The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-11

hundred other poles would cost about %
each. The whole cost Of the construction and
doubted it. In Cincinnati the Bell folks said
their plant cost 5000, 600. The auditor, upon ex-
animation, found they were on his book for
taxes for $50. The Bell people cannot afford to
make the concessions necessary to allow the
Central Union to contin le business on account
of the effect elsewhere. The telephone business
is as nearly all profit as any business you can
conceive of.
Judge Claypool here asked if he [Mr. vance]
supposed that in case the citizens here should,
the Central Union Telephone Company having
withdrawn, put up lines, any court of equity in
the land would allow the Bell folks to come in
and take that property without paying a fair
price for it.
which granted the use of its streets and alleys
for telephone purposes had the matter in it's own
hands. If a company is organized and then en-
joined You will at least have service during the
time required for the courts to act upon the
question.
Judge Claypool-J have some friends who are
impressed as my friend over snere tMr. vance,
that there is 2 little money in this thins. The
root of all evil is the root of the prompting OF
very vigorous action. / comesto present the
claims of some citizens who would like to have
some consideration sfrerA 4 y9ur honor
ana this committee. STt1&can hardly
be expected that this committee will
" b0h0 W SAA ~
these patents. That is for the courts. We have
a situation to be dealt with, and that is all the
Common Council can have in hand. We have
been having a telephone exchange, and, so Tar
the conviction that it was a very good one. II
is going out day by day tlauehter
and if the gentlemen who have control
of that exchange are honest In their declara-
tions, in a short time we will have no telephone
accommodations at all. We all appreciate the
aift1aftnn ond want fn nrauGpti ~ nQcaihIa L
come here in the interest Of the West patent.
We would not ask you to permit him to come in
here unless you thoroughly knew and were con-
WINGED and satisfied of the fact that
good service. You will be given an
opportunity to make a practical test of the in
strument on as long a line as You REQUIRE. II
the Bell telephone should ultimately beat us,
there would be again a little interruption, but
the telephone system must and will 60 on. We
feel such confidence in our strength that we are
willing to take our risk. l am sorry the Bell is
going out, but they are going out and they will be
out, but they cannot leave this city without tele~
phone convenience. / say we have, first, the
confidence thar we can beat Bell in an in injunc-
ton suit, and secondly, that, If Bell should beat
us, he could not in equity take our property UNI
der the circumstances, after the Central Union
has abandoned the field %ithous
exchange we purpose to make Indianapolis the
place whore we will manufacture the instru-
ments and machinery we shall use, and we shall
begin just as soon as you say. | now submit to
you the proposition signed by q number OF your
citizens:
the City of indianapolis:
Gentlemen-In view Of the fact that the general
telephone service of the city has been largely i'm
paired, and will probably in the near future, as it now
seems, be entirely suspended by its present manage
ment; and believing that the common interests and
welfare of our people demand the restoration and
maintenance of a general telephone exchange, the I'M
d~ersigned and their associates propose to effect such
restoration at the earliest practicable day if ~satisfac-
tory arrangements with, and the cooperation of your
honorable body, and the commercial and business in
terests Of the city can be assured. To this end, and
as a preliminary and essential basis thereof, it is asked
that, in case the franchise of the streets and alleys OF
the city be abandoned by or withdrawn from the Cen
trail Union Telephone Company, the use and fran
chisas of the said streets, alleys and public grounds OF
the city, for the erection Of telephone poles and wires
under and in conformity with the laws of Indiana, be
granted to the undersigned, to be by them or by any
incorporated company. organized by. their procure,
ment, used in constructing and operating such general
exchange.
As it may be deemed advisable to effect the organi-
cation of an Incorporated company under tine laws of
Indiana, to carry out the purposes of this proposal,
which would be useless unless a grant OF the said
franchises shall be assured, tits asked that the grantees
of said franchise shall have the privilege of v~esting it
in such corporation when formed, for the uses and
purposes aforesaid, and none other.
Should the contemplated arrangements be con-
lila II i uU6uOcu IL cApcCtCo W Jul tLo
manufacture of all supplies at the Gilliland shops of
this city, and furnish the city with telephone service
fully equal in efficiency to that which our citizens have
hitherto enjoyed, constituting the system In a large
degree, a home institution.
All service hitherto enjoyed by the fire department
and other public institutions of the city, free of
charge, will be granted and continued on like terms.
1t is intended that so soon as the present service shall
have been practically abandoned, or otherwise SUBJ
~stantially terminated, the restoration shall be com
menced by the undersigned, at the earliest possible
day after the grant to them of the franchise afore-
said, and carried forward to completion as speedily as
capital, mechanical skill and labor can accomplish it.
E. F. CLAYPooL, FREDERIC OsTEHMEYER,
w. G. DEPAUw, FRANKLIN LANDBRs,
SOLOMON CLAYP0oL. CAss BYFIELD,
J.. w. MURPHY.
Councilman Pearson wanted to know what OBJ
lection there could be to the Cushman PROPOSE
ton to furnish service lines where anybody with
any kind of a telephone could hitch on.
Mr.. Gilliland, representing the West tele-
phone, replied that such a scheme was imprac-
ticable. for the reason that the West instruments
are specially adapted to work together, and,
therefore he would not care to go into the field
unless he had it alone.
Judge Holman, quivering with excitement, the
cause of which was not apparent, exclaimed:
'.Do l understand that this name is Gilliland
the same name that is on all the telephone
boxes we see about the city?" He then said he
believed there was a connection between him
and the Central Union and Bell.
Mr.. Gilliland-The same NAME, but not the
same person. Ii i get lt / WALL Try TO GET the
poles and wires as they are. If not, we will put
up poles and wires.
MIR. Bosom (attornev for the Wallace Vance
Ridenour interest)-When was the telephone in
vented2
Mr.. Byfeld-In November, 1885.
Mr.. Ridenour-How mapy Of the Central
Union folks are connected with it,
Mr.. By6eld-Not one.
Judge Holman here repeated the remark that
the West company was in the interest of the
Central Union.
Some one here asked what system or interest
he Judge Holman] represented, whereupon he
rose to his feet and, with fine oratorical effect.
proclaimed himself there as a friend
of the people-the interest of the
citizens of Indianapolis and nothing else, and
that we did not want the Central Union again
under another name.
Mr.. Byfeld remarked that he saw no need for
excitement over a simple proposition, and hoped
the gentleman would take his [Byfe)d'sl word.