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Saturday, June 13, 1903 TAKOMA PARK IS OUTWITTED Wildwood Management Obtains Injunction Against Wire-cutters Justice Henderson Issues the Restraining Order - Gives Village Authorities Opportunity to Answer The management of the poolroom at Wildwood, just over the District line in Maryland, sprang a surprise yesterday on the town of Takoma, in which the resort is situated. An injunction was obtained from Justice Henderson, of the Circuit Court at Rockville, against Mayor Kinnear and the town council, forbidding them from interfering with the telegraph wires to the resort. Takoma scored a point on Thursday in its fight against the poolroom by sending out a band of bailiffs, who cut the telegraph wires and carried off long sections of them to prevent the resort from getting its news from the race tracks. The injunction obtained yesterday is the answer of the Wildwood management. Last night the poolroom was ahead one good point in the fight. Attorneys Wilton J. Lambert and D. W. Baker, of this city, for the poolroom, filed a bill at Rockville yesterday, setting forth that from about the 15th of April up to the 11th day of June, 1903, the poolroom "had the quick use and enjoyment of a certain telegraph wire, which runs along the poles of the electric railway and connects with the Western Union wires; that complainant was conducting a summer resort at the places, mentioned under a license from the State of Maryland." and owned the telegraph lines referred to, which, it was claimed, is necessary in connection with the poolroom business. It was further recited that "In pursuance of certain alleged ordinances" passed by the mayor and common council of Takoma upon the 1st day of June, 1903, the defendants undertook upon the 11th day of June, 1903, to cut the wire and thereby, it is alleged, committed a trespass upon the poolroom's vested property rights. It was set forth that the telegraph line is in connection with the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other places, from which points the poolroom received messages. It was argued that this constitutes interstate commerce business within the meaning of the Constitution of the United States, and that neither the State of Maryland nor the town of Takoma Park has any authority to prohibit or interfere with such interstate business. The bill alleged that the town ordinances on the telegraph wire question are wholly invalid and unlawful. It concluded with the statement that the town was threatening to further interfere, and that unless restrained it would do so. Justice Henderson granted the injunction prohibiting and enjoining the mayor, or council, or their agents or employes "from in any way interfering with complainant in the use and enjoyment of his property and his use and maintenance of the wires referred to." Justice Henderson granted to Takoma the right to file answer to the bill and at any time later to move for the rescinding of the order on giving the poolroom ten days' notice of such motion. The Wildwood people have repaired their wires. They said last night that they expect to be doing business at their poolroom today. Mayor Kinnear said last night that Takoma will fight the suit and attempt to establish its right to cut the telegraph wires. Mayor Kinnear recently wrote to the Commissioners asking if the District had granted permission to the Western Union Telegraph to string wires along the trolley poles of the Baltimore and Washington Transit Company from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to the District Line. Mr. Walter C. Allen, the electrical engineer, report that no such permission has been granted.

Tuesday, June 16, 1903 WILDWOOD WIRES CUT District Authories Interrupt the Laying of the Odds MAYOR KINNEAR FINDS A WAY Takoma Park Official Ascertains that the Wires Were Strung Without Company Taking Out a Permit and Induces Commissioner Macfarland to Take a Hand in the War on the Poolroom There were no returns received by the poolroom operators at Wildwood yesterday afternoon, owing to the fact that about 2,000 feet of telegraph wire had been cut down and removed by a force of District lineman under the direction of Mr. Walter C. Allen, the District electrical engineer. As there was no Marconi wireless system in easy call, the speculators on the chances of the ponies went away for Wildwood richer than they would have otherwise. Mayor Kinnear, of Takoma Park, called Sunday at the home of Commissioner Macfarland to ask that the Commissioners order the Western Union Telegraph wires leading to the Wildwood poolroom taken down where they are strung within the District of Columbia. No permit had been granted by the Commissioners for the string of such wires. Mr. Kinnear had a map with him in which he showed that the wires ran in the line of public streets for a long distance. The electrical enginner, Walter C. Allen was asked by Commissioner Macfarland to investigate the matter. Engineer Commissioner Biddle recommended that if the wires should be found on public space they should be at once taken down. On District Territory Mr. Allen found that the wires ran from the District line to the tracks of the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, along the poles of the Baltimore Transit trolley line. One of the conditions of the charter of that company to enter the District was that all constructions with the District should be approved by the Commissioners. The Commissioners will not approve the string of wires on trolley poles. The police regulations of the District provide, too, that no wires shall be strung along or across public streets of the District. Mr. Allen found that the two wires running from the Western Union wires beside the railroad track followed across both Willow and Maples streets in the District section of Takoma Park, and ran along Laurel and Tahoe streets in violation of the regulations. Four linemen, under the direction of Mr. Allen, immediately cut the offending wires and coiled them up and carried them away. Lambert & Baker, attorneys for the Western Union Company, called up the District Building yesterday and asked by what authority the Commissioners ordered the wires cut. They were told that the act of string wires there violated the Revised Statutes of the District and the police regulations. The poolroom management found themselves entirely at sea yesterday, and were nonplussed by the unexpected turn of affairs. They had assured their patrons on Saturday that no further interruption was possible, and the improved outlook attracted a large crowd. Unless the wires can be strung on Maryland territory all the way to Wildwood, the resort will have to close its doors. Should the poolroom open for business in another section of Prince George County, Sheriff Hardesty will be asked to raid the place and break up the game.

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