The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-12-03
RESPONSIBILITY
FOR POLES
The Street Lighting Committee
Assumes Responsibility for
Locating Poles.
ACTING WITHIN LEGAL RIGHTS
Morristown. N. J.. Nov. 20, 1907

mittee of the Board of Aldermen of
the Town of Morristown we wish to
make the following statement relative
to the contract for lighting the streets
of Morristown recently madeeby said
Town with the Morris and Somerset
Electric Company and relative to the
erection of poles in the streets of said
Town pursuant to the terms of said
Contract:
ment in January last realizing the
wretched character of public street
lighting took up the matter Of better
light at once. The contracts with the
United Electric Company and The
Morristown Gas Light Company were
both to expire during the year and If
better conditions were to exist it was
necessary to act at once.
After several months Of careful
study of the conditions existing in
Morristown and elsewhere and after
obtaining expert advice, this Commit
tee caused specifications to be prepar-
ed These specifications were approx
ed by the Board. of Aldermen and bids
for public street lighting were duly ad-
vertised for.
Only one bid was received-that OF
Mr.. Peter v. Stryker supposedly rep
resenting lighting company not yet
formed. This bid was accepted and
was duly assigned to the Morris and
Somerset Electric Company and con-
tract was entered into with said Com
pany by the Town on June oath last
for period of five years from Decem-
Der 81, 1907.
During the past Summer the United
Electric Company of New Jersey and
the Public Service Corporation of New
Jersey made application to the Su-
preme Court of this State to have said
Contract set aside but the application
was refused by the Court and the Nor
ris and Somerset Electric Company
are now preparing to carry it out.
Said Contract provides among other
things that the Morris and Somerset
Electric Company shall erect poles for
the maintenance of wires and electric
lights at such points near the curb
line of the streets of the Town as
your Committee shall direct.
After much study and after going
over the ground repeatedly we have
indicated where each pole is to be To-
Gated and have endeavored to locate
the poles in such a manner as to cause
the least amount Of annoyance and
inconvenience.
We have always considered and will
continue to consider any reasonable
request of any property owner rela-
tive to the location OF poles. If such
request is made before the poles are
erected.
In order to correct certain impress
wish to make the following statements
which are are advised correctly give
sions which seem to be abroad we
the law of this state applicable to the
present situation.
l. That every municipality Cnclud-
ing Morristown) has the right to erect
poles for public lights on all Of its
public streets without getting any con-
sent whatever from any property own
er.
2. That the Aldermen of Morris
town by virtue of said right conferred
by law have determined to erect poles
for public street lighting on it's streets
have delegated the power to locate
said poles to the Street Lamps Com
mittee of said Board.
That coi1 Nof1ny,o iffno hos d0ciO.
mated the location Of every pole to
be erected in Morristown for public
lighting.
A. That it is the duty of the Morris
and Somerset Electric Company, be-
cause of its contract with the Town,
to erect a pole at every point designa-
ted by said Committee, said Company
having no discretion in the matter
Criticism of said Company therefore
because of the location of any pole is
extremely unjust and remonstrance
with said Company is futile because
said Company could not change the
location of pole, if it is SO desired,
without the consent of the Street
Lamps Committee This Committee,
being responsible for the location of
each pole, is the body to whom COM
plants should be made.
5. That any person interfering
with the erection of any pole or any
person damaging or removing any pole
after erection makes himself liable
to criminal arrest and Imprisonment
and also makes himself liable to a
civil suit for damages.
This Committee would say in con-
clusion that we have devoted much
time and thought to the subject Of
public lighting and have endeavored
to do what we believe to be for the
best interest of the people of the
Town.
We further believe that when the
contract has been completed, the poles
painted, the numerous temporary
poles removed. the gas lamp posts ta-
ken down, the lights turned on and
the streets really lighted, the think
ing people OF Morristown will agree
with us that one of the many improve
ments, which the people of Morris
town have been striving for for years,
has been obtained.
Owing to the delay caused by the
suit instituted by the Public Service
Corporation above referred to and the
approach Of cold weather, part Of
the urDpOsod subway construction will.