232 BELL SYSTEM TECHNICAL JOURNAL 



Both of these classes of utility have been growing rapidly in the past 

 twenty-five years and the development, design, and construction of the 

 physical plant of each has kept pace with the growth in territory and 

 number of customers served. 



While earlier types of distribution plant were such that the possibility 

 of contacts between wires of the two utilities and other hazards could be 

 satisfactorily met by proper construction methods, protective devices, 

 etc., later developments have increased the use of types of power distri- 

 bution circuits regarding which questions frequently arise as to how 

 service can be properly maintained and extended on jointly used poles. 



These questions have received and are receiving careful considera- 

 tion by the Joint General Committee of the National Electric Light 

 Association and Bell Telephone System. This committee has recom- 

 mended certain principles and practises for the joint use of wood poles 

 which are intended for use as a basis on which electric supply companies 

 and communication companies should work out their mutual problems 

 and has undertaken important research work in connection with these 

 matters through its Joint Subcommittee on Development and Re- 

 search. 



The principles and practises mentioned were presented in a report 

 of the Joint General Committee under date of February 15, 1926, and 

 while it is beyond the scope of this paper to consider these principles in 

 detail, the following recommendations are of interest in that they 

 indicate the way in which this matter is generally being approached: 



Each party should: 



(a) Be the judge of the quality and requirements of its own service, 



including the character and design of its own facilities, both now 

 and in the future. 



(b) Determine the character of its own circuits and structures to be 



placed or continued in joint use, and determine the character of 

 the circuits and structures of others with which it will enter into 

 or continue in joint use. 



(c) Cooperate with the other party so that in carrying out the foregoing 



duties, proper consideration will be given to the mutual prob- 

 lems which may arise and so that the parties can jointly deter- 

 mine the best engineering solution in situations where the 

 facilities of both are involved. 

 It will be observed that while each party retains full responsibility 

 for facing and meeting its own problems, it is recommended that both 

 parties cooperate in working out mutual problems involving the joint 

 use of poles and in finding the best over-all engineering solution in 

 each situation. These are among the most important of the principles 



