Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-03-11
WATER COMPANY FAILS
TO DIG UP STREETS
[Continued from First Page ]

tion not to issue a permit to dig up the
streets. He said: IF they come after
me to-day, will tell them what told
them yesterday I said that If they
wanted.a permit to open the streets for
the purpose of turning on water or for
making repairs would issue the neces-
sary paper but they were not willing to
take permit with those provisions at
tached. No, will not allow them to
dig up the streets to turn off the wa
ter"
In front Of many of the homes in
Camp Hill are water boxes, or plugs,
which permit the water being turned
of at that point without the necessity
of digging up the streets. However,
these boxes in almost all cases are on
the ground just inside the pavement
line and on the lots on which the
houses are built. Residents of the
use the boxes because in so doing
; they face arrest under the trespass
! laws. the boxes being on private prop
erty.
Boxes Not Used
, 1t is said that in front of the four
/ residences where water employees were
halted in their work of opening the
street Monday and yesterday there are
at least two of these boxes which can
easily be found just inside the line of
the pavement. The men did not at
tempt to use the boxes in their efforts
! to turn off the supply but instead be-
| gan to dig In the street. Superinten-
| dent Saunders said this morning that
he believed it wouldbe as cheap to dig
up the street and turn the water off
from the main as 1t would be to shovel
away some snow along the pavement
and use the box.
| Residents say that trespass suits will
follow If any attempt is made to use
the boxes. The property owne:s. it Is
said are made to pay for the boxes,
the tap in the main and the pipe from
the main to the house and some per-
sons are inclined to believe that II the
company does succeed in getting per-
mission to dig up the streets, suits
can be filed for tampering with the
tap which they say belongs to the
property owner.
Saunders to Proceed
On advice of counsel, says Superin-
tendent Saunders, he will proceed to
open the streets even though permits
may not be issued. He understands
that he will be arrested but he says
his company is ready to have the ar
rest made so that the case can be
carried to court for a decision. 1t Is
said, too, that IT, company will ask
the Cumberland county court for a
writ which will give it the right to dig
up the streets Notwithstanding the
borough highway commissioner re-
fusal of a permit
Patricio Russ. president of the wa
ter company said this morning that
he is sorry so much trouble has arisen
but that the rates now being charged
in Camp Hill are only in accordance
with those charged in other West
Shore towns. He said the company at
times is losing money by carrying wa
ter to Camp Hill.
Councilmen of .he borough will
meet tomorrow night and at that
time 1t is expected the water question
will be threshed out thoroughly. In
dications are that the councilmen are
in favor of fighting the water company
at every step, for this morning they
told Chief of Police Fox that they
would back him in every thing he
would do.
May Seek Injunction
It is said that late to-day the citi-
zens will ask the court to grant an
Injunction which will prohibit the wa
ter company from opening any streets
in the future unless authorized to do
so.
Superintendent Saunders, during
conversation, said that he did not want
to turn off the supply of the residents
of the borough unless forced to do so
by the nonpayment of bills. He said
further that the payment at 10-cent
rate would be considered only a par
tial payment of the bill rendered to
property owners at the 30-cent rate
and would not keep the company from
turning off the water If the balance
remained unpaid. He said that during
the past few days a number of pay
rnents were made at the 30-cent rate
and that in the event of the Cumber-
land County Court finding that rate is
too high the difference between that
rate and the 10-cent rate will be re-
funded to the property owners. Prop
erty owners wanted the entire matter
o rest until a definite conclusion was
| reached, but the water company wants
the consumed water palG for at the
30-cent rate with the refunding pro-
vision in the receipt. The increase in
the rates Is what has caused the
trouble, which has continued for more
than a year.