The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-18
THE TELEPHONE FRANCHISE
Yesterdays Conference with Applicants
for the Central Unions Privilege.
The Council Committee Decides Unanimously
to Recommend the Granting of the Fran
chise to the West Syndicate Of Citizens.

MES which are applying for the telephone
franchise. was held at the Council chamber yes
terday afternoon. After the meeting was called
to order Mayor Denny announced that a new
company, which had not been heard, was
waiting to present its claims for the franchise
Mr.. Comley. accordingly. stated that the Turn
bull company was very axious to come
nto the city and furnish telephone service, and
he claimed their instrument was the superior of
any already in the field. In support Of his claim
he offered to the committee the privilege of ac-
companying him as his guests to Chicago, to
stay over Sunday and witness an experiment.
which was the connecting Of Chicago and New
York over telegraph wires with the Turnbull in
struments and testing their practical
use in long distances. He claimed
his telephone was the cheapest, costing he
said, but about five cents. He would establish
experimental lines and enter into friendly COM
petition with any OF the other companies. If
the franchise were given the Turnbull company
they would not only give perfect city exchange
service, but would also make connections with all
the cities throughout the State The company did
not want an exclusive franchise. but only wanted
permission to put up poles and establish lines.
When questioned by Mr.. Rocker, he said that
the Turnbull company would be liable and would
defend all injunction proceedings Of the Bell
Telephone Company. Mr. Denny asked Mr..
Comley when. if they were granted the franchise,
would they be ready to commence giving sew
ice, and was answered that they would do that
as soon as it was possible for them to erect poles
and wires and put up instruments.
Charles Martindale stated that he represented
company which had just come to town. That
company was the Egan Telephone and Telegraph
Company, of Columbus, o., and Mr.. Martindale
stated that it was backed by large amount of
Ohio capital, and requested that the committee
defer action until the Egan company could have
an opportunity TO exhibit its machines.
Messrs. Byield, Claypool and West then spoke
upon the merits of the West instrument. The
remarks of Judge Claypool were for the most
part recital OF his arguments made on last
Saturday. After them Messrs. Whitocs and Lu-
den, of the Interstate company, spoke at length,
the principal argument of their remarks being that
they were well backed by large capital They
were willing to assume the responsibility devolv
ing upon them 10 case the Bell company should
bring suit against them. Mr.. Luden alluded in
particular to the case where the Inter
the District Court of New Jersey for
infringement of the Bell patents, and
presented the excuse that the agent there was
brbed to go to Mexico by the Bell company,
and, as there was no one present to make de-
Tense, the Interstate company was enioined.
Mr.. Wallace. of the Wallace company, said
that they were not liable to suit
for injunction by the Bell company,
as every other company was, Tor the reason that
they used no magnets in their receiving instru-
ment, which he claimed all the other companies
had. The only thing which might lead to in
junction proceedings was the fifth claim of the
Bell Company, that they had the patent-right of
the electric current as used In telephon-
ic connection. He said that in case
where Morse the inventor of the telegraph, had
brought suit on the same plea, the Su-
preme Court, to which it was appealed, decided
that there was no infringement of patent 30
long the mechanical devices and appliances
had not been duplicated.
After Mr.. Wallace. Colonel Vance. Of the
and claimed that it was but
a catch-penny trick OF some of the com-
panies to say that the instruments were to be
manufactured here, and thereby add to the in
dustry of the city. He said the idea of starting
factory here for the sole purpose of manu-
featuring ten or twelve hundred instruments
was not very substantial argument Follow
ing Mr.. Vance. Mr.. Bosom, also of the Wallace
company, made some remarks, particularly at
lacking the Claypool syndicate and the West
instruments.
Mr.. Martindale then renewed his request that
the committee defer action. and give tho Eean
company a chance to exhibit the practical value
Of their instruments.
Mr.. West said that the struggle to obtain
charter in this city was to get a starting point,
from which to extend all over the country This
would bring here a large manufacturing estab-
instruments required for the service throughout
the country He thought the remarks Of Col
Vance out of place.
Immediately after the adjournment of the
conference, the judiciary committee and Mayor
Denny, who, together with the city attorney.
constitute the telephone committee from the
Council. met in the Mayors Office and pro-
ceeded to ballot applicants for tele-
phone privileges in the city. The bal
loting was secret and the first
one showed unanimous vote for granting the
franchise to the West syndicate. The Mayor
was instructed to draw up an ordinance to be
submitted for approval to a meeting of the
committee to be held in the Mayors
Office Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
The Mayor was also instructed to
include in the ordinance clauses providing:
~, that in the event the companyis enjoined or
voluntarily abandons the field its poles and
wires shall be given to the city; t2 that all en-
gine-houses, station houses, hospitals, dispen-
saries and city Offices shall be furnished with
telephone service free of charge, the
number of such free instruments not to exceed
thirty; (3l, that the city shall be permitted
to use the top arm Of all poles for the of the
fre-alarm telegraph, the city giving the com
pany the use of such poles as it now owns.
the company being required to replace
such as shall be rendered useless or destroyed:
AZ, that the work of putting in the plant shall
begin within thirty days; (5), that the CON-
pany shall not lease, sell sublet its plant with
out the permission of the Council and Board of
Aldermen. The committee then adjourned.
WILL BEGIN WORK AT ONCE
Judge Claypool, the legal representative of the
West syndicate, said last night that articles of
incorporation would be drawn up Monday, and
if the Council and board should act favorably
upon the report of the committee work on the
new instruments would begin at once The
progress of the company would depend
somewhat on the speed with which
the Central Union company gets its
poles and wires out of the way.
He thought the new exchange and
instrument would be in before sixty days, If not
sooner. No conference between the Central
Union people and the West syndicate looking to
a purchase of the plant of the former by the lat
ter had been held, and he did not know that one
would be held. The new company had plenty of
money and everything was In shane to he