The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-12
WESTERN UNION
CUT WIRES DOWN
POSTAL SHUT OUT OF HOTEL,
BELIEVED TO BE THE BEGINNING
OF FIGHT ALL OVER COUNTRY.

taIfatinSg for the Cutting Down of
It's Poles by Pennsylvania Rail-
rOad--MayOr Myers Found That
City Had no Right to Interfere.
Western Union Has Not Finished
It's Work and VIII Continue I'm
less Prevented by Courts.
Beginning at ! O'Clock yesterday aft
ernoon, the Western Union Telegraph
Company cut the wires of the Postal
Telegraph and Cable Company leading
to the De Soto.
These wires, and all others Of the
Postal Company that were on Western
Union poles, were cut, with the excep-
tion of some few that could not be
finished last night.
The work of cutting the Postal wires
will be resumed this morning by the
Western Union and will be continued,
unless stopped by an order Of court,
until every Postal wire in the city has
been removed from Western Union
poles.
The War VIII Spread.
The fight in Savannah between the
two companies is believed to be the
result of the cutting down of the poles
of the Western Union on the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad recently. and it is
thought the war will spread from Sa-
vannah over the entire country.
Until the Pennsylvania Railroad in
cident, the two companies had been
very friendly. They now have an
agreement in regard to rates and other
matters, but the fight which has been
started here may end in open war be-
tween the two lines.
Mayor Myers yesterday notified both
companies that the city had no au-
thortty in the matter. Manager Hughes
of the Postal had appealed to the
Mayor to prevent the Western Union
from taking down his companys wires
Couldn't Find Ordinance.
Mayor Myers was of the opinion
that there was an ordinance, which
would prevent the Western Union
from removing the wires, as the city
did not care to have more poles placed
on Drayton street. Neither the Mayor
nor the city attorney, however, could
find any ordinance on the subject.
I'VE have nothing to do with it, 1t
Is a fight between the two companies,
said the Mayor II thought there was
some ordinance on the subject, but
such is not the case. 1t is entirely
between the telegraph companies"
The work of the Western Union cut
off the wires leading to the De Soto
Office of the Postal. Besides putting
this office out of business, so far as
sending messages from there was con-
cerned. three other circuits were cut.
Tearing Wires Down.
Manager PEBBLES instructed his men
to knock all Postal wires loose from
Western Union poles, but not to cut
them unless it was necessary for pub
lie safety. If wire could be knocked
loose from a pole without its getting
into the street, this was done. But
wherever there was any danger, the
wires were cut
All down Drayton street, from the
De Soto to Bay, the wires were cut
down, twisted up into little rolls. and
left hanging on the poles. A number
of wires in Bay lane were also cut
There are several other places, 1t is
said, where the Postal wires are on
Western Union poles. These will also
be cut.
Manager PEBBLES of the Western
Union said he had simply acquainted
his officials with what had happened
when the Postal went into the De Soto
on the Western Union poles.
Gave Ample Notice.
'I gave them ample notice to move
their wires" said Mr.. PEBBLES, land
even waited a day on them, while the
city was considering the matter"
Just what will happen as a result of
this action by the Western Union cam
not be stated just now. The Postal
may go into the courts, or may allow
the matter to drop. The Postal will, of
course get wires into the De Soto. The
underground system will probably be
used.
If not, an application will probably
be filed with the city asking for per-
mission to put up poles. The city does
not want any more poles along Dray-
ton street now, but If the application
We're made it would probably result in
an ordinance being passed giving the
city authority 10 make competing COM
panies double up" on poles, where the
streets are crowded.
No Application Made Yet.
Mayor Myers, when asked about this
feature of the case, said the Postal had
made no application to the city, and
therefore the matter had not been con-
sidered. If an application should be
made, the matter would be taken up
he said.
1t is believed the present fight be-
tween the Postal and the Western
Union will result in the passing of an
ordinance giving the city the right to
make one company allow another COM
pany TO use it's poles, where the city
does not want other poles put up.