Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-03-13

pipes entered the house.
1t Is believed here that habeas
corpus proceedings will be instituted
In Carlisle as soon as the men arrive
this afternoon. To-day's develop
ments are helping in a small way to
unravel the tangled affairs of the week
as the matter Is now in the hands of
the courts and citizens believe there
Is some hope of temporary SETTLE
ment, at least.
At the regular meeting of the bor-
ough council last evening the action of
the highway commissioner. Isaac Wolfe,
and Chief of Police Charles z. Fox
was commended. Mr.. Wolfe refused
to grant the water company permits TO
open the streets for the purpose of
turning off the water supply. Chief
of Police Fox halted the employees of
the water company when they attempt
cd to dig the streets without a permit
and threatened them with arrest
should they again attempt to open any
thoroughfare.
The meeting was attended by large
representative body of citizens. includ-
ing several women. Although they
did not speak, they listened attentively
to opinions of men who told what they
would do should attempts be made to
shut off their supply. p. d. Irwin, a
new resident of the town, asked those
present what the women of the town
could do when the men were away
from home. There were suggestions
that they do as several women of the
town did yesterday-stand on the
valve water boxes, or put cement over
the openings.
warren b. keim. a member of
council and one of the members of the
collection committee of the citizens
committee. told just how far that COM
mittee had gone in attempts to settle
the dispute. He, together with other
members of council, signified his pleas
ure at seeing the committee and not
council handle the situation. He said
the borough council could fight the
company when any of the borough
ordinances were violated, but he be-
lieved the citizens should conduct the
fight on rates. He and other men
favored carrying the case to the SUI
preme Court for decision as to the
right of the company to shut off water
and violate at will its contract with
the borough. Mr.. Keim says that al
tnough II is popular belief that a
water company is not permitted to
turn off the supply in case of dispute
over rates. there is no decision of the
supreme Court of this State on record
whlch could cover such a case. He
and other men say that after the
Supreme Court has given a decision
the rate question can be taken to the
Public Service Commission for de-
cision.
More Funds Needed
Mr.. Keim explained that more
money will be needed from the citizens
or the town to carry on the fight. In
the beginning only persons having
meters were asked for contributions
but now money will be asked from
persons who are paying the fiat rate
In explanation of this Mr. Keim said
he understands the company has the
right to force every resident to place
a meter in his house and that If the
3O-cent rate is sustained, which is 200
per cent. higher than the residents
nave been paying, then the residents
paying the fiat rate now will be taxed
much more heavily in the future for
the use of water.
Building Held Up
j. w. Kilborn praised Mr.. Keim for
the interest he has taken in the work
IN the town and urged the citizens to
organize as one family to fight the
company. He says he knows of plans
Tor thirty houses in Camp Hill this
summer, but unless the water dispute
is nearer decision than 1t is now the
houses will go up in some other town.
X. L.. Myers, councilman, speaking
as citizen of the borough, said he
has not paid his water bill and will
not unless the question Is decided
either one way or the other. He be-
l1eves. however. there will be a COM
promise between the attorneys of the
company and the townspeople within
the next few days. SO that the disturb
ances which have been going on dur
ing this week will end at least until
a decision is reached.
caf I,,,-f 4,
evening that administrators of the
Dale estate, which adjoins Camp Hill. |
Will, as individuals apply to the Cum |
berland County Court for an iniunc-
ton restraining the water company
from turning off water in the borough. |
When the Dale reservoir. which sup
plies the Dale estate with water, was |
sold to the Riverton Consolidated !
water Company some years ago there |
was an agreement by which the peo- !,
pie of that tract were to have the |
same rates as those of Camp Hill. |
Now that the rates in Camp Hill have |
been raised. residents of the Dale es- !
tate fear their rates will be increased |
also. To halt this on the Dale estate |
tract the Injunction restraining the |
water company from shutting off the !
water in Camp Hill or on the Dale
estate will be asked. The application |
will be made either to-day or to-mor. |
row.
Resolutions Passed
During the meeting last evening
Councilman Stroud presented the fol. !
lowing resolution, which was imme- |
diately adopted:
BY reason of the unwarranted and |
unreasonable action taken by the R,v- /
erton Consolidated Water COMPANY
against the citizens of this borough.
be 1t
Resolved. That this council hereby
tender their moral support to the citi-
zens. citizens committee, street COM
mittee of this council and the chief of
police in the present contest which has
arisen with said company respecting
the water rates pending a settlement
OF the same by the Public Service Com
Yesterday afternoon the water COM
9any employees were routed by the
schoolboys Of the borough. The men +,
were just about to shut off the supply
at the home of w. w. Wonderly when
his son, George Wonderly, appeared. |
He warned the men to get off the
premises. but they did not go at once. |
An argument followed, during which
the schoolboys appeared. They hooted
and Jeered the men and they were
finally forced to give up in disgust. |
The water was not turned off.
Late yesterday afternoon the en-
ployes, under Superintendent Saunders.
visited the home of e. B. White. in
Cumberland street. Mr.. White stood
over the water valve box but he al