The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-12
[Fyom Our Second Edition Of Samday.S
REBUKING VANDALISM,
The Mass-Meeting at Evansville to Protest
Against Hot-Headed Action by the Council.
,port in Saturdays Evansville Journal.


Report I'm Saturdays Evansville Journal.
The rumors of Thursday afternoon and yester-
day morning to the effect that a citizens indig-
nation meeting would be held to protest against
the action of the Common Council in cutting
down the telephone wires and poles, were con-
frmed, yesterday afternoon. by wide distribu-
ton of handblls announcing that such meet
ing would be held in the Superior Court room at
s r. NJ. that evening In response to the call a
large assemblage of citizens representing lib
eral number of the large business and manufact-
uring interests of the city, gathered there. The
meeting, which was Of an hour and thirty min
utes duration, waxed exceedingly hot. It was
plainly evident that some of the participants
were very indignant, and that they meant to
express their feelings by bitter denun-
citation of the infringements their rights.
Messrs. Caldwell and Swormstedt were loudly
called for whereupon the former gentleman re-
sponded. He said he realized the uDpleasantness
of the task to criticise and condemn the action
of the highest officers of the city, but there were
times when such measures were absolutely neces-
sarv, as in this one. They committed great
error, he said, when they ordered the telephone
wires and poles to be cut-one that cannot be
remeded. The telephone was worth $40 a week
to him. It has become Indispensable, and to rob
the users of it is outrage that should not be
tolerated.
Mr. Caldwell fred hot shot at the gas and cleo.
tric-light contract, and from that he turned his
battery on to the Council, making pointed al
lusions to the alleged outrages that had been
committed by members of that body in past
times He thought the tax payers should arouse
themselves and put stop to these outrages. We
have, he said. our families homes and interests
of the city at stake, and if Evansville is to pros
per then let us unite and check the Cauncil in
its mad career
Messrs James Scanelin, Capt. J. A. Lemcke,
James A. Foster. II. A. Cook and Robert Rus
ton were loudly named, the latter responding:
81 came here as one of the users of the tele-
phone to express my Indignation at the high
handed treatment Which we have received at the
hands of the City Council. Now that our con-
uections have been cut off, we suffer deeply as
consequences. My Office is one and half mile
from the mill, hence my business is seriously
affected. The Council has destroyed property
through which business interests are greatly in
jured. 1t is as if man enters my house and
destroys my property. By this foolhardiness
the telephone company and the citizens lose.
Steps should at once be taken to recover the
losses sustained thereby" He said that it ap-
peared to him that there were other ways TO
compel the company to give service Some
thing seems back of this. Such actions by our
head officers is a shame and disgrace to the COM
munity.
Messrs Swormstedt, McFerson and Archer
were called. The latter responded: Nobody
can do this subject justice, unless it be lawyer
somebody who is able to denounce the outrage
to speak am not a user of the telephone. but
l am positive that the business men have been
wronged. 1t is a hard task for the telephone
company to give first-class service at So per
month. They can't do it at those figures. There
is no sense in acting as the Council has. The
telephone company had some excuse for cutting
off night service. 1t extends over the Sou tn at
rental of So or So month. Had it continued
regular service, trouble would have arisen
in the South, with demoralizing effect
Were company operating In Vanderburg.
Gibson and Posey counties, and So
charged in one and s. in another, the effect would
be bad. Day service is furnished at So here, and
in the south S. is charged for both day and night.
Had the company been allowed to hold out until
the next Legislature meets, the matter could
have been amicably adjusted. There
sense in the Council cutting the wires and thus
wiping the exchange out of existence The citi
zens ought to have stopped the cutting of the
wires when work was first begun.
Capt. J. A. Lemcke said the service which had
been given of late was satisfactory to the
jority of subscribers, and even those who
not perfectly satisfied did not uphold the Coun-
Gil in Its action. By the loss of the telephone
Evansville is relegated to the rear. while she is
second in population in the State and first in
manufacturing interests. The company is handi-
capped by big monopoly and can not afford to
give day and night service at reduced COM
pensation He spoke of the money that
would be lost to the merchants and manufactur-
erS through the loss OF business with towns trib-
utary to Evansville.
Mai. N. NJ. Booth spoke at some length, and
brought some strong points to bear on the sub
ject The substance of his remarks was of the
same nature the preceding arguments. He
said, however, that the cutting down of the
wires was nothing more less than mob
work.
Mr.. c. L. Roberts suggested that committee
be appointed to draft resolutions of condemna-
ton Messrs. T. r.. McFerson, VIM. Caldwell,
FL. A. Cook and Robert Ruston were appointed,
and they repaired to side room for consulta-
tion As they were leaving the room Mr.. Archer
asked them to remember that the members of
the Council were elected as our servants, and not
as our masters, aud that mo bulldozing goes
Laughter and applause
During the absence of the committee the time
was occupied by Messrs @. j.. Roberts and f.
M. English. The committee reported at 9:35
o'clock, and the resolutions were adopted They
were:
Resolved. That we, citizens. in mass-meetng as
sembed, do hereby denounce the action of the City
Council, whereby the property of the Cumberland
Telephone Company wantonly vandalized and de-
stroyed without authority of any Of law of this
land.
Resolved, further That the telephone subscribers
business interests have been outraged and damaged
and steps should be taken at to damages
for the vandalism committed July s, 1886.
Resolved. further, That in view of repeated usurpa-
tions OF power by the Common Council and their
disregard of the rights and privileges of citizens that
necessity has arisen for the employment of COM
surveillance of public servants but to closely
watch