The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-15
DIR. scHIFFMAxN's SUGGESTION.

During the discussion of the subject Of
the occupany of certain streets by the
wires and poles of the light companies,
which took place within day or two
before the committee on streets, Presi-
dent Schiffmann,o of the board of aid rnl, n,
declared that the residents and property
owners Of the Seventh ward greatly de-
sired the removal of the poles and wires
which now disfigure the streets of that
section. The counsel for one of the light
companies is reported as having said in
response to President Schiffmann's sug-
gestion that if it were necessary the ceun-
Gil had the right at any time to order the
wires put under ground.
These two statements considered to-
gether suggest an inquiry as to why the
wires Of those companies are not put I'M
der ground. The suggestion of Mr..
SQuires seems to carry with 1t, at least
in a mild way. the intimation that the
corporation which he represents has no
particular opposition to offer to the adop-
ton of the underground plan.
There ought to be no disposition to
force these corporations to do what would
involve great expense unless the occasion
involves a pressing public necessity.
There IS no such disposition. Nor can it
be said that there exists any particularly
urgent need of the removal of the poles
and wires, at least from certain of our
public streets. The removal would no
doubt impose great expense on the cor
porations involved, and much of their
property in the form of telegraph poles
But it is a question which the public and
the corporations alike have to consider
whether it is not Inevitable that In such
districts at least as the Seventh ward
for the sinking of the wires, and
indeed, as that disposition must be ulti-
mately made Of the existing poles and
wires, whether it is not the part of
wisdom to provide for their removal at
the earliest possible day.
The movement toward placing electric
wires under ground is we'll under way in
all the large cities of the country. The
Disagreement Of the public streets oc-
casioned by the appearance of the huge
electric poles is such as ought not to be
tolerated one hour longer than remedy
can be found for it without too much
hardship to those concerned. There must
be beginning made so far as the resi-
dence sections are concerned There in
no part Of the city in which the beginning
can be made with less hardship or with
more public satisfaction than In the Sew
enth ward. Dr. Schiffmann should con-
tinue his efforts to have those unsightly
streets and avenues of his ward The I'M
dertaking is not as difficult or perhaps as
expensive as 1t appears on it's face With
a joint arrangement existing among the
various corporations concerned the ex-
pense ought surely not to be beyond their
joint resources.
If the contention of the city attorney
that the new charter demands the pay
ment of the gross earnings tax wherever
an extension Of the lines of any of the
concerns takes place Is well founded, it at
once becomes a serious question with the
lighting corporations, as we'll as with the
telephone and telegraph companies,
whether they should not take time by
the forelock and arrange for the general
sinking of their lines on some agreement
which will be mutually acceptable to the
people and to the corporations them
selves. The subject is one which will bear
agitation. And DR.. Schiffmann is the one
member of the council who is peculiarly
qualified and favorably situated to secure
some tangible official action on the sub
ject at an early day