The herald., 1898-01-30
Bring Their Fight Before
the Council
A FRANCHISE RECOMMENDED
NEW ELECTRIC LINE FOR GRAD
ING PURPOSES ONLY
A Full Pledged Franchise to Be Ap'
piled For-Petition For Change
of Grade-Auditor's Report

Internecine war has broken out among
the bill posters of the city, and yesterday
saw the first skrmish of the rival forces
before the finance committee of the
council The matter came up on
lengthy petition from the Wiltshire biil
Posting company, asking an amenohleh'
to the present ordinance, raising the IL
cense charge frcm S25 to $500 year, ana
providing that the present law shall De
so amended as to prohibit any signs
Of a greater height tnan ten feet from
being erected hereafter WITHIN twenty
feet of sidewalks; but that such sign
boards as are at present standing be
not subject to the provisions of the Or
dinance. as it would force violations oil
contracts to require them to be moved
back, etc.
A new company has lately been es-
tablished here, the Los Angeles Bill
Posting company, and its representa-
tives appeared in opposition to the or
dinance. Attorney Rush declared that
the proposal was merely an attempt 10
shut a rival out of the field. He stated
that the new company had been inter-
fered with and prosecuted by the VII
shire company; that the present ofoi-
nance now supposed to be IN force anu
passed Just a year ago, contains pro-
visions that no signboard shall be erect
ed along the sidewalk to greater helgnt
than ten feet; that any board of greater
height must go up at least thirty 1eet
back from the sidewalk line.
Mr.. Rush said that the Wiltshire COM
rany had violated this ordinance in a
hundred places about the city; but when
the new company began putting up sign
boards the Wiltshire company had put
policemen after all their men, who
compelled them to tear down their
boards where they happened to be
few inches over ten feet in height. In
the meantime, he declared the persecut-
ing company was continuing to violate
the law.
AS to the provision proposed, raising
the license fee from s25 to 5000 per year.
Mr.. Rush asserted that 1t was merely
a move to shut out rival firm. The
new company, however. was perfectly
willing to stand the raise, but it did
insist that all parties be treated alike.
Owing to the absence from the meet
Ing OIL MI. IOll, no dCllOH was ldhShh III
the premises, although Mr.. Mathuss
stated that on it's face the matter seemed
like unjust discrimination. The sub
iect will be called to the attention of
the council Monday.
During the afternoon a new phase of
the question came up, this time in the
street superintendent department
Complaint was made by the Wiltshire
company that a huge sign of the Key
stone Milling company had been erected
on a vacant lot on Broadway, just oppo-
site the entrance to Franklin street, di-
rectly on the line of where Court street
would run should it ever be cut through
and drop down the hill for something
like two hundred feet.
Technically, of course, the sign stands
In the street, and, such being the case,
Superintendent Drain at once ordered
the offending company to remove the
obstruction. To this demur was made,
and the keystone people offered to show
where the Wiltshire company has signs
also across or within street lines. They
were told to furnish list to the street
superintendent, and all would be
promptly removed, no matter who
owned them. Meanwhile their own sign
must come down by Monday morning or
1t will be taken down for them. And the
merry war goes on.