The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-28
Buffalo Got Favorable Leqis-
Iation After a Four
Years Crusade.
PLANTING SHADE TREES
PROPOSITION FOR A MUNICIPAL
FORESTRY COMMISSION WAS
HARD FOUGHT eY THE COR
PoRATlON PEOPLE,.

four years fight, legislation has been
procured as a result of which it is ex-
pected that the trees of Buffalo will
be greatly improved by systematic
trimming and general care Portions
of the city now without shade will be
supplied by the planting of trees.
In the session of the state legisla-
ture four years ago. the Society Of
Beautifying Buffalo sought to have
passed an act providing for a forestry
commission for the city. Powers pro-
posed for the commission were great,
including authority to formulate ordin-
ances and to have entire supervision
Of planting, trimming and caring for
trees.
Senator Hill. of this city. was inter-
csted in the movement and assisted to
have it passed by both branches of
the legislature. 1t was necessary to
have the mayors approval but, before
giving it, the mayor held a hearing
upon the proposition which was at
tended by the paid attorneys of var
ious corporations maintaining over
head wires.
Labor Was Aroused.
These interests had aroused the Ia
Dor organizations and the opposition
as presented was so strong that the
mayor urged that the bill be with
drawn, inasmuch as it would be diff
rl,1t RI oh in, ho tn
make it effective. This was done.
Before the measure was reintroduc-
ed, attorneys for corporations were
consulted and it was agreed to add a
clause declaring that the commission
should not have authority to compel
corporations having overhead wires to
put them underground. This was not
intended at any time, so that the ad-
vocates of the bill had no objection to
the new clause.
This bill was held up in the low
er branch of the legislature through
the influence Of a representative of
a corporation as was asserted by the
assemblyman having charge of the
measure. Finding that the corpora
tions would not yield in their opposi-
ton it was decided by the Society of
Beautifying Buffalo to attack them up
on their own issue.
Forced Underground.
Most of the corporations had been
violating the municipal ordinances
and an agreement into which they had
entered by failing to place their wires
md md tn fnfv nf %Ao
city. An attorney was retained, pub
lie sentiment aroused and with the
aid of a new mayor. the companies
were forced into another agreement
to bury their wires under certain con-
ditions
No bill was introduced in the legis-
lature in the succeeding year because
a commission had been appointed to
draft a new charter for Buffalo, and
this commission consented to make
the forestry project a feature of the
proposed charter. The charter as
drafted failed of passage and, in the
last session of the legislature. an am
endment to the city charter was Of
fered to place the care of the trees
under the supervision of the Park
commission
To this there was no opposition and
it Is now in force. While the opposi-
ton Of the wire-stringing corporations
was not well founded, it was suffic-
iently strong that it could not be over
come. The only way was to beat
them in their own game.
Buffalo has many beautiful trees
but they have been. neglected to a
large extent Property owners have
been permitted to plant any kind of
trees, in any way and in any order.
The result has been a lack OF Uniform
ity. There is no question. either, that
electricians do great injury to trees