The Greeley tribune., 1907-01-24

not long since l found that in my
absence the linemen of our now
triumphant single telephone corpora
tion had simply rough hewed of an
entire half of one of my shade trees
that had impudently reached its
branches over the line into the alley.
Had l been present at the time, be-
ing naturally Of a pugnacious, not to
say vicious disposition, l should
probably have called the gentleman
down from my property with the
double. barreled shotgun, which for
''such purposes made and provided"
1 always keep loaded and standing
conveniently just behind my door In
the entry. But now ON reflection l
see that side walks and alleys were
in reality set especially apart for
telegraph and telephone poles, and
that l was merely an over-credulous
fool when set out those trees some
thirty-tive years ago. For l notice
that the company has been very busy
of late altering their lines and set
ting rows of very heavy poles right
on the sidewalk among the trees,
and down the center of the parkings
that number of us simple minded
people had at great cost to ourselves
graded. planted and watered, under
the irrational idea that we we're thus
adding to the beauty of the town.
But on reflection again, so much
the bigger fools say 1, who will
probably be the next victim. OF
what Importance, indeed, are tidy,
pleasant homes, amidst trees, lawns,
shrubbery and flowers, when com.
pared With glaring utility, as illus
trated In rows Of towering poles
planted at regular intervals along
side your walk and brightly painted
yellow, red or green.
1 spent my holidays among friends
aud relatives In another part of the
state, and as when l went aAay this
new line OF departure was fast max
ing its way out in my direction l
fully expected on my return to find a
row of these magnificent structures
lugged into the grass in my parking
and one or two sticking out Of my
chimneys. may say In passing
now that the little city was visit
ing, although about twice our size
in population, is nevertheless sadly
behind US in this matter Of bizarre
ornamentation. For all the tele-
graph and telephone poles are still
confined to the gutter line entirely
outside the curb. Doubtless the
people Of this belated little city will
in time emulate our lofty example,
but one of the city officials, with
whom / have passing acquaintance,
told me, on the side, that they
would have to work up to it by SLOW
degrees, and that II any move In that
direction were to be suddenly pre-
cipitated by the authorities the
people would In all probability hang
one of the council to the first pole
inserted In the tree line as shining
example in architectural effects.
But to do strict Justice to our own
offending COMPANY 1 must admit 1
md, on inquiry, that our city coun-
Gil Is responsible for its every move
In the direction indicated. And
again on reflection can In fact see
excellent reasons Why this important
change should be made. When the
city was originally laid out by those
old fogies, the Union Colonists Of
thirty-six years ago, it so happened
that the larger share of them, hailing
as they did from the rural regions of
the New England states, they had no
idea of the immense city Of the
future they we're then founding, and
only therefore allowed paltry hun
dred feet in width for the streets
and twenty for the alleys. Conges-
tion in traffic, in consequence, being
now eminent, something Of course
had to be done and done quickly.
l am told, too, that beside being
greatly cramped for room between
curbs, and especially in the resident
portions Of the city, the poles as they
formerly stood were much in the way
of the plow and city grader. when as
1t happens from two to three times
q year on some street or another, 1t
becomes advisable, IL not absolutely
necessary, to tear things all to pieces
again and establish new grades. OF
course l can see that In time all this
will be remedied, and every gentle
undulation of our city's surface re.
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