Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-22
Destruction of Western Union
System Along Pennsylvan-
las Right of Way
BY ORDER OF JUDGE BURLINGTON
Wholesale Work of Destruction Of
Thousands Of Dollars Worth of Prop
erty Commenced by the Order and
Endorsement Of the United States
Circuit court-MiIes of Line Down.

Unian Telegraph Company today has
not wire working on the lines of the
Pennsylvania railroad In this state.
Officials of the Western Union Com
pany say that the company is keeping
UP with its business by using the wires
along the Baltimore and Ohio and New
York Central railroads.
The work of removing the Western
Union poles and wires from the lines
of the railroad was continued today.
Philadelphia, Pa, May ga thous-
and men yesterday began to chop down
the Western Union Telegraph COM
panys poles along the right of way
of the Pennsylvania railroad. Scores
of miles of demolished poles and
twisted, tangled wire have been I'M
tremendously pitched into neighboring
fields along the right of way.
When dark set in fully 100000 worth
of Western Union property had been
destroyed by gangs of workmen I'M
der orders of the Pennsylvania COM
pany. The "wreckers' were under
orders to work all night, and the work
of demolition will not be checked until
the entire Western Union system
along the Pennsylvania railroads right
of way Is destroyed.
The work of destruction began as
soon as Judge Burlington of the United
States circuit court gave his final order
in the case of the Western Union
against the Pennsylvania. The Penn
sylvania had made contract with the
Postal company and ordered the West
The Western Union applied to the
courts, but lost its suit. Judge Buff
fington signed an order permitting the
to begin at once the work
of removing the poles and wires from
its right of way.
The railroad officials lost no time.
Gangs of men were sent along the main
line and on the Atlantic City division,
as well as on the other sections where
the Western Union had poles, and
the work OF cutting down began with
out ceremony.
A dispatch from Atlantic City says
the demolition had begun between
Resort and Camden. Tangled wires
and poles IN a short time covered the
ground as far as Absecon. IA distance
Of seven miles.
From Woodbury., N. j., which is on
the Cape May division, comes the news
that forty men began cutting poles and
wires shortly after 6 o'clock last night.
The men were expected to keep at it
all night
At several points in Pennsylvania
comes the news of the onslaught on the
poles. Along the Cumberland Valley
inc, from Chambersburg to Harrisburg,
he attack was pushed steadily. The
ooles with all the wires attached were
brown over the fences into fields as
asst as cut down.
Last night the work had gone as far |
Is Waynesburg Junction. with no ac-
ion taken by the telegraph COM
lany.
After one hours chopping near Hunt
ngdon but two wires out of twenty |
seven were running into the Western
Union office at that point. Lewistown |
vas isolated as far as the Western
Union was concerned. After three |
lours work there was nothing but a |
visited mass of wires for miles. 1t will |
,e several days before Geographic SER
ice can be established at Hunting
lon.
From Coatsville and other points it ]
S stated the cutting is going on with
treat activity, and it is TO be ex-
ended to the whole Pennsylvania sys-
EN-.
The Western Union has made tenn
,orary arrangements with the tele-
,hone companies to care for as much
f it's business as possible.