The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-05
TO THE PUBLIC AND PATRONS
OF the Missouri and Kansas Telephone
COMPANY,


We regret to say that owing TO the or
der from the mayor of the city to the
chief of police, it win be impossible to
make repairs or furnish telephones as
long as the order referred to remains
in order and effect The employees OF our
company doing such work have all been
arrested. We have made repeated re-
quests TO the mayor, the city electrician
and fire marshal for permission to put in
telephones and to do repair work all of
which has been refused, statements Of
officers Of the city, which have appeared
in the press, to the contrary notwith-
standing.
II the FIRE alarm circuit or police service
given by this company becomes non
scrviceable. we trust the public Will un-
derstand that it is not the fault Of the
company. but the fault Of the city in re-
fusing to allow repairs to be made. We
stand ready TO give any ana all kind OF
service possible TO our patrons ana the
public when not interfered with by the
police.
THE MAYORS ORDER
The following is q copy Of the letter
written by Mayor Mclean TO Chief Of
Police Frank S. Burt. under which the
arrest of the telephone employees was
made:
Wichita. Kan. Dec. 81. 1901.
To the Chief OF Police:
Sir:-I desire to call your attention 10
the ordinance prohibiting the setting Of
poles ana stringing of wires or electrical
construction Of any kind in the streets
and alleys without a franchise permitting
such work under certain. restrictions or
n written pcrrait from the proper city
authority This and former city councils
have repeatedly refused to grant the
right TO parties seeking telephone fran
chise TO erect poles ana string wires in
the streets and alleys in the hear of
the city.
In utter disregard OF the well known
wishes of this and former city admin
strations and as I believe, contrary 10
the wishes of a large majority of
the citizens, 4 company has Gdver-
tised IL would do 2 large amount
of such construction and am in
formed men are now at work setting
poles AID stringing wires in the business
district. When first advised of this
caused the city engineer TO serve notice
upon said company that such construc-
ton must cease until they had received
the proper and legal authority to 60 such
work. which notice they have 81 oily
ignored.
some months ago. q citizen Of a neigh
boring town was granted, 10y the city
council. the right to build an independ-
emf telephone toll line into the lily of
Wichita, following certain streets. This
party is 4 competitor OF the Missouri q
Kansas Telephone company. Ia building
his line ne so- portion Of IL )n the
wrong street was promptly arrested,
fined twenty-five dollars (S25.eM and costs
and compelled 10 tear down his Inc. The
Missouri * kansas Telephone company
or any one else who violates the citv Crdi-
nance in this regard are entitled and
should not receive any better treatment
You are hereby directed to diligently
keen track of all such construction and
promptly arrest any one engaged therein.
who has obtaircd the proper and legal
authority TO % such work or Mo at
tempts To 90 such work of that char
acter without obeying literally the re-
stricuons placed upon them by the crdi-
nance.
YOU are 20 he guided by the advice Of
the city attorney rs TO the city's rights
liz this matter The rapid increasa Of
polcs and wires in the streets and alleys
arc q menace 20 the city Oh account OF
fire. especially ia the business portion,
and in the residence portion are al an
rovance TO our citizens on account of
the ruthless cutting OF shade trses 20
nske room for Them, ana arc generally
q public nuisance which you are directed
10 abate To the fullest extent 2uthcrzea
bv The city ordinance.
T. T. TLEAN. Mayer.