The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-16

q SltlAGH VINO IS Interested IN CE6
some hazy idea on the subject of
CIVIC betterment takes his stand at the
corner of Douglas and Fremont avenues
on the kenwood carline, he sees re-
markable sight. In every direction
beautiful residences and well-kept
lawns greet the eye. But his view of
these comfortable and costly homes is
slightly interrupted by thirteen poles or
cables, planted on this corner by public
service corporations.
The Northwestern Telephone company
owns five of these enormous logs set on
end and also maintains three unsightly
"anchors' to hold the poles in place.
The Twin City Telephone company has
one tall mast reaching far above the
company throws in four nice, strong
iron poles near the corner for good
measurement.
Evolution of Telephone Plant.
But it would be wrong to take snap
Judgment on condition like this and
to assume that these street conditions
are to be. permanent. The telephone
situation in this particular locality is
clearly in a state of evolution. The
officials contend that the plans when
completed will reduce the present pole
nuisance within comparatively inoffen-
sive limits
But there is another and a more seri-
Gus phase of the pole nuisance In
addition to the Disagreement of streets,
the Northwestern Telephone company
has of late been securing private rights
of way thru the blocks in the Lowry
Hill district, where there are no alleys,
SO that the public at present finds not
only It's streets encountered, but has
the skylines cut in still another and an
un"vn""ted direction bv line of poles
ard wires behind them on their own
or adjacent property.
In one section of this paper a few
DAYS ago the comment was made that
block after block of a pretty resi-
dence section has been utterly ruined
from an artistic standpoint.' In an
sWcr to this criticism the following let
ter was received from President H. J.
Pettingill Of the Northwestern COM
pany:
,. Investigation Asked For.
II want to call your attention to
the enclosed item clipped from g
journal Of Saturday last. If the
think [ can convince him that the work
now being done in the Lowry Hill dis
trict will very much improve the ap-
pearance of the streets. If he will call
my office by telephone, I shall be glad
to send a man with him to show him
Just what work we are doing in that
district.'
Advantage was taken of this oppor-
tunity to study che plans of the COM
pany for the district in question and
to run over certain sections of it with
a representative of the company.
Private Rights of Way.
The study of the situation is not al
together a reassuring one. The company
may finally be forced from some of the
streets, but it has, in section after Sec
tion, by shrewd work, secured the right
to put its poles on private property.
The city may order the poles from |
the streets, but it cannot order them !
from private property. Neither can the |
owners of this so-called private prop
erty. They have been in many cases
induced to sign, papers that are in real
1ty, perpetual easements and any
attempt to escape them will be found
to be futile.
Poles Are There Forever.
When the Lowry ILL district finally
reJolces at the report that the poles
find to their dismay that long and dis
figuring lines of poles are left on their
own property and that they have no
power to get rid of them.
perpetual Easements
Just what is perpetual easement''
and how is it worked? Some day while
you are at home or at the Office a
very gentlemanly and pleasing person
comes to you with what looks like ga
petition to improve the appearance of
your street. He wishes to get the wires
loft the street and behind the houses