Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-07-06
PROPOSE TO
AVOID RISKS
Electrical Workers Present
Ordinance Regulating Con-
struction of Power Lines
OTHER COUNCIL BUSINESS

Regular Session Of City
Council Last Night
To eliminate some of the dangers
that continually beset linemen work.
ing on high power lines was the pur-
pose of an ordinance introduced by
Councilman Hits at the instance of
the Electrical Workers Union at the
regular meeting of the city council
last night. The ordinance is a long
one, of fourteen sections. and makes
very strict regulations regarding the
installation and operation of electric
power lines. Among other things it
provides that no wire carrying cur
rent of over 600 volts may be strung
within thirteen inches of the center
of the pole, that there may be no
other wire within three feet of a wire
of 900 volts current, that guy wires
shall be eight feet at least from the
lowest crossarm; that there shall be
no electric signal within four feet
OF a power line; except those for fire
and police control; that wires may
not be strung over roofs, and that
definite regulation be instituted TOR
lines that cross.
Following the presentation of the
ordinance a representative OF the El-
ectrical Workers union appeared be-
ton on the ordinance. He referred
to the great hazards which electrical
workers everywhere had to face. so
great are the risks" he declared,
"that electrical workers are unable to
get insurance, except at a high figure,
the reports showing that the rates
were $40 per $1,000. 1t was only a
few weeks ago that one of the boys
was killed while at work on the powei
line here, and his death was due to
the arrangement of the wires" The
proposed ordinance would, he thought,
make the work of the electricians far
less hazardous, and for that reason
he urged it's passage. The ordinance
is the same as that in force In Seat
tie, Tacoma, San Francisco and Port
land, and was introduced in the last
state legislature. The passing of the
ordinance would, of course, cause con.
siderable expense to the power and
light companies, but would protect
the lives of the linemen. The Ordin-
ance was referred to the fire and
light committee, and they will proba'
bly, give a hearing to the interested
parties.
w. o. McCaw, president Of the
council, acted as mayor in the absence
of Mayor Parks. The otner council
men were all present. The first mat.
ter of importance was the report ct
Chief of Police Templeman for the
month of June, showing:
Number of arrests, 1872.
Number of meals served prisoners,
1905.
Amount of fines collected. s6s6.75.
Dog licenses collected. 213.
Cow fines collected, s.
Total fines collected $907.75.
Some objection was made to the
bill for 1906 meals, amounting TO
$261. Councilman Elder wondered
why the board bills for city prison
ers should jump from 1928 to $261
per month. The matter was referred
to the police committee for investi-
CATION before the bill would be allow.
ed.
The ordinances granting an exten.
sion of time for the Grays Harbor
and Puget Sound Railways to enter
the city amending the original ordin-
ment to a right of way across the
gan avenue to the Chehalis river, in
case the city should at any time de.
sire to construct a bridge across the
stream.
The bids of the Standard Transfer
company were accepted for the i'm.
provement of Broadway and 18th
~ i
256.5O The bids for the construction
of the Sixth street treTtle ranged from
over $500 to over $4,000. AS these
city engineer the bids We're rejected
and the city clerk was instructed to
readvertise for bids. The matter of
which has been a thorn in the flesh
of the council for some time, was
laid over for another week. Council.
man Larkin announced that a petition
was being prepared asking for the
construction of a thirty foot roadway
instead of the proposed paving.
The city attorney reported on the
city's right of way for highway pur.
poses through land in South Aberdeen
leading to the Charley Creek county
road. 1t seems that the city owns
road except through strip of land
belonging to E. c. Finch. The city
attorney was instructed to draw an
ordinance condemning the land nee.
essary for the construction of the
road parallel with the Northern Pa
cific railroad. With the acquiring of
title to this strip of roadway and the
improvement of the whole length there
will be a continuous improved high
way through to Ocosta.
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