The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-20
CLUB STARTS WAR
AGAINST WIRES on
BUSINESS STREETS
Members May Ask Prohibi-
tory Law After Learning
That No Such Ordinance
Exists on Books.

Although there is no city ordinance
prohibiting it, business men of Main
street are determined not to have any
more wires strung on that thorough
fare.
A determined stand was taken by
members of the insurance committee
Of the Commercial club when Mayor
Robbins announced to the committee
that there is no way to prevent the
city or the Light, Heat and Power
company from putting wires On Main
street if they see fit, although by city
ordinance, no other companies can
place their wires there. Several years
ago an effort was made to pass an Or
dinance prohibiting wires on Main
street, but the attempt was unsuccess-
full
The question Of wires on Main street
came up before the insurance COM
mittee when the matter of street light
ing was suggested by one of the mem
bers of the committee. Mayor Rob-
bins was asked whether it would be
possible to eliminate all wires from
Main street. The committee was then
told that by present ordinance, it
would be impossible to prevent the
placing of wires on the main thorough
Iare or the city.
Would Enjoin Wiring.
IF the city starts to put wires up on
Main street again l know of number
of business men who will start injunc-
ton proceedings and tie the thing up
in the courts" said E. NJ Campfield.
Following this discussion an agita-
ton will be started to have council
pass an ordinance prohibiting all wires
on Main street. If this is done, it will
necessitate the removal of the street
car feed wires
The suggestion was made that if the
city decides to change the lighting sys-
tenn on Main street, the street car COM
pany be asked to place it's wires in
cOnduits under the street at the same
time the city is constructing it's light
ing system. This would eliminate an
added expense, and according to mem
bers of the committee, it will only be
a matter of time when the street car
company will be forced to place it's
wires underground.
PERSONALLY 1 think every wire
should be off Main street." said .layor
Robbins, ''but it is impossible to force
any more off at the present time I'M
der the existing ordinances"
Discuss Light Issue.
The insurance committee informed
| Mayor Robbins that this committee is
directly concerned with the improve
| ment of the lighting system in the
city because of the question of over
| head wires. A heated discussion arose
over the method being used by the
board Of works in getting a lighting
system for the business district
IF no resident property owners on
Main street are interested enough to
sign a petition, the board of works
does not believe the demand for orna-
mental posts is sufficient to purchase
them," said the mayor.
! S. F.. Swain, ex-president of the Com
mercial club, said practically all of the
improvements on Main street in the
business district, where such an ex-
| tremely large proportion of persons di-
rectly interested in improvements are
merely business men renting their
properties, have been made through ac-
ton by the board of works and not
through petition He said that this
method should be used in the installa-
ton of the lighting system instead Of
the method of petition by resident
property owners in business district.
The mayor informed the committee
that there are at least twelve resident
property owners on Main street in the
| business district.
Il am assured if petition is pre-
scented to the board of works by at
least one resident owner, there will be
an overwhelming number of remon-
strances, but it will start the ball roll
ing and the board will turn the mat
ter over to council" said the mayor.