Norwich bulletin., 1914-02-17

iIeiephOn6 company wac made on Mon | day night~by residents of those two 1 streets at the hearing given on the pe- tftfonS by the common council 1 In the case of the trolley company which at present uses poles set in the curb line on the westerly side of the street, the petition was for new loca- tlons for 32 poles to be placed on the i inside of the walk and claimed by those ! who protested to be close up against the houses in some cases.
 | The telephone company petitioned for pole locations for nine 40 foot and | four 45 foot poles on Thames and West Thames streets and one on High l street, proposing to place them on the easterly side of the street and inside the sidewalk.
 l In the absence of Mayor T. c. Mur- 1 phy, Senior Alderman Henry Gebrath presided, calling the meeting to order at S.20 o'clock. Seven members of the council were present the absentees be- 1 ing Alderman W. c. Mclaughlin, Coun cilmen A. F. Cruthers, E. E. Baker, William J. Kramer and J. Henry Shan non.
 There were about twenty citizens present at the hearing as well as local representatives of the two pettioning companies.
 Hearing on Trolley Company Petition. The first hearing held was on the petition of the Connecticut company through the Shore Line Electric Rail- way company for the location of g poles from Thames square to the top of West Thames street hill, where the track takes a center location in the street. The petition of the company was read by Clerk Stephen D. Moore.
 Attorney Michael Kenealy was the first to speak, representing the Shore Line Electric Railway company, and he introduced President Robert w. Perkins of that company. President Perkins pointed out that the public utilities commission had indicated that a change in the location of the poles would be advisable from the stand point of safety. He said that he did not believe a single pole in the dis tance under consideration was the re- Quired legal distance of five feet from the tracks. Some were so near that one man had hit a pole when he put his hand outside Q car in the act Of Tipping the ashes from his cigar MT. Perkins said that it would contribute greatly to the safety of operating the line if the poles were placed on the inside of the walk, and they thought the line submitted was about as prac- tical pole line as could be laid out in Thames street. The company was desirous of improving the operating conditions for the benefit of all
 In reply to a question from Alder man T. H. Beclkley, MT. Perkins said the trolley line were not owners, but only tenants of the pole line. Attorney Jof1n H. Barnes questioned whether the trolley company did not intend to run 15 minute schedule on this line, and Mir. Perkins said he hoped bGsIhess would develop to justify this, and in that case an turnout near the school house would be needed. To William W. Beckwitn MT. Perkins said he had no knowledge that there was a right :n the charter for double tracking.
 Appeal to Public Utilities.
 By questioning, MT Barnes brought out the point that if the common council did not grant the pole line l.:- cation asked for the company might within thirty days appeal to the puphc utilities commission. and MT. Perkins said he believed the public utilities commission would consider the pee lhar circumstances here and grant the pole line asked for. MT. Perkins said Ee considered the placing of the poles on the inside of the sidewalk would be an improvement in this locality.
 Attorney Barnes, who said he ap- peared for residents on the street, said that they objected to the poles on two grounds: First, that the location would be detrimental to their property; and, secondly. because it was not 1ust1hed by law.
 Frank A Bill spoke against the pro- posed location, and Civil Engineer George K. Pitcher said his objection to putting the poles on the inside or the sidewalk was because it would crowd people and children to the curb, where as the poles now keep the people away from the curb. The new location would also interfere with the work or the fire department.
 To questions from MT Pitcher. Mir. Perkins answered that he could not tell of any town where the road oper- x1rbo ronla line placed inside the sidewalk.
 Suggested Buying Strip of Land.
 Attorney Barnes asked MT. Pitcher if there were any way that the Shore Line Electric Railway company could comply with the law without placing the poles on the inside of the walk
 Mir. Pitcher said there was, and that would be by buying strip of land from two to three feet wide.
 Attorney Kenealy said the electric road would have no authority to take this land, as it was similar case to the one the New Haven road had been m against in the identification of the road from New Haven to New York They had to get permission from the last legislature to acquire extra land they needed.
 One Section All Right.
 According to the plan under consid- eration, Mir. Pitcher said all the poles  would comply with the five foot clear ance provision of the law. The engi- neer- said he thought it would be feasi- ble if the trolley company and the tele- phone company would agree to a joint line. to grant the locations proposed from High street southerly. but he thought the present pole line mortimer ly from High street was preferable to the asked for line.
 g. A. Kinne and Thomas Murphy voiced their opposition to the pole line asked for and six of those present in the council chamber stood up to show their opposition to the line.
 Company Wants Harmony.
 Attorney Kenealy made a statement for the trolley company that 1t desired to be on good terms with the people whose territory they served and they wanted no enmity with the common council of the people of Norwich and if any better plan could be devised that the trolley company could accom- plish the company would be glad 10 accept that and he said that he as counsel would not advise the company to accept this plan even if they could get it if it could be shown that 1t was more dangerous than the present pole locations.
 Just before the hearing on this peti- ton closed. Iineman John H. Hunph- rev of the trolley company claimed the privilege of making some statements In correction of something MT Pitcher had said about their conversations in connection with making out the blue print plan F. J. O'Connor also said he was opposed to the locations.
 On motion of Alderman T: Fl. Beck ley it was voted to defer action on this matter to the next council meeting. Hearing on Telephone Line.
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