The Portland daily press., 1897-10-28
A QUESTION OF LIGHT.
Danforth Street Residents Object to
the New Poles.
THE POLES ARE THERE BUT
WITHOUT ALDERMANIC SANCTION.

And the Aldermen Refuse to civay.
nearing on the Petition of Consolidated
Electric Light Company-How the Poles
We're Set Out without the Necessary
Authority.
The board Of mayor and aldermen gave
q nearing yesterday afternoon on the
petition of the Consolidated Electric
Light company for permission to erect
ana maintain poles on the following
streets; Grove, Roberts, Washburn ave-
nue., Haywood, Howell, Hawthorne,
Dartmouth. Noyes Devonshire. Wards
worth, Brighton, Danforth, Fletcher and
Oxford.
lnere were no remonstrances to the
granting of the petition except to that
portion of the proposed locations extend
ing through Danforth street. 1t appeared
enae the company had already put up its
poles In manner that was made the
SUBJECT OF considerable discussion. The
remonstrants were of the opinion that the
erectlon of the poles in advance of the
granting of the petition was SO clearly
illegal that they could be summarily re-
moved. Clarence Hale, Esq, who repre-
sented the electric light company ad-
mltted that the company had proceeded
without proper authority but he thought
pnau tne circumstances. were such that. the
company was guilty only of an unin-
tentlonal error. After considerable dis
cussion and vote to postpone the matter
to the next monthly meeting, this vote
pelng reconsidered, the aldermen voted to
grant the petition with the exception of
the permission for the poles on Danforth
street, and an order was passed to- that
eHect The poles on Danforth street are
consequently there without the sanction
of the city fathers. They extend through
the street from its lower end to the
vicinity OF Vaughn street where the com
pany wishes to light number of private
houses. The idea of the aldermen is that
the company can reach this territory by
going up York or Commercial street in
stead of Danforth.
MIR. Hale in opening the case for the
petitioners.s said that he supposed that it
would be only formal hearing but he
had since learned that Mr.. Elias Thomas
and other residents had objections to
raise and he would like to hear from Mr..
Thomas that he might know on what
grounds the remonstrance was based.
The remonstrance was read by the
mayor 1t recites the location of the poles
along the street by the electric light com
pany, declares that the poles are not legal
~ there and asks that the company be re-
qulred 20 put the street back as near as
may be in the condition it was before the
poles were set out. The paper is signed
| by Elias Thomas, John @. Cobb, Edward
Hasty, George A. Thomas, Anna Mol.
Horne, M. A. Oxnard, Edward M. Rand.
Abbie Carter, Frederick S. Bullard,
Martha A. Thrasher. Mary Clancy, Owen
Woods, Margaret E. Deehan, Louise
Walsh, Mrs M. G. Lisk, G. II. Barker,
B. E. Pickett, c. H. Mann. A. J. Kicker,
X. G. Jordan, George H. Griffin, r. T.
Pickett, James Sinkinson, John A. Bel
lows, Joseph H. Tucker, j. r. Libby.
Herbert S. Dyer, Nathan Clifford. Charles
E. Dole, Ellen NJ. Cram, by Benjamin
Shaw, agent, Edward McNeill, D.L.
Began, Margaret NJ. Doherty, W. W.
Lothrop, Fred E. Allen, James DeWolf,
James H. McGlinohy, Joseph B. Lang,
D. W. Fox.
Mr.. Thomas said the electric light oom-
pany had put In these poles without the
consent of the aldermen. When they
reached Emery street objection was made
by Mr.. Jordan who is a half brother of
Mr.. Wood, the treasurer of the company,
and Mrs. Spring who Is a sister of Mrs.
Jordan. Then the poles were set in the
rear of the houses of Mr.. Jordan and Mrs
Spring, being brought back to the street
after going around these houees. Mr..
Thomas said the whole thing was illegal
and as citizen he was opposed to it.
The question being raised as to the
| right of the company to put in the poles
In the first place, Mr.. Hale asked City
| electrician Cummings as to the granting
OF the petition. Mr.. Cummings said that
Mr.. Raymond had asked him if the COM
pany had had permission to put in the
poles. Mr. Cummings replied that he
supposed that the company could get the
permission but that he could not grant 1t.
Alderman Kehoe asked il these poles
were not wanted in order to get possession
OF the street and shut out a competing
| company if one should come in. This Mr..
Hale did not think was the case.
Mr.. Hale in reply to question by MIR.
Leighton admitted that the placing of the
poles was an error but he denied that any
discourtesy was intended to the board of
aldermen.
MIR. Rounds remarked that no die-
courtesy could be offered to this board
innings had gone too far for that.
Fred H. Cobb, Esq representing a
large number of remonstrants, said that
DIS ne understood the law the poles must