The herald., 1897-04-20
Mr.. Toll Defines His Position
and Explains Things
HAS BEEN ADEcIDED CHANGE
TRUMAN STREET MATTER AT
LAST SETTLED
Protests Denied and the Street Ac-
cspted--Usual Reports Of onicsrs
and Committees Submitted.
Routine Business

The city council met yesterday morn
ing at 10 o'clock, with President Silver
In the chair and all of the members
present. There was a very light at
tendance in the lobby, and the gallery
had but two occupants.
THE ANTI-POLE MATTER
The following message was read from
the mayor;
I herewith return without my sigma
ture the enclosed ordinance approved
by your honorable body April s. 1887. and
entitled: AN Ordinance Amending an
Ordinance. Entitled AN ordinance pro-
hibiting the erection in the public
grounds. streets and alleys within GER
tain portions Of the city of Los Angeles.
OF poles for telegraph. telephone and
electric wires; requiring the removal
rom said grounds and alleys of such
poles, within a certain time; and the
remova! and placing in properly con-
structed underground conduits Of all
such telegraph. telephone and electric
wires maintained within such portions
OF said city"
The enclosed ordinance is not approved
by me for the reason that, in my opin-
ion, there are already too many wires
and poles in the business portion OF the
city. I have given this matter much
attention and find that business men are
oirCk ho
tion of more poles and the stringing OF
more wires in the business districts of
the city. The enclosed resolution adopt
ed at a special meeting of the Merchants
and Manufacturers association shows
only too we'll how business men feel in
reference to this matter.
(The resolutions referred to have al
ready been published In The Herald.)
On motion Of Councilman Nickel the
vote by which the ordinance passed
was reconsidered. and the same gentle-
man then moved that the ordinance be
filed, which motion was seconded by
Councilman Blanchard.
Councilman Toll then addressed the
council at length, explaining the position
CT that body in this matter. He said
that when the anti-pole ordinance pass
ed the councilmen were waited upon by
Mr. Barker Of the West Side Lighting
company, who stated that his company
had certain contracts with Main street
property owners to furnish lights, which
they would be unable to fill II the ordi-
nance was carried out, and unless some
means of relief was provided. There ap-
peared to be merit in this claim, and
the councilmen waited upon the mayor
and, after explaining the case to him,
asked him to withhold his signature for
few days. They then consulted with
the city attorney as to what could be
done, and the amendment as offered was
the result The mayor was then consult
co, and he then signed the original ordi-
rance with the distinct understanding
that there would be supplemental legis-
lation that would provide a way out
of the difficulty. If the mayor was hon.
est at that time In his opposition to
more poles he should not have at that
time led the council to believe that ad-
ditional legislation was necessary; on
the contrary. he was at that time satisfied
and pacified by the statements made,
and he was either playing false with the
council at that time, or he really did
want to provide some relief Unless
some means of relief was afforded, 1t
was absurd to attempt to enforce the
original ordinance. for If 1t was lived UP
to, no one could have telephone or an
electric light for at least a year. He
could readily understand how all oppo-
sition could center against this amend
ment. but the council should rise above
all selfish interests and should not be
a party to any attempt to corner any
thing. 1t was to him a case of the dog in
the manger. on the part of the new COM
panies. and was a direct slap at legiti-
mate competition. Mr.. Toll denied that
the business men of the city were op-
posed to this amendment. He had talked
with numbers of them. and they had ad-
mitted that they had been led into the
position in which they had been placed
by misrepresentatio If this amend
ment was not passed over the veto a de-
termined effort would be made to over
come the original ordinance, as 1t was a
public necessity.
City Attorney Dunn said he wished to
explain his position In this matter. He
had prepared the amendment, after con-
sultation with the mayor and members
of the council, and 1t was more at the
request of the mayor than any other one
nan, as his honor's objection to the orig
inal ordinance was that 1t did not pro-
vide for emergencies. For two weeks
HE Office had been filled with represen-
tatlves of the telephone and lighting
companies to see about this matter. Ev-
cry wire that had been put up was a
direct violation of the ordinance, and the
amendment was an absolute necessity
II the original ordinance was to remain
IN the afa f1fe books As II was he ana
the chief had agreed to wink at VIOLA
tions of the ordinance, and this was
bad precedent to set.
Councilman Hutchison said that while
the council had been opposing monopoly,
II this amendment was not passed 1t
would 80 on record a. favoring the worst
form OF monopoly He therefore moved
as an amendment to Mr.. Nickell's mo-
tion'that the amendment be passed over