The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-11
AN IMPROVEMENT
FOR CITY STREETS
COUNCIL HEARS PROPOSAL TO
REMOVE CROSS ARMS FROM
PHONE POLES - IMPORTANT
SESSION HELD LAST EVENING
BY THE CITY DADS.

The principal subjects before the city
council of Moorhead, for its consid-
Grafton last night were the construc-
ton of lateral sewers, and the remov-
al Of telephone and electric light poles
from the principal thoroughfares of the
city to the alleys or rear Of building.
One difficulty to encounter is that
where there are no alleys. they will
have to be acquired or made, or pri-
vate arrangements made for right OF
way for the setting Of the poles.
Consideration was first given to con-
templated improvements, by the North
western Telephone Exchange Co., or
lines and equipment i'm Moorhead. 1t
is planned to remove telephone poles
from Front street and the unsightly
crossarms and open wires and to re-
place them with cables.
District Manager Hillary of the tele-
phone company submitted plans of the
proposed improvements to the council
and fully explained the line of i'm
provements which the company desir-
ed to make in both Fargo and Moor
head. 1t was generally conceded by
the mayor and aldermen that the i'm
provements referred to by Mr.. Hillary
were very desirable and the time had
come when they were almost a neces-
sity.
Some time was consumed by a gen.
eral discussion regarding providing
alley space at the rear Of Front
street and 1t was generally conceded
that If such rights were needed. now
was the time to obtain them. Ex-Al-
derman Jacob Kiefer, in response to a
request for his views, said he was
heartily in accord with proposals of
the telephone company, the removal OF
the poles from the city's main business
thoroughfare would add greatly to It's
attractiveness. The requirement OF al
ley space, he thought would not be as
difficult now as it would be later on and
his advice was that the matter be taken
up forthwith. He suggested that 1t
should be placed In the hands OF
special committee Of the council, that
committee to make full report as soon
as possible.
The council was addressed by Atty.
J.. M. Witherow and Atty. E. E. Sharp
relative to certain petitions for lateral
sewers on Sixth street and Tenth street
south. Mr.. Sharp said the request for
the sewer on Tenth street had been be-
fore the council for nearly year, that
different people were very anxious TO
modernize their homes, but could not
because proper sewer connections could
not be made. On behalf of the petit
TONERS for the required sewer connec-
tions he urged that the council devise
ways and means without any further
delay to bring about the construction
Of the sewers referred to. Mr.. With
crow also very forcibly pressed the
claims of petitioners for the sewer on
Sixth street and urged immediate ac-
ton. How to pay for the proposed
sewers was discussed and 1t was finally
thought that it could be arranged with
out any difficulty and still keep with
In the law as to the use Of certain
funds. On motion the whole matter
was turned over to the finance COM
mittee of the council with the request
that It report at the next meeting.
Two applications for the position Of
street Commissioners were before the
council for consideration, one Of Ole
Seburg and Fritz Nelson. After an In
formal ballot Fritz Nelson was unani-
mously elected to be street commits
sioner, succeeding Carl Odenwaller, de-
ceased, at a salary of $50 month and
to give bonds in the sum Of $500.
The council adjourned until tomor-
row evening after the disposal Of the
usual monthly routine business.