Evening star., 1901-04-22
FIXING RESPONSIBILITY
REPORT REGARDING COMPLAINT
FILED BY PROPERTY OWNER.
District Held to BE Not Liable for Al
legged Damages-A Private
Matter.

Complaint was made several days ago to
the District Commissioners by Mr. ]. Z.
Beller of 235 1st street northeast that his
premises had been damaged in the erection
of an overhead wire, adding that for its re-
pair he would hold them responsible The
Commissioners referred the complaint to
the electrical engineer, Mr.. w. c. Allen
who directed his inspector, Mr.. Chas. G.
Harris, to investigate it. Mr.. Harris did
SO, and in forwarding his report to the
Commissioners Mr.. Allen recommended that
Mr.. Beller be informed that the District is
not responsible for the damage done to his
premises by the employees Of the telephone
company, as no permits are issued by the
District authorizing the stringing of wires
over private property, and that 1t is, there
fore, a matter between him and the tele-
phone company. This recommendation the
Commissioners have approved.
The report made by the inspector in the
case follows:
II have the honor to report that 1 have
Investigated the complaint. embraced in
the accompanying file, and find that on or
about April certain Chesapeake and Po-
tomac Telephone CompanyS employees while
engaged in stringing wire or wires from
pole No. 6S6-B to No. 725-A injured the
chimney Of complainant's property by pull
Ing off many bricks. and that the latter in
falling cut five holes more in the tin
roof and that some bricks fell into the
yard, which might have caused great per-
sonal damage. Moreover, that on or about
April 10 the crown on the front portion of
the roof of said premises was injured TO
such an extent that q portion Of the tin
was precipitated into the front yard; that
when such injuries were called to the at
tentlon of the foreman in charge of the
work the latter promised to have the prem
1ses inspected Immediately and all damages
caused by his men repaired but SO far this
has not been done.
1t is further stated by the owners of
the property that at various and sundry
times of late they have been worried and
annoyed by the treSpassing and consequent
tfal destruction Of property occasioned by
llnemen engaged in the aforesaid StringinS
or wires, but that their remonStranceS with
the linemen were without satisfactory re-
suits.
I'm regard to these complaints I would
state that one of the Chesapeake and Po-
tomac Telephone Company's main overhead
trunk lines runs from pole 6S6-B to 125-A
and thence east, and in so doing crosses
the property of the complainant 1t would
therefore seem only proper that the least
they could do would be to treat the said
premises and the occupants thereof with
all due courtesy and consideration, and be
as careful as possible not to cause any
damage whatsoever.
Permission GOOd-NaturedIy Allowed
I'm the present case the occupants of
premises No. 235 1st street northeast have
good-naturedly allowed the linemen SO
many privileges that the latter have come
to assume a sort Of prescriptive ownership
in the place and make free use of it. This
is only one Of numerous similar complaints
which are constantly arising and which
will continue to arise long as the COM
panies continue to operate under the exist
ing laws governing overhead wire con-
Struction.
In the present instance. as in former
cases, the owner of the property was in
formed that he must look to the police
for protection from such trespass taking
care to get the name and number of the
badges required by law to be worn by all
linemen or foremen when in charge of
gangs, and that he must look to the re-
sponsible heads of the companies for
dress for damages.
Notwithstanding that the present case is
a matter of civil suit between private par
ties l would respectfully recommend that
the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company be notified of the complaint and
warned against future repetition Of the
offense.''