Location of Poles.
—In prairie district where there are no trees to interfere it is customary to set the poles either on the fence line or half the length of the cross-arms into the right of way. In case there are high hedges, trees or other obstructions, the poles are set near the side ditch, and trolley poles often on the very edge of the traveled roadway. On the whole it would seem best in most places to set the poles just outside of the ditch, leaving if possible the extreme edge for the planting of trees and shrubs. Neither poles nor trees should be set on the middle of the space between the edge of the ditch and the right-of-way boundary. In either case the limbs of the trees and the wires will interfere and the wiremen will hack the trees and leave them unsightly. In some states an attempt is made to prevent this and other vandalism by legal enactment, making it unlawful to cut any trees on the right of way without express permission of the highway commissioner.
No definite fixed rule can be made for the position of the poles. It is a problem to make the best of them. Also having once been set the pole owners may refuse to reset them, and it might be difficult to get courts to see the necessity of doing so. Therefore the landscape gardener will have to make his design with reference to them or, in cooperation with the pole users, get them changed. In the design natural condition should be preserved as far as possible. It might be wanted rightly to preserve large trees standing near the roadway; this would force poles to the fence line. When the poles are thus placed on the right-of-way boundary it may be necessary for the company to secure an easement from the owner of adjacent property. The highway officials, no doubt, under such circumstances would coöperate with the company in securing it.
By considering the poles as a part of the formal or semi-formal treatment of the roadside, having them arranged uniformly as to setting, distance, height, and length of cross-arms, they will not appear very ugly and even may unite interestingly, at least, with the landscape. Trees may be trained and pruned so that their branches will be above the wires, and shrubs may be grown below them. Anyway, the wires look like business.