The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-22
WESTERN UNION CRIPPLED,
PENNSYLVANIA II. n. CuTS down
POLES AND WIRES.
Injunction Restraining Such Action DIS.
solved In P1ttsburE -Oriers Sent Out
At Once to Destroy the Lines AiOng
the Observation-Disclosures OF Miles Of
Tangled Poles and Wires Dest ruction
Practically Complete In Pennsylvania.

Practically Complete In Penns,Iva
PITTsBuRo, May 2l.-Along the right
of way OF the Pennsylvania Railroad be-
tween Pttsburg and Philadelphia nearly
every telegraph pole of the Westem Union
Telegraph Company was cut down this
afternoon and to might. Thousands OF
section hands went to work shortly after
O'Clock cutting the poles,
An inextricable tanglo of wires and poles
lies along the tracks for hundreds Of miles.
The wholesale destruction Vas the result
Of the decision Of Judge Joseph Ruffington
OF the United States District Court dis
solving tn" preliminary injunction obtainel
by the Western Union Telegraph Company
against the Pennsylvania Railroad
The Western Union Company has not a
wire working on the Pennsylvania Rail
road in Pennsylvania. The company.
however, is managing to keep up with It's
business. 70 its officials say. by using wires
over the Baltimore and Ohio and over the
New York Central by roundabout route,
When the Pennsylvania Railroad noti-
fed the Western Union of the abrogation
Of the contract by which the telegraph
company had the privilege of maintaining
telegraph lines along the railroads right
of way, the telegraph company secured
preliminary Injunction from Judge Buff
fington. Later the court refused to make
the Injunction permanent but the tele-
graph company appealed to the United
States Court of Appeals, which. however,
sustained the lower court
To-day Judge Burlington dissolved the
preliminary injunction, despite the appeals
of the telegraph ompany's attorneys.
who explained that the company had an
appeal pending in the United States Su-
preme Court in the New Jersey case. but II
the wires in Pennsylvania were cut down
the wires in New Jersey would he rendered
useless for through business.
Judge Burlington said the telegraph
company had he'd three months in which
to prepare for the decree he was about to
make and he declined to grant delay
Attorney A. NJ. Noeper, for the telegraph
company, announced that the Western
Union claimed the poles and wires as Its
property. and if they were destroyed it
would be done at the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company's peril.
The Western Union alleged that the
railroad company thereupon acted in bad
faith, for the railroads. attorney. NJ. W.
Atchcson, Dr., son Of Judge M. W. Atcheson
of the United States Circuit Court. said he
was not aware that the Pennsylvania
would begin Immediately to remove the
wires and that nothing would be done
hastily.
The general officers OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company were notified of the deci-
sion and within two hours thereafter orders
l. l,lo b,
tendents Of divisions to notify the section
forenen to cut the wires.
From Pittsburg the Pennsylvania Rail
road lines run east TO Philadelphia, north
as far as Oil City and Emporium. south
as far as Winchester. Va, and az far as
Washington. On these lines were $500
poles and $1,000 miles of wire.
PHILADELPHIA, May 2l.-The decision OF
the United States Circuit Court at Pit,sburs
o-day that the Pennsylvania Railroad was
al liberty to remove Western Union poles
and wires from the Pennsylvania right
Of way was followed Immediately by drastic
action on the part Of the railroad.
Gangs Of men were sent out along the
main line and on the Atlantic City division,
as well as on other sections where the Vest
ern Union had poles, and the work Of cutting
them down began at once.
More than 900 men took part in the work
Of destruction. A despatch from Atlantic
City says the demolition has begun be-
tween that city and Camden.
The crews played havoc with the wires
and poles, which in a short time covered
the ground in a tangled mess as far as
seven miles.
The Western Union made temporary
to carry MESA ges with
telephone company The Postal company
was overwhelmed with business into At
Iantic City. From Woodbury., n j.. which !
il on the Cape May division, comes news
that nearly forty men began cutting the
poles and wires shorty after O'Clock
tonight.
The nan were working h,rd and ex-
peoted to keep at it all night.
At several places in Pennsylvania comes !
news Of an onslaught on the poles. Along
the Cumberland Valley line from Cham
pushed steadily. The poles. with all the
wires attached, were thrown over the fences
into the fields as fast as cut down.
Tonight the work had gone as far as
Waynesburg Junction with no action
.aken by the telegraph company. After |
one hours chopping near Huntingdon only |
TWO lines out of twenty-seven were running |,
INTO the Western Union Office at that place. |
Lewistown was isolated, so far as the |
Western Union was concerned. After |
hree hours work there was nothing but
twisted mass of wires for miles.
1t promises to be several days before the
,ervice can be reestabshed at this place. /
From Coatesvle and other places it ia said
hat the cutting is going on with the great
ut speed and determination and that 1t is
O be extended to the whole Pennsylvania
ystcm. 1t is estimated that the damage
llready done amounts TO s3o0,0oo.
HARRISBURG. Pa, May 2l,-The Penn
ylvania Railroad this afternoon began
NJ, ting down the poles Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company along the Cumberland
Valley, Northern Central and the Pennsyl-
rania lines An army OF men was en-
ployed TO do the work. and the entire
Western Union system along. the Pennsyi-
yana lines was practically destroyed.
The Western Union, however. had pre-
cared for such a move by completing its
system and there Is no serious
to their business. The Penn
ylvaniG Railroad Company, as soon as the
lecsion was made known, started cutting
.angs along Its system.
JERSEY City, May 2l.-No Western Union
,oles have been Cut down on the main
me in New Jersey, according to Pennsyl-