The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-01
WORK On TRENCH
FOR WHITE WAY"
Laborers Digging Ditch to Con-
tain Conduits for Broad
Street Lights.
FACE ONE OBSTACLE
Wooden Poles Of Western Union
Telegraph Co Must Be
Removed.

Long before the average Richmond-
or had finished his breakfast Monday
morning a gang Of brawny workmen.
armed with picks and shovels. began
digging with vim al Ninth and
Broad streets. plling dirt high on
either side of a rapidly lengthentng
and deepening ditch When eafn ples-
ed this trench will extend from
Twelfth to jefferson street. and viii
contain the conduits for the new lights
which are to convert Broad street into
Great White Way.
The laborers are working westward
Is from Ninth street When they have
reached jefferson they will turn, 40
back to Ninth and then start digging
eastwardly to Twelfth. The work will
be rushed with all possible speed. and
1t is confidently predicted that with
In a few months night, So far as Broad
street is concerned, will be virtually
l,00l Watt electric lamps located at
frequent intervals on both sides of
every block.
The new lamps have already been
purchased. They will hang suspended
from ornamental iron poles. twelve
feet high. At the top of each pole
runs a Enthusiastically moulded cross
piece, and from this latter five great
tungsten lamps win be suspended.
Three poles will be placed on every
block on each side 81 the street. eigh-
teen feet from the property line. One
will be situated at each corner and
one in the middle of the block.
There is but one obstaole which can
possibly cause any delay in the work.
and this. IT is believed. will soon be
obliterated. The possible check is
found In the wooden poles of the
Western Union Telegraph Company.
condemned by the city more than
four years ago. but still standing
while the matter is bcing fought out
in the Federal courts. These poles
were order removed when the city
passed an ordinance prohibiting over
head wiring within the corporate
limits. The Postal Telegraph Com
pany complied and laid underground
conduits. The Western Union. how
ever. refused to obey the ordinance
and secured an injunction prohibiting
the city from tampering with their
property pending a court decision.
Since that time the matter has been
threshed out before several tribunals.
and In now before the supreme court
of the United States. The city is con-
fident that the highest judiciary in
the land will sustain the ordinance.
but 1t II said that such action may
not be necessary. The Western
Union Telegraph Company III now
making plans for improving it's SER
vice In connection with a telephone
company which has concessions in
ward. These new plans.
II ts said. include the removal OF the
Offices Of the Western Union Com
pany TO the proposed seyscraper to be
erected by the Richmond Realty Com
pany on Main street between Eleventh
and Twelfth streets, the removal OF
the Broad street wooden poles, and
the substitution OF underground wir-
ing therefor.
AS matters stand at present. several
points marked for the location OF the
new electric light poles are occupied
by the unsightiy wooden poles of the
company. 1t is reported.
however, that these latter will have
been removed by the time the trenches
which are to contain the conduits
have been COMPLETED.