednesday last week the foreman of
the gang, c. E. Somerville of this
office, Messrs. Blossom and Peck,
went to DIR. Bullard and asked per-
mission to trim his pine trees a little
where they would interfere with the
wire. He said ''All right, go ahead"
Not word was said about the size
of the poles or the care of them by
the Doctor, though the trustees told
the telegraph company in the begin
ming that the poles must be straight,
kept painted and free from advertise
ments. All right so far. Friday the
men dug the holes, delivered the poles
on the ground and had set them from
the depot to the lower corner of DIR.
Billiards. ground when the Doctor
drove down and forbade them set
ting the poles. He said they were
too crooked and he wouldn't have
them. Upon that they told him he
could have them Strengthened and the
best in the whole line. The foreman
went with the Doctor, selected poles
all satisfactorily and they were taken
to the proper places to bese Later
Friday evening Billiard changed his
mind and objected to the number of
poles, saying that three in front of
his house would do as we'll as four.
Mr.. Silsby, as local manager for the
Western Union, went down and
talked the matter over with the
Doctor and heard his objections. Mr..
Silsby replied that that was simply
matter of construction and that he
would ask the foreman if it could be
done and report to him the following
morning before going further. He
then conferred with the foreman and,
learning that it would be impractical
to so construct line of that size, he
returned to Dr. Bullard and told him
the foreman's decision. The Doctor
still insisted on having only three
poles and furthermore he now object
ed to the poles themselves. although
he had himself selected them, and
the night before agreed to have them.
Mr.. Sllsby then went to the trus-
tees and asked permission to put the
line on the other side of the street.
This they refused, saying that the
electric light wires were enough on
that side. They said "go ahead on
the south side" Silsby then went
back and told DIR. Bullard what the
trustees had said and declared his in
tention Of proceeding with the erec-
tion of the poles DR.. Bullard said
call right, I'll have an injunction on
you Immediately" Mr.. Silsby told
his men that all was ready and to go
ahead They set the poles and had
just finished when DR.. Bullard came
out and chopped one almost off. The
trustees, the foreman and Mr.. Silsby
again went to DR.. Bullard and beg
ged him to consent to the erection of
the poles. He went out and looked
things over and finally told them to
go ahead; he had got to go to Dan
vile to see patient and didn't care
what they did. They reset the pole,
which he had cut down, and worked
all the afternoon putting on cross
arms without further molestation or
hindrance. Hearing Sunday after
noon that DIR. Bullard intended to
make more trouble, the linemen went
to work early Monday morning and
strung two wires, making it work
ing line. About halfpast eight the
Doctor came out and discovered the
wires. He at once sawed off the arm
upon which the wires rested, crossing
the wires by SO doing and they re-
mained closed to all business from
nine O'Clock till -. Later he dug up
the pole and in the afternoon he cut
down the other pole just below his
gate. The mail train was delayed at
Wells River 80 minutes and numerous
freight trains for a longer or shorter
period. The company cannot under
stand why he should object to this
new line Of straight poles, when a
line of four poles, crooked and lily
set, have stood in front of his place
for years.
A Statement from the Village Trustees.
E. H. Blossom, chairman of the
board of trustees, was interviewed
Tuesday, and said:
This matter is one which the
trustees have been trying to bring
about for some time. AS the wires
are strung now, some one SIDE or the
street and some on the other and at
the lower end of the avenue the wires
were badly mixed up. At Cherry
street there are so many wires that
we could not set the electric light
where we wanted, and as a result it
only lights up half the street. The
Western Union folks agreed to run
all their wires on one side of the
street, and on high poles. Mr.. Peck
and 1 called on Dr. Bullard and ex-
planned matters to him and he said it
was all right that the wires might
go past his house, and that it was a
good thing to change them. Then
Saturday we heard that DIR. Billiard
objected to the work and Mr.. Peck
and 1 called on him again and after
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