Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-08
OVERHEAD WIRES THE ISSUE
War Between the District Authorities and
O. and P. Telephone Company.
Workmen Employed mt Night in Dig
cling Post Hofes-f'olice Cause
Halt in Proceedings.

There is another war on between the
District authorities and the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Company over the
question of erecting poles for overhead
wires, and for nearly forty eight hours
Wyoming avenue Washington Heights has
been in a state of siege. Monday evening"
as residents of Washington Heights were
returning to their homes from their various
places of business, they were surprised to
see gang Of men at work digging a series
OF holes on the south side of Wyoming
avenue, west of Connecticut avenue. Their
surprise was increased by the fact that the
work was not begun until Well toward dark
From that time, however, it went merrily
on by moonlight, and the chances are that
the poles would have been in place before
lnldnlght mad not the authorities inter-
Vened and called a halt. Inquiries made Of
the workmen developed little in the way of
information. They pretended not to know
what they were doing, except that they
were digging holes Some of them insisted
that they did not know for what purpose
the holes were being dug.
Commissioners Issue nm Order.
Several of the prominent residents of that
section, among them Mr.. J. B. Winner and
Mr.. L. NJ. Saunders, realized that unless
something was done in the matter before
the poles were in place. it would be too
late, for, as has been proved in other SINH
lar instances. it Is comparatively easy for
the telephone company to put up the poles
put extremely hard for the aggrieved pub
| nc TO get them down again. A hasty call
was made upon Captain Black the ensi-
feer Commissioner; Commissioner Wight
and Captain Beach, with the result that an
order stopping further work was issued
carry IN the evening captain Black visited
the scene OF operations in person.
by the llme the order reached the notice
department. several big wagons had
brought the telephone poles and placed
mem mem along wyoming avenue. Investigation
developed the fact that these poles had
| been taken up onto the Heights several
days before. and deposited in an out-of-the-
way spot, over toward Rock creek, where
passers by, but ready to hand when the
time came for the night raid on Wyoming
avenue.
Permit or No Permit.
When small detachment of police reach
ed the scene they found the employees of
the telephone company working like Iro-
Jams In an effort to get the poles in place
before they were interfered with The
workmen insisted that they had a proper
permit for the work, but the police in
formed them that they had been ordered 10
put a stop to the work. permit or no per
mt, and that they We're going to carry out
their order to the letter. This put stop
" VIC WIN ne poleS were lett along the
curbing and barrels placed in the hoes to
prevent unwary pedestrians from falling in
Ihat night and last night these barricades
were marked out by red danger lanterns
Ever since the order was issued Monday
evening at least two policemen have been
stationed on that block with orders not to
leave. day or night until they were re-
leved, and to prevent any further opera
tionS the part of the telephone com
pany.
AT a meeting Of the Washington Heights
Citizens Association, held last evening at
the residence of Mr.. Jesse b. Wilson. the
matter was taken up for serious considera-
ton, and the unanimous opinion was that
the association should put up the best fight
1t possibly could to prevent the erection of
any more poles and overhead wires in this
beautiful and growing section of Washing
ton.
An Inquiry Started.
Upon motion of Mr.. Geo. Truesdell. the
secretary was Instructed to inquire of the
District Commissioners ''by what authority,
If any, the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company had erected or attempted
to erect poles both on Wyoming avenue
and Columbia road"
Such letter WAS written by the secre-
tary this morning. calling the matter to the
attention of the Commissioners in formal
way and assuring them that the members
of the association, individually and as a
body, would be only too glad to aid the
Commissioners in preventing any further
such entertainments in that section of the
city. If necessary. the association will take
the matter into the courts and ask for an
injunction to restrain the telephone COM
pany from erecting any more poles in that
neighborhoOd.
One Of the holes that was dug on Wyo-
ming avenue is some distance to the west
of the last house on the street and quite a
distance beyond the end of the asphalt
street and sidewalks. Just what the object
Of the company was in putting a pole there
Is not very clear. there is no house be-
tween the present end of Wyoming avenue
and Oak Hill cemetery, and none of the
residents In the near vicinity have express
ed the slightest desire for additional tele-
phone service.
Permit Recalled.
Commissioner Black stated this afternoon
that permit was granted for the erection
Of the poles, but that it mas since been
recalled. This, it is understood, will pre-
vent the erection OF the oDjected-to poles.
High Opera Prices.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
feel very much like propounding con-
undrum of considerable moment to a host
of opera lovers in Washington. The Dam
rosch Opera Company will enliven the mu-
Of Nv H.