Our Hobby Is Getting A Black Eye

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", July 1972, page 28

Dear Dora,
Just a few lines to say we are still "here" and enjoying every issue of CROWN JEWELS tremendously.
Enclosed find an article from our paper (The Daily News) on Thursday the 1st of June.

Glass Insulators Stolen, Power Out

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP)-A power outage affecting more than 100 West Penn Power customers has been blamed on the theft of glass insulators from a number of utility poles.

The blackout, in the Arona-Youngwood areas Wednesday, occurred when rain soaked through hose strips the thieves placed over high voltage lines, normally protected by the insulators, and shorted the lines, a company spokesman said.

The insulators have become collectors' items to some, the spokesman said, known to have sold for as much as $25 each.

Whoever stole the insulators "knew what he was doing," the utility said, because he had to climb the poles and remove high-voltage lines.

It took work crews neatly 14 hours to restore power, the spokesman added.

I do not know how other "Polecats" feel, but Mike and I think that one of the by-laws or rules of a national
organization should be that any such thefts seen should be reported to the proper authorities. Antics such as this
give what could be a "clean" hobby a very "black eye" 

You are doing a terrific job with "our" magazine, and we thank you most sincerely. As the commercial goes - it's
the best bargain in our family budget...

Michael T. Homza & Dad Eli
308 Scene Ridge Road
McKeesport, PA 15133

Dear Sirs:

I hope that you can find space in your publication to print at least a summary of this letter, as it may save a
life, injury, prison term, or, at least, considerable embarrassment to someone,

As President of the M-T Bottle Collectors Association, I was contacted by an agent of the Security Department of
the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and asked that as individuals and as a club, we do whatever we could as
serious, honest and dedicated collectors to help them half the theft of insulators from their communication lines.

They have had wholesale thefts of insulators from their lines... several hundred at a time in the past couple of
years. Their wires are left lying on the crossarm or dropped off to the ground. This could result in a mixed up
order and, consequently, a train wreck. Also, these wires carry about 60 volts, and a person properly grounded could
receive a serious shock or be electrocuted.

The railroad has issued many warnings, but will not issue any more. They are being forced, by the evident disregard
of the public to these warnings, to begin arresting and prosecuting all offenders. To assist them in their
prosecution they have begun a program of selective markings of existing insulators and new installations.
These markings will not be noticeable, but can be used as court evidence for prosecution.

In Florida, criminal trespassing is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and/or $10,000
fine. The theft of the insulators is petty larceny, or grand larceny, depending on the number taken. Tampering
with power, telephone, telegraph or communication lines is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in
prison and/or a fine of $5,000.

The insulators being stolen have a cash value to the collector of less than $2.00 each. Is this worth a life or
a prison sentence? I don't think so, and our club (and I hope, the other clubs and collectors in this and every
other state) does not want people affiliated with it who are guilty of removing these insulators. It is the honest
collector who suffers the most from these acts, and we would hope that your publication, clubs, and collectors
everywhere will get behind the railroad and other utility companies by turning in any information to the proper
authorities to assist them in the apprehension and prosecution of these thieves. This will help stop the
wholesale theft of these insulators. 

I believe with this kind of cooperation the railroad and other utility companies would be more inclined to assist
the real collector in his search for the old, unusual and rare insulator so they can be preserved and displayed as a
part of America's historical past.

Thank you for your time and interest.

Sincerely, 
W. J. (Bill) Dreggors, Jr. 
President, M-T Bottle Collectors Ass'n.