The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-12-14
SOUTH BEND LINE
rs ENJOINED.



operated by electricity by what is
known as a single phase alternating
current traction system which consists
of an overhead trolley wire, used for
the transmission of the electric cur
rent, and the rails of the track for the
return current The single phase cleo
trical system of the interurban develops
1900 volts. transmitted from the big
mower station at Michigan Cry, which
| is Increased TO $500 volts by the use
| of transformers located at Terra Coupe
| and Indiana Harbor.
! The current of electricity employed
| by the Lake Shore railroad and the
western Union and Postal Telegraph
| companies is of such a character and of
such small intensity as to only require
l15o volts Of electrical current to carry
on their telegraph and cable business
They IN no way interfere with the cleo
trical conditions of the earth or the
air In the near proximity to other cleo
| tricai wires
The plaintiffs in the case allege that
SO powerful is the current employed
by the interurban company. that by
the process of induction they attract
the current of the telegraph wires and
lrenderer them absolutely useless for
service. Not only is the power so
great that it attracts, but, by some I'M
known method 1T throws off the current
to the telegraph companies wires para
living the system and endangering the
lives of operators and employees at long
distance from the defendants line OF
railway and exposes the plaintiffs prop
i erty in offices connected with the cir
cult to destruction by fire.
NOT CONTINUOUSLY INTERRUPTED
Since the time when the Chicago
Lake Shore &c South Bend Interurban
company began the operation of their
cars the three above corporations have
suffered more or less from interference
of theirselectrical current. The strange
part is that the interference is not con-
tinuous, but depends, and is coincident
with the employment of the electrical
current in the operation of their cars
It varies to such an extent that it Il
impossible to determine the exact tins
when the telegraph lines will be rend
| cred useless Not only are the tele
graph company's lines interfered with
Let Gary, Michigan City or South Bend
! but 1t results in a general tie-up ans
inability to use their wires all through
| the towns and cities east of Chicag,
as far as Buffalo and New York.
The railroad companies are also de
prived of the use of its railroad lines
: wrich results in a delaying of trains
a endangering the lives OF its trainmel
land passengers and are also unable t
: carry the United States mails unde
schedule which they are at this tim
under contract to carry.
Z. Wherefore, the Lake Shore and Michi
gan Southern Railroad company. tn
: western Union Telegraph company, an
the Postal Telegraph and Gable com
pany pray the court will adjudge an
: decree that 1t is entitled to continu
: the maintenance and operation of 1t
:. lines of telegraph and be free and in
: terrupted from the destructive current
: lof electricity engendered by the de
: PENDANT, and that the defendant be re
s quired. within a short time to b
II named. to adopt and apply to its sal
railway electrical and other appliance
(which will neutralize the destructiv
currents of electricity employed by i
and prevent their interference with til
plaintiffs lines, and that in default
the defendant then adopting it's sys
| tenn so that the plaintiffs lines {
telegraph may be operated, without ii
e reference from the said desfructiy
currents, that an injunction shall /
granted restraining the defendant fro
operating its said line of railway unit
the same shall have been so cor
structed and arranged so as the plair
tiffs' lines of telegraph shall not |
II interfered with, and that upon fin
IL hearing of this case such decree sha
10 be entered making said Injunction pc
~ petual in case said defendant shall tn,
ID not equip and operate and maintain i
Us said lines of railway with such metho,
y, as will not interfere with the operate
10 of the plaintiffs lines of telegraph al
10 for such other further relief as Il
facts may justify and the law sustai