The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-04-26
MANY DIFFIC ULTIES.
The Interstate Telephone Com
pany Meets With Opposition In
Planting its Poles-A Treaty of
Peace at Last Made.

Some time ago, several prominent
citizens, among whom were Messrs.
j. +. Walker, John Baumgardner, p.
ID. Fahrney, +. b. Sappington and
Others. appeared before the Board of AL
dermen and petitioned for franchise
granting them the privilege of plant
ing poles, stringing wires thereupon
and maintaining in this city a tele-
phone exchange, similar to the one
now existing, but claiming greater adj
vantages aad more equitable rates.
After due consideration, the fran
chise was granted aud the company
Company, proceeded with the work of
arranging matters and fixing up their
plant.
Everything went all right until it
came to erecting the poles on the side
walks, when more trouble arose than
could be arbitrated by dozen philos-
ophers. Almost every property owner
protested against the erection of poles
III front of their residences or business
property and an injunction was prayed
for by several attorneys acting for
them, prohibiting the company from
acting with disregard to the rights Of
taxpayers and the already unsightly
appearance of our wire-strung streets.
Several citizens secured the lnjunctions
and had them served upon the officers
of the company, who, by the way, are
very much surprised at the unjust
treatment they have received at the
hands of the people of this city. They
say they are acting first, last and all
the time for the interest of those who
desire u good service telephone at q
low rate, and as the cry for "cheaper
telephones" has been long unanswer-
ed, it was their desire to be party to a
movement looking to a much needed
relief.
The excitement caused by the action
of both the telephone company and
the property owners has now abated
and it is thought that matters have
been amicably arranged and that all
will be well in the future. There is no
doubt but that the rights of those own
ing property in Frederick were in some
cases trampled upon by the men en-
gagged in erecting the poles, and that
due consideration was not taken when
their action was denounced and the
law appealed to for help. 1t is also
necessary to have some means of
stretching wires from the exchange to
the places of business or houses of flu
ture subscribers, and for that purpose
the right was given the company by
the city. The whole question hinges
upon matter of principle, as to who
are in the wrong.
There is no question but that
cheaper rate for the use of telephones
would be gratefully received by all
who have occasion to use this means
of rapid communication, and helping
hand should be given those who are
giving their time and money to accom-
plish this end.
Several irate citizens had poles
chopped down on last Thursday,
which had been erected in violation of
their wishes. One of them was situ-
ated at the corner of Church and Court
streets and the other at the upper end
of North Market street.
Workmen are now going ahead with
the work of planting poles and say
they anticipate no further trouble. 10
prevent this they must use proper care
and consult the wishes of all property
owners.