Every person having any wire or wires charged with electricity running through a public highway shall temporarily remove any such wire or wires or the electricity therefrom when it shall be necessary, in order to take down or prune any trees growing in a public highway, within 48 hours after service upon the owner of such wires, or his agent, of a written notice signed by the director of the park department, to remove the wire or wires or the electricity therefrom. (Code 1941, Art. 147-9)