Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-04-24
COUP CARRIED
OUT AT NIGHT
Little Clash Of the Old and New Tel.
ephone Companies Out on the
Boulevard.
SAME SIDE WANTED BY BOTH
Claimed by Old Company Because Its
Wires Were on Portion Of
Street.

Wires Were on Portion Of
Street.
A small war between the telephone
companies came to a head late Sun
day night, when the Lewistown COM
pany executed coup on the Lewis
town Billings company, and the end,
apparently is not yet.
In order to understand the situ-
alton, it is necessary to go back
little. Last year, when the new COM
pany applied to the city council for
franchise, David Hilger, representing
the Lewistown Billings. and A. w.
War;, representing the old company,
both appeared before the council and
made statements. Mr.. War; at the
time prOfessed no opposition to a
franchise being granted under such
restrictions as would properly pro-
tect his corporation in it's rights. Mr..
Hilger, in reply, said that the new
company was coming here purely as
a legitimate business proposition, and
there would be no room for conflict
between the organizations. He said
that the Lewistown company would,
of course, take one side of the street.
and to avoid the chance of interfer-
ence, his company would take the
other. The Lewistown-Billings corpor-
alton, said Mr.. Hilger, was just as
anxious to keep wires clear from in
reference as the old company. and by
keeping to opposite sides of the street,
this would easily be accomplished.
included in Franchise.
When the franchise was prepared,
this provision with regard to the d.
vision of the streets was included in
it. The franchise as finally passed.
and under which the Lewistown-Bil-
lings company is now operating, con-
tains the following;
'Sec Z. This franchise is granted
with the express understanding that
the said Lewistown-Billings Telephone
Company shall place it's lines on the
opposite sides of the streets and al
leys from any lines constructed un.
der any telephone or telegraph COM
pany franchise heretofore granted
by said city, etc.
So far as the public is aware, Sun
day nights affair is the first of its
kind that has occurred, each COM
pany keeping to it's side of the streets,
Out on the Boulevard, the Lewis.
town company had wire up, extend
ing a distance, it is understood, OF
$40 feet. This part of the line was
put up some years ago. and the con
tention of the LewistOwn company is
that having it's line up and in oper
alton on a portion of one side Of the
street reserved that side for them
leaving the other open to the new com
pany. The Lewistown-Billings having
occasion to extend wires on the Boul
evard, commenced digging post holes
ON the south side of that thorough
fare, although some distance from
the place where the old company's
wires were up. When this was learn
ed by the officials of the old com
pany, they called attention to th'
new company to the fact that tn
south side of the stret was alread!
occupied, and suggested that the Lew
istown-Billings 60 across to the nort
side, offering to pay the new com
pany for it's post holes. This offe
was declined with thanks. It was thel
that the old company executed it
coup. A gang of men was put to wor
Sunday night, and by morning ha'
posts in and wires strung along tn
whole side of the block in dispute
The new company made the best G
the situation, but did not go over t
the north side of the street. Instead
it proceeded to erect poles in tn
holes already dug. and now that sid
of the street for a short distance 'ha
a double allotment of posts while tn
north side is clear of telephone lines
The Milk in the Cocoanut.
OF course it is reasonable to SUI
pose that both companies had som
object in getting on that particula
side of the street, and the reason
made clear when it is stated thf
the wire of the electric light compan,
carrying a high voltage. runs alon
the other side. Naturally both tel
phone companies wanted to avoid b
ing a near neighbor of that wire.
Old Company's Side.
The LewistOwn company side
the controversy is that it had its wire
strung on the south side of the tho
oughfare for considerable exten
and the wire had been there before II
new company was formed. That. in
self was notice that it occupied tn
side of the street, and under the tern
of it's franchise. the new company wi
compelled to take the other side. II
Iewistown company contends that
is not necessary for it to build
line along the whole length OF one si'
of the street to occupy that side. VIII
its lines are up on one side, the ne