The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-25
MUST BE BURIED NOW
Council Committee Will Give
Wires No More Time.
KLsouRne PROTESTS IN VAIN.
His Plea Of Expense Falls on Deaf Ears
Trolley Wires Are to Be Hung
on Iron Poles.


+ 10 the council recommending the passage
i OF an ordinance providing that all wires.
with the exception OF street ear wires,
on the two streets named shall 0e taken
down within ninety days and pat in IN
dergFound condults. A meeting OF the
( council VIII be held al o'clock this after
I noon 20 act upon this report. and from
/ the talk about the city hall yesterday
there ts not much question that The ordi-
/ nance viii pass both houses.
/ The special committee, appointed by the
+ council al its meeting Monday night 10
consider this question, consisted OF Miller,
( elise and Jordan. for the aldermen. and
the street committee of the house,
James. Little and Gleason. Or. Jordan
Was the only member OF the committee
I absent. City Engineer Thomson was pres
ent. as was Alderman Brewer.
+. &. hllbourne. of the Union Electric
/ Company. made a plea against being
I compelled to put the wires underground.
giving the same reasons that he present.
ed 10 the council Monday night. the ex-
treme cost Of the contemplated improve
nent. the resulting necessity of making
an additional charge 10 consumers, and
/ the inability Of his company to raise
| enough money 10 put IN A conduit system.
! Mr.. hilbOurne' : objections did not meet
| with very gracious reception from the
committee, however, the members Of the
committee seeming to be of the unani-
ton OF time when the wires would have
10 come down, and that the time was
now. before a permanent pavement is
laid.
Now Is the Time to Bury Them.
James said he realized that the pro-
posed improvement would mean a big ex-
pense 10 the electric companies interest
ed. and that there was no member of the
council who had any disposition TO i'm
pose an unnecessary burden on these COM
panies, but the property owners on Front
and Second streets had put themselves
under great stress 70 pay their share OF
the cost of paving. and IL seemed almost
compulsory on the part OF the city coun-
Gil TO settle the wire question now.
Little conceded with James and thought
the only thing 10 do was 10 take the wires
down. Or. Kilbourne said it would IN
crease the cost 20 consumers, and that
the proposed ordinance would leave just
about as many poles on the street as
now, which was disputed by members Of
the committee kilbourne remarked that
the citys wires would be left above
ground. Little answered that the city
might put its own wires underground.
KiIbourne said the city was trying TO
force the companies 10 do something
which il would not do itself The discus
sion was getting rather warm and Miller
told Kilbourne that he didn't think the
latter should threaten the city. TO which
Knbourne replied that he was not making
any threats, but was stating facts.
Hot Words About the Gas Company.
One OF the committee then mentioned
the case of the Seattle Gas company.
which had not been making any COM
plants hut had gone ahead and put its
mains under ground on Pike street ahead
OF the PAYERS, and was doing the same
thing on Front and Second streets. nr.
Kilbourne had gotten up from his seat
on a desk and was going toward the
door. but turned back TO make the part
ing remark that the gas company was in
the hands Of a trust company, which
owned its bonds and the bOndholders
were doing this work 10 protect the city
from the disgrace of having II known
that the company had failed. James re-
uHed that he did not want 70 hear any
OF that kind OF talk il was all foolishness:
he knew something about the affairs of
the gas company. Kiibourne came back
with the statement that he guessed James
did know something about it-a whole lot
about H. Kilbourne then left and the COM
mittee proceeded with its discussion.
elise made the suggestion that the com
panics 20 required TO put in the cOnduits
now and be given a years time 20 put in
the cables and wires. Miller said that the
main object was TO get the poles off the
street 80 that good paving could be done.
Engineer Thomson was asked about paw
rolez We're 20 he taken down in year
they couM 10 boxed temporarily and when
they were taken ont the city could make
an arrangement with the contractors to
properly fiji in the spaces without injury.
Miller said that II the poles were left in
tho street the smallest possible number
should ha LEFT. the city reserving the right
70 attach whatever wires 81 needed. with
the proper privileges ~ other companies
that might want the use Of them.
Time to Be Given for the Change.
James wanted - pass tho ordinance
straight. and II the companies wanted a
year to pat the wires in tho conduits ne
was tn favor ~ giving them that length Of
time civ Engineer Thomson thought
that all the wires on Front and second
streets south OF Madison ought 70 b" put
under NOW With the exception % the rail-
way c0mpany's wires. which could BE- at
tachea 20 adjacent buildings Miller vas
willing % give the companies year 10
draw their wires under.
The question of time necessary 10 pflf I'm
The c0uduits coming VIZ. Little said he
could not sec why the duets could not DC
constructed in the same time il would take
70 pUt in 2 sewer-a bout two weeks. Spur
g. W{Imot. the Front street contractors.
hat also said that the putting .D Of con-
dults would rot DELAY the work OF paving
q particle there was plenty ~ time. There
vas ther some talk Of the city putting i7
Two ducts az the same tiue that the ,Crn-
uan;es' ducts we're pat i'm. and ne ques-
ftou came 10 q vote which was unanimous
lu favor of recommending that SIZE er4.-
nance providing for the burying OF the
wires ho passed by the council
Provisions Of the Ordinance.
The proposed ordinance provides that
beginning Nc the ln1eTs eNtio0 of Yesler ave
nae and Second srres along yeSler ave-
rue 80 Front ana Commercial. thence
aione Front to Madison east on Madison
- Second en- The, west side II Second -
Pike. across to the east side II Second.
ard back or IRE east side ~ Second 20 the
place ~ hes ~ ng. The Use ~ electricity
oa wires or cables stcun- on poles or other
apparatus u0o1 thc surface OF me streets.
for telaEgsph. Telephone. electric lighting
o~ ofher purposes IS prohibited 20 take
pNr-t ninety Gevs after The passage Of tire
ordinance The board Of public works IS
instructed 10 control arf direct trs re-
rnclaI ~ al poles within che described
limits Tor tba uscS named fl-e removals -
ne made a. tre owners expense. provided
ere werk IS dome vifH'D ninety DAYS Il
.ra aesrs ave rat removed hv tHe owners
within that time tha hoard ~ rlhl,
. s-ss vlI remove chem and charge rhe
FUN .,ast - removal 20 tAF owns~s avs
tr5s must Pc pas3 before the companies
u.n he allowed - rlsce 31elr wires "a the
underground ccrduits-
Trolley vIre~ on Iron Poles.
In ire case Of street railways operated
by tre trolley system. wttai8 tie limits