Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-05-09
WILL CUT DOWN POLES
Telephones Removed From County
Public Offices
COUNTY COURTS ULTlMATUM
American Union Telephone Co. viii
Be Brought To Book BY County
Court

From The World of Tuesday:
The county court met in regular
session this morning
When court convened it was inform
ed that the American Union Tele-
phone Co. had removed the telephones
from the public offices of Berkeley
county, including the phone in the
county clerks Office. This drastic ac-
ton created something of a rumpus
and the court at once got busy.
A bit OF history will be interesting
IN this connection.
About nine years ago the county
court granted permit to what was
then known as the Winchester Telo-
pphone Co, to erect its poles on the
county reads, but no regrar franchise
was given, nor was any arrangement
made by which the telephone company
should pay for this permit This COM
spany was afterwards bought by the
American Union Telephone Co.
Later, the county court asked the
xelephone company to furnish phones
m the public offices of the county fir g
or charge. For some time the tele-
phone people did not present any bills
Tor these phones; but later they did
present such bills but the county
court did not pay them Finally, last
March the telephone company wrote
TO the county clerk that after January
4, 1908, these phones would be charg-
y al for at the rate of So per annum
apiece.
Then the county court directed the
clerk to Summon the officials of the
telephone company to appear before
Fihe court on March 6. J. E. Crockett,
uf Hagerstown, acting district superin.
Sendent, appeared, with counsel, be.
fore the court and confirmed the ac-
ton of the company m charging for
: the phones, but the court refused to
pay the bill.
On Monday, May 4, the phones were
removed from the public Offices of the
scoslnty as follows: circuit court c'erk,
county coalr't clerk, sheriff, jail and
.almshouse
obviously this crippies the service
of the aublic offices and, naturally
the officials are very indignant. espec-
tally since the Chesapeake and Poto-
mac Telephone Co. furnishes phones
free of charge in the aforesaid or
ltiees, and the Martinsburg Power Co.
pays five cents a pole pr annum to
the county.
Now nas,nuch as the permission of
the county court to the telephone
company to erect it's poles on the
county roads is worth thousands of
dollars a year, for the reason that
1T saves the telephone company the
necessity of obtaining permission of
private land owners; and inasmuch as
large Sums of money are paid into the
county treasury in other states and
counties for franchises of this nature.
and inasnauch as the American Union
Telephone Co. has not shown proper
courtesy and consideration to the
county court. 1t is the intention of
the court to charge the American
Union Telephone Co. large amount
per year for the use of county roads
for their poles; and that if the afore-
said telephone company does not COM
ply with its terms the county court
will rescind is permit and order the
various rosd superintendent to chop
down the poes OF the telephone COM
pany as being distractions to the pub
lie highways.
The county court this afternoon Wis
tied the jail and the Kings Daughters
! hospital
Actress RI Mad Indian Nhia<