The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-04
THEY ASK MORE TINE.
Electric Companies Do Not
Wish TO Be Buried Yet.
A PETITION TO THE COUNCIL.
1t Is Being signed by Property-owners
Companies Offer to Reduce
Number of Pole Lines.

The Third Street & Suburban Railway
Company = the On.y electric company
which has Sd far MADE the statement thai
il would absolutely refuse 10 put its wires
underground. IN accordance with the re-
cent ordinance passed by the city council.
The other companies. however are active
" at work 10 devise some way out Of what
they consider almost an lIupossioility. IN
fact. they claim II is an absolute impossi-
bility 10 put wires underground within the
ninety days prescribed.
The latest phase OF the matter Is the cir
eulation Of petition among business
men, property owners and other citizens -
for signature. The petition states that
this is not a favorable time in which -
force the various companies using wires
and poles 10 make the large expenditure
OF money that would be necessary TO bury
their wires II asks for mutual forbear-
aace on the part OF individuals and cor
porations. both private and municipal. and
recommends that the companies arrange
among themselves to have but two lines
Of poles on Front and Second streets. three
poles per block on each side. and that the
other poles he removed. II also recon-
Inends that when condu.ts are built they
ne put in the alleys. and suggests that IL
would be for the best interests OF all con-
cerned II the time for putting the wires
underground could be extended until the
general financial condition of the city and
the business demands would warrant such
an expenditure.
The agreement mentioned in the petition
has already been signed BY most OF the
companies The agreement states that if
the council will allow it. the companies
win arrange their poles so that there will
be but one line OF poles on each side OF
the street with six poles TO the block.
placed within a foot of the curb. All other
poles shall be cut down. The agreement is
signed by the Union Electric Company, Sc
attic Gas and Electric Light Company.
Sunset Telephone Company, Third Street
& Suburban Railway Company, Western
Union Telegraph Company. Receiver
Back;s. of the Seattle Consolidated Street
Railway Company. is willing to sign the
agreement but cannot do so until he re-
ceives an order from the court.
This petition is 10 he presented to the
city council at its next meeting Monday
night. f c. Kilbourne, of the Union
Electric Company. said yesterday that the
petition was being generally signed by
Front and Second street business men and
property owners Mr.. kiibourne said
1T is financially and physically impossi-
BILE for Us to comply with this ordinance
I'm the required time. We have taken no de-
cded action yet in regard TO the matter
The more I investigate the proposition OF
the Wits ttt4AAS4 VAtits ZIG AAAiiAcA
is my conviction that we cannot comply
with the ordinance. When this city is large
enough to warrant the. expenditure our
wires VIII be put underground, and from
our own choice. When the time does come
we viii use the alleys and Will then he
able 10 get at our wires when necessary.
il the members of the council or anybody
else thtink that the pavements on these
streets will not be torn up before they are
worn out they would better take trip
70 any cf the large cities and examine In
10 the matter. Chicago has had its wires
underground in the central part of the city
for five years hut there has never been
a month since they were put down that
the pavement has not been torn up for
changes and additions 10 the system. Our
plan providing for six poles 10 the block
wouA~yeduce the number OF poles on Sec
ond street e0 per cent, and on Front street
about 40 per cent"
Frederick Bausman, representing the
Third Street & Suburban Railway Com
pany. was asked TO give his views as to the
company represented by him. and said:
I'VE shall certainly resist by law the en-
forcement OF any such ordinance as this.
We believe that Intends TO deprive us OF
our property without due process of law,
and is consequently unconstitutional We
shall appeal 70 the United States courts
rather than submit 20 any ordinance which
requires us 10 take down our wires. alter
our system, and bury them in the space of
ninety days II cannot be done"