All telegraph poles and the wires attached thereto, not the property of the United States or the District of Columbia, upon the streets, avenues and alleys on March 3, 1905 within the fire limits of the District of Columbia, except as hereinafter provided, shall from time to time, as may be prescribed by the Mayor of said District, be taken down and removed. The work of taking down and removing said poles and wires shall be done under the direction of said Mayor, and it is hereby made the duty of said Mayor to enforce compliance with the provisions of this subchapter as expeditiously as may be consistent with the public interests; and the said Mayor is hereby empowered, from time to time, to authorize any company or corporation on March 3, 1905, or thereafter operating and maintaining a telegraph plant or system in the District of Columbia to locate and construct a system of underground conduits, subsidiaries, and manholes in or under any or all of the streets, avenues, alleys, lanes, or other public highways in said District, as may be requisite and necessary for the purpose of this subchapter and for the reception of such other conduits, cables, and wires as may be reasonably required in the future by the growth of such company or corporation or its assigns, or to adequately meet the requirements of the public for telegraph service.

(Mar. 3, 1905, 33 Stat. 984, ch. 1415, § 1.)

1981 Ed., § 43-1409.

1973 Ed., § 43-1409.

This section is referenced in § 34-1921.02, § 34-1921.03, § 34-1921.04, § 34-1921.06, and § 34-1921.08.

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.