Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-25
.PUT'EM UNDER GROUND
TIE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BRING UP THE
WESTERN UNION WITH A ROUND TURN.
That Corporation Now Talking Of Setting up a
Claim to the Old Telephone Poles, and Threat
ems to String Them Full Of Wires.

It looks very much as though the time
has come when the City Council should
take up the subject of the Western
Union Telegraph Company, and deal
with that extensive corporation in the
manner its past aud present conduct in
this city warrants.
For years it has had the use OF the
streets OF this city for its very extensive
pole lines without adequate authority
from the city government, and on top
of that, and while carrying on very
extensive business here, it has never
paid any taxes worthy of the name
into the city treasury. In fact, many
man working as a laborer for
dollar and a quarter day, pays more
taxes annually than the Wheeling end
of this gigantic corporation, doing an
annual business here OF many thousands
OF dollars and making percentage OF
profit which can only be adequately
known oy those in the New York offices
Of the Company.
At last evenings session Of the Coun-
ell Committee on Fire Department 1t
was stated that there was really little
prospect that the old telephone poles
would be removed from the business
portion of the city, because the West
eru Union had laid claim to a very
considerable number Of the aforesaid
poles. and intended to string lines OF
wire upon them, without so much as
asking leave of the city OF
Wheeling, or anyone else. From
another source it is learned that the
Telegraph Company also sets no ike
claim TO the old telephone poles on
Twelfth street, aud intends TO keep
them standing for an indefinite time,
upon the same terms, and 1t is also as
serted, with every outward evidence OF
truth, that the same Telegraph Com
pany Is now maintaining and has main
taIned for years poles In various por-
lions of the city, which poles carry
nothing but dead wires.
That summary stop ought to be put
to this sort of thing by Council, is man
fest. With the telephone wires under
ground in the business part OF the city,
it was hoped that there had been
start made in the work of clearing the
streets of the city of all poles and wlres'
and that the time was not far distant
when Wheeling would be upon an equal
plane with other cities in this regard.
From the DEVELOPMENT of last evenlnglt
looks as though the Western Union
Telegraph Company had determined TO
put a stop 10 this particular sort OF
progress. Whether that Company Is to
succeed or not remains with Council,
and that body ought 10 make a move In
the right direction this evening, first,
BY directing the removal OF the city
! fire alarm wires from the old telephone
poles TO the city electric light or other
poles: second, by distinctly for
bidding the Western Union Telegraph
Company from putting up any more
poles or wires within the corporate linn
| its OF the city of Wheeling, without OK
press authority; third, ordering the
Board of Public Works to see that the
old telephone poles in the underground
district come down in one-two-three
order; and fourth, direct the Committee
on Ordinances TO report an ordinance re-
curing the Western Union wires TO be
put under ground.
It's time TO call halt on the Western
Union Telegraph Company in the city
of Wheeling.