East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-07-12
FOR Al NOTICE IS SERVED ON
LOCAL COMPANIES TO REMOVE
POLES FROM STREETS OF CITY

City Attorney ]. A. Fee, Jr., this
morning served a formal request up.
on the local management OF the Pa.
cafic Telephone & Telegraph Co, and
upon the Pacific Power & Light Co.
to remove their poles and overhead
wires from Main street. His action
was in conformance with motion
passed by the city council at the ses-
sion week ago
The suggestion that the telephone
company be made to remove its poles
on Main street was made at the coun-
Gil meeting by Mayor Best after he
had criticized the company for refus-
ing to contribute what he considered
a reasonable amount toward the fl
nancing of the Fourth of July cele.
bration. Councilman Phelps express
ed the sentiment that the telephone
company should not be singled out
for attack when the electric company
also maintained poles and wires on
Main street His motion. which was
carried, included both companies.
In the event that the telephone
company complies with the request IL
will probably mean that the entire
system south of the river will be re-
built, an end that patrons have long
and patiently awaited The removal
of the poles from Main street would
doubtless mean the installation of
cable line on Cottonwood and Garden
streets with service stations feeding
off them. 1t is reported that the
company has already made an esti-
mate for the installation of these ca
bles and for rebuilding the plant but
there is no indication that the Off
cials have any intention of immedi.
ately executing their plans unless de-
mand is made upon them.
Pendleton is said 20 have one of
the most obsolete and rundown tele-
phone plants in the northwest and
theer is little doubt that it has long
outIived its time. As an indication
of the bad service that results from
the poor equipment and out -of-date
methods, it is said that 900 telephones
in the city We're out or service from
eight to "a hours during the last wind
storm. Many patrons will testify that
they expect as a mater of course from
long experience that they will be de-
prived Of telephone service after every
wind storm of any consequence.
There is also much complaint Of the
long delays before service is secured
after application. Some patrons have
had to wait nearly three weeks before
they could secure the installation Of a
telephone and many have had to wait
a week. 1t is generally understood
that the fault is not with the local
management but with the lack of IA
cilities for taking care of these new
applications One subscriber recently
found it necessary to appeal to the
public service commission before he
could get action on his application.
Being a business man who had fire.
quent need of a telephone at home.
he experienced considerable inconven-
ience through the delay of the COM
pany. There is complaint, too. thay
the company maintains wires on
West Webb street much lower than
the franchise provides.
Complaints of the service in the
city have grown so general that they
are the rule and many blame the OPP
orators and other employees for what
should be charged to the poor equip
ment. Since the cable line was run
on the north side there has been little
complaint there There is pretty
strong sentiment that the city counci,
should be supported by an insistent
demand from the citizens for early
action.
While the telephone company main
tains poles and wires on one side oc
Main street, the electric company uses
the other side for ike purposes and
the attractiveness of the street woulu
not be enhanced by the removal e.
the one line and the retention OF the
other with its ugly intersection hang
ing arcs. Other parts OF the electric
plant are reported to be out-of-dlte.
too and the action Of the council
doubtless presageS improvements In
both telephone and light systems