Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-08-08
No 254, ST. Published June 6, 1907.
CHAPTER 1855, LAWS OF 1907.

CAAPTER lob, LAWS OF 1907.
AN ACT to amend section 177S, statutes
Of 1898, as amended, and relating to la
bilities Of telegraphic corporations
The people of the State Of Wisconsin, rep
resented In Senate and Assembly, do
enact as follows '+
Section 177S, statutes of 1898, as amend
ed by section l, chapter $40, laws of 1901
and chapters BOA and sos, laws of 1905,
Is amended to read Section 177S. /.
ANY, corporation formed under this chapter
to build and operate telegraph or tele-
phone lines or systems for the transmission
Of heat, power or electric light for public
purposes, or to conduct the business of
telegraphing, telephoning or transmitting
purposes may, subject to all reasonable re-
quirements and regulations made by any
city or village through, across or adjoin-
be proposed to be constructed, construct
and maintain any such lines or systems
with all necessary appurtenances, from
point to point, upon, In, along, across or
beneath the surface Of any public road,
highway or bridge or any stream or body
OF water, or upon the land of any owner
consenting thereto, and from time to time
such purposes may also acquire lands, or
any interests therein In the manner pro-
vided in this act; and may connect and
operate Its lines or systems with the lines
or systems OF any person or corporate
engaged in like business within or without
this state, and charge reasonable rates for
the transmission and delivery of messages
or the furnishing of heat power or electric
light for public purposes.
2. But no such telegraph or telephone
line, or heating, power or electric line or
system or any appurtenance thereto shall
at any time obstruct or incommode the
public use of any road, highway, bridge
stream body of water.
g. Whenever the use Of any such line
shall be abandoned or discontinued the
proper corporation shall forthwith take
down, dig up and remove all wires, posts
pipes, conduits or other articles and on
failure for three months after such aban-
person owning land near, over, through or
upon which such line shall pass, may take
down, dig up and remove the same or any
part thereof, for his own use.
ton owning or operating any telegraph,
telephone or power transmission line or
heat system for public purposes doing
business in this state shall be liable for
negligence Of their operators, servants or
employees IN receiving, copying, transmit
ting or delivering dispatches, messages or
the furnishing Of power to Its patrons for
public purposes.
8. Any person, association or corpora
ton operating or owning any telegraph
line,. doing business In the. state of Wis
consin, shall also be liable for all damages
for mental anguish resulting directly and
proximately from or occasioned by the fall
ure or negligence of their operators, ser
wants OE employees III receiving, copying
transmitting or delivering dispatches or
messages, not to exceed in amount the
sum of five hundred dollars.
9. Nothing contained In this act shall
authorize or empower such telegraph, tele-
phone, electric light, heat or power trans
mission company, or corporation to in any
manner destroy, trim or otherwise injure
any shade or ornamental trees along any
such lines or systems or cause any damage
to buildings, fences, crops, live stock or
other property except by the consent Of
the owner, and any person or corporation
violating any of the provisions of this sec
ton shall be liable to the person aggrieved
in three times the actual damage sustained
besides costs.
Z. No corporation to build and
operate electric light system or systems
for the transmission of steam or hot water
for heat, shall have any right hereunder in
any city or village until it has obtained a
franchise from such city or village, as now
provided by law.
Approved June 6, 1907.