The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-08-03
WANTS THE WIRES PUT UP
COUNCILMAN COOLIDGE ADVOCATES
MS ORDINANCE,

Opposition by the Electric, Telegraph and
Telephone Companies, Whose Repre-
sentatives Say the Plan is Imprac acticable
Matthews Wants Iron Poles-Tabled
Until September.
Councilman e. C. Coolidge appeared
before the committee on ordinances
lasl evening and advocated his ordi-
nance regarding the height of tele-
ephone, telegraph and electric light,
wires, Only Councilmen Dewell, Grin
nell and Camp were present.
The ordinance proposed provides that
in the following streets the wires shall
be forty feet from the street: Water,
from East to State; Chapel, from Olive
to Park; Court. from Academy to
Church; Greene, from East to Olive;
Grand avenue from East to Olive;
State, from Lawrence to Water; Church,
from Meadow to Grove; Whitney ave-
nue., from Grove to Trumbull Temple,
from Congress avenue to Chapel; Elm,
from State to York; Audubon, from
State to Whitney avenue; George, from
State to College; Orange, from George
to Elm; Congress avenue, from Meadow
to junction of Davenport avenue and
Congress avenue; Howard avenue, from
Congress avenue to Oak street; Union,
| Ua 10 Arfis
Court to Grand avenue; Wooster, from
State to Olive; Crown, from State to Col
lege; Center, from Orange to Temple.
In other streets the wires shall not
be less than twenty-five feet from the
street.
Lawyer James T. Moran represent
ed the Southern New England Tele-
phone company, and the New Haven
Electric Light company, with Superin-
tendent Edward K. Parker Of the elec-
trio comra v and Wallace G. Riggs,
local manager for the telephone com
lJ,.-y s..4e. -. \. I-dlfts re2r santed TIE
Western Union Telegraph company ard
A. Leroy Page the Postal Telegraph
company.
Councilman Coolidge alone appeared
in favor of the ordinance. He said his
object in drawing the ordinance was
to prevent obstruction to the fire de-
partnient in fighting fires. He said
the manner in which the wires were
strung now impeded the f1remen iii their
work. He referred to the bradley &
Smith fire on State street, where he
said the firemen were delayed by the
wires in putting a ladder up 20 the
building.
Questioned by Mr.. Moran Councilman
| Coolidge said that on the right side of
Chapel street, from Temple to State, the
wires were up forty feet. On the other
side they were not as high as that
| There were three poles between State
and Union streets the wires Oil which
were not higher than twenty-five feet
| In State street the wires were up from
thirty to thirty-five feet. He said he
| had another ordinance by which he
proposed to provide against running
slanting wires from the poles to the
| buildings.
Mr.. Moran said the telephone and
electric light companies objactad 20 the
ordinance because of the lack real
necessity for it and the impractieaDility
of the ordinance. He said that while
| the fire department wanted all wires
under ground it did not urge immediate
action. Regarding high line he said
the telephone company had put Up aigh
| poles on State street ar TTey were all
blown down. In Pennington avenue,
Hartford, the company put up thirty
eighty feet poles and they were all
blown down. Hartford then passed an
ordinance against poles higher than
| fifty feet, but the company got the city
to raise the limit to fifty1five feet.
| Superintendent Parker of the electric
| light company said 1t was not practic-
able to put the wires in all cases forty
| feet above the street. Trees in some
streets prevented this, because the
| wires must go either above or below
the trees. Some trees were so high
that 1t was impossible to go above them.
He said that on Chapel street, from
Temple to Olive, bis company's wires
were from forty to fifty feet. above the
street
Mr. Moran said that as it was only
| a question of time when all the tele-
phone wires would be under ground,
and he did not think the city should
| take any such radical measure as the
ordinance proposed.
| Mr. Harris, Mr.. Riggs and Mr.. Page
opposed the ordinance.
| l.. ]. Matthews favored iron poles
ninety feet high. He asked If iron poles
of that height could not be had as cheap
| as wooden poles.
Councilman Coolidge said such poles
could only be cast in sections
! Mr.. Matthews advocated such poles
with central tower, from which all the
wires should radiate.
Councilman Coolidge said he thought
| the street railway companies should
have an opportunity to be heard, and
| the committee tabled the ordinance un-
| til September,
The committee recommended the Or
dinance regarding the assessment of
street paving in accordance with the
paving act passed by the legislature.
| The petitioners who wanted an oSlli-
| nance to prevent carpet beating with
| in 100 feet of a dwelling were given
| leave to withdraw.