The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-07
Nag YorE Le.l4r d l.ourler lonrnal.


York was hidden under the cobWeb OF
electric wires, Every one OF the chief
thoToughfares was lined on both sides
with unsightly telegraph poles, and
many Of the less important streets were
similarly disfgured Residence as we'll
as business streets were invaded, The
poles on the principal streets, notably
Broadway, were Of the largest size,
Many OF them supported from twenty
to thirty crossbars, from which were
suspended, in some instances, as many
as 800 wires. Al almost every crossing
east and west side lines intersected
these trunk lines, and at dozen or
twenty points in every block private
wires and oHshoots from the main lines
crossed the streets, suspended from
poles and housetops. At the principal
crossings the dense network OF over
head wIros actually shaded the street
below. Visitors IRON abroad who wrote
OF New York invariably dwelt upq this
as as one ssy q 4 in Hm ssSss features OF
To-day the visitor may spend months
in New York without seeing single
pole or an electric wire, Broadway 10
clear from the Battery TO Central Park.
Fifth avenue shows not u single wire,
The great north and south avenues on
either side Of the city, to within q
block or two OF the boundary rivers,
are entirely free from obstructlons
overhead. IA kite flown in any cross
street from the Battery to the Harlem
is in no danger nj touling upon any
thing except an occasional tree.
This Is the happy result Of burying
electric wires in subways. The move
ment toward this end was the result Of
purely aesthetic feeling. New York
demanded that its ayenus and streets
be cleared OF the only obstruction to
their beauty.
1t cost millions to accomplish this
end, but 1t was done, A firm stand on
the part OF the city authorities, aided
by the legislation from Albany, was
all that was necessary. The numerous
electric companies, upon whom fell
6NeHluhIly tuo eutHo tApeiseI louKuL
10 bitter end. The courts were in
voked. The war was carried 10 the
highest judicial authority In the state.
But in the end tho people won.
New York was the pioneer in this re-
form. She is the only city in the world
which 10 practically entirely FREQ from
overhead wires. Her example Is being
followed by other cities on both sides
OF the Atlantic. There is scarcely q
week when some delegation from an
other city is not'in town studying her
system.
Public clamor to put the wires under
ground began IN this city as long ago as
1875, when bill to that effect was in-
tSodueed into the legislature. Expert
testimony then was that electric cur
rents could not be successfully operated
underground, and the bill was defeated.
II was not until 1884 that the continued
demand on the part OF the public again
resulted in legislation. In this year
the Legislature organized q commission
and passed new law directing electric
companies operating wires In cities OF
half million inhabitants or over 10
place their wires under the surface.
This law was defective, since it put
no power into the hands OF any author
ity to enforce Its execution. Later on
laws were passed which gave power TO
the board OF electrical control to make
contracts with company to build SUBJ
ways and TO compel the electric compa.
MES to place their wires in these sub,
ways as fast as they were completed
Experiments had been made in Phil
adelphia, Chicago and soma other
cities in the matter OF burying wires.
These experiments originated with the
electrical companies, tho cities permit
ting the companies to build whatever
form Of subways they desired. The
board Of electrical control Of New York
visited these cities and many others
and examined every system that was in
use. They were all defective in impor-
tant particulars. AS soon as it became
generally known that New York was
looking into the subject Of sub-ways, in
ventors Of patent subway systelns be-
gan TO send in applications. Tho com.
mission examined in oil about 450 diff
ferent systems, o few OF which were in
actual use in different parts Of the
country. They finally came to the con.
clusion that all wero detective and
adopted system Of sub.ways which is
now general In New York, and which
has been proved by practice to meet
every demand made upon It. New
York's system is not patented and
every city which wishes is free to copy
It II is complete, practical success.
The placing Of tho wires in the sub.
ways was not accomplished, however,
without q struggle. The electrical com.
panies, who had millions OF dollars in.
vested In overhead lines refused to de-
stroy this valuable property and to go
to the enormous expense OF placing their
wires in the subways. The law, as
finally amended. invested the mayor
and the department OF public works
with the power Of tearing down the
overhead wires and poles OF the com.
panies wherever SubWayS existed, there
by compelling tho companies TO enter
the aubways. The electrical companies
fought this law to the last, when n final
decision was rendered by the court OF
appeals against tho companies, and tho
board Of electrical control called upon
the mayor TO enforce II, Mayor A )ram
S. Hewitt refused, II was not until
Hugh j. Grant came into power In 1889
that tho law was enforced. He oreani.
god raid against the mpanies, and o
large body Of men, armed with axes,
cut down the polls and paralyzod the
business OF tho companies until they
submitted to tho exactions Of the law
aud made use Of tho subways, Since
then the companies have submitted as
gracefully as they could TO the require.
menA Of the law.
The subway system In Use in this
city 10 exceedingly Pinple. Electric