Norwich bulletin., 1909-04-14
Safer With Present Arrangement.
Danger from Electric Wires Over Mckinley Avenue Walk
Less than when They Went Through the Trees
Dangerous Limbs to be Trimmed.

The police commissioners, Alderman
Robinson and Councilmen Gebrath and
| Heath, to whom was referred the Pc
| tition of Judge Lucius Brown and a
number of others asking for immediate
relief from the dangerous location of
| the electric light wires over the side
walk in Mckinley avenue gave a hear
ing on Tuesday evening in the mayors
| Office for the purpose of hearing those
| interested On both sides. There were
about twenty present.
Alderman Robinson, after explaining
the reason of the hearing and the re-
suit of a visit from Superintendent
Bogue of the electric department, who
said if the committee ordered a change
he hoped they would say where the
wires should be put. He called upon
Judge Brown to state the position of
the petitioners.
Judge Borwn said he was indebted
to the committee for the time and at
tention they had given the matter and
considers it one Of the most important
things brought to the attention of the
public in long time. Electricity is
dangerous even under the best regu-
lations and Norwich has been fortu-
nate in having but few accidents but
they are liable to occur at any time
There should be the greatest protection
against it, and that would mean that
the wires should go underground. That
is a question which may have to be
decided here tonight. 1t will be ex-
pensiVe, but no more so than II a death
should occur. In Mckinley avenue from
the armory north to Broad street, on
the west side, the electric wires are an
outrigger from the poles, being over
the sidewalk not only making the
street unsightly, but increases the dan
ger to pedestrians. The wires are liza
BILE to fall or be crossed with tele-
phone wires and cause fires. He
thought they should not be allowed to
continue as they are and now that the
city's attention has been called to the
dangerous condition, in case of a suit
a jury would give little attention to
the citys side. There is no better
place for burying the wires than in
Mckinley avenue, and he believed the
city should own all conduits and rent
them to all who wanted to use them.
Norwich can afford to do the work,
and he gave the figures, showing the
profits of the gas and electric depart
ment for the past four years, having
doubled in the four years. A start
should be made in the work in this
street.
Superintendent 5ogue Explains.
In response to Judge Brown, Su-
perintendent Bogue was called upon
and stated that the department had
had trouble for years with the wires
up Mckinley avenue where they went
through trees. The line was rebuilt,
but that did not overcome the trou-
BILE, as the wires would spark against
the trees. especially when it rained.
Following the accident when Walter
WINS was injured the corporation
counsel was taken up that way. The
WINS accident was caused by a wire
getting against a tree and it was sug-
gested to Mr.. Bogue that the wires be
gotten out of the trees. The wires up
Mckinley avenue were then placed on
outriggers over the sidewalk and since
that time there has been no trouble
and the sparkling has not been noticed
since. Judge Brown had referred to a
wire which had killed Dr. Linnell's
horse, but Mr.. Bogue said that wire