The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-04
WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO.
The Central Union Submits to the Coun-
Gil Committee Its Final Decision.
Rhe Company Will Not Deviate from Its Orig
inal Determination to Terminate All Tel
ephone Contracts as Early as Possible.

The conference over the telephone difficulty
Between the special committee of Council and
Aldermen. the judiciary committee and the Gen.
3ral Unions representative, Mr.. Wallick. yester-
Aay afternoon, was brief. Mayor Denny pre-
sided, and Mr. wallck, being called on for any
ehing he might desire TO say submitted the fol-
lowing as the final decision of the company's
directors.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, April g. 1886.
Hon. c. g. Denny, Mayor. G. f. Rocker. Chairman,
and Members of the judiciary Committee:
Gentlemen-Referring to the matter under
discussion at the meeting of your committee on
fhe 10th inst, which We were kindly invited to
attend, we beg leave to submit the following
IL seemed to be the sense of the majority OF the
committee that the telephone company would be
guilty of unfair discrimination between its pat
bons by disseminating the service of a portion OF
its subscribers April l and the remainder
Council should intervene and repeal at
Dnce the ordinance granting the use of streets
End alleys for it's poles and wires To this 1t
was replied, and is here repeated, that the COM
Aany has no intention to discriminate in any
way between its various subscribers, but Is gov
erned solely in its action by two considerations
Wirst, TO close it's exchange business at the ear
lest possible practicable time. it has declared
&c would be obliged TO do ever since the
passage Of the Williams bill in the Leg
jBlature. Secondly, to carry out it's contract
with each and every patron. according to their
respective terms. These contracts differ in this,
that in portion the company is required to give
Aotice of termination thirty days preceding the
md of quarter. while in the others, simply ff-
teen days notice Is permitted by their terms.
The company has, however, expressed its will
Rngness to Immediately cancel the contract OF
any subscriber who requests it.
We were asked to procure from the Board or
Directors-and time was given for that purpose
an answer to substantially the following ques-
tion If the Council will refrain from imme-
diately repeating the ordinance giving said com
Dany the right to use the streets and alleys for
telephone lines. will the company continue its
service up 20 the LIST of July to all subscribers
4esiring it whose contracts terminate April IL
This question has received very careful con-
eideration from the Board of Directors and the
tegal advisers of the company, and they have
Aecided that business and legal considerations
alike require that it should not deviate from the
course already marked QUIT e., to terminate
81 contracts at the earliest possible date. In
conclusion, we desire to submit as reasons why
no hostile action should be taken against
this company, that it has given
its patrons prompt and efficient service, which
the large majority have always conceded was
worth all that was asked for it, that it has given
the city in return for the privilege granted the
free use of twenty three telephones and of about
six hundred of its 1000' poles for fire alarm
wires, and proposes to continue doing as
long as it uses the streets and
Dlleys for any purpose. 1t has
nlways carried out its contracts in good faith.
We. therefore, most respectfully protest, on its
swn behalf and on that OF its patrons, against
any action on the part of the honorable body you
represent, which will in any way hinder it from
completing its contract with them. Very re-
Bpectfully submitted.
G. FL BRowNELL,
JOHN +. WALLICK, Directors.
He called attention to the proposal of certain
sitizens to take the plant and manage the service
IN the interest of subscribers This the directors
we're now considering but he had heard nothing
definite in regard to it from the board in Chicago
Councilman Edenharter offered a resolution,
which was in effect. the same as that adopted
last August in calling upon the company to in
CORN the Council what they intended to do
Councilman Cummings called up the resolution
of March Is, relating to the discontinuance of
5fe service to any subscriber where legal rates
iiave been paid and instruments provided If
Ibis is done, then the company is required to re-
move its poles and wires from the streets and al
leys Of the city AS neither resolution met the
emergency, the committee authorized City At
torney Taylor to prepare ;sn ordinance for the
repeal Of the Central Unions franchise.