The morning call., 1893-05-05
NOT YET GRANTED.
New Telephone System
Being Considered.
The Supervisors Desire the Most
Specific Information Regarding the
Intentions of the Company.

The application of J. B. Stetson, ex-
Governor George c. Perkins, Louis Sloss
and j. D. Spreckels for franchise TO lay a
conduit system through the city for tele-
phone communication came up for hearing
before the Street Committee of the Board
of Supervisors Yesterday.
None of the applicants were on hand. but
they were represented by ex-senator Cross
Attorney Cross addressed the committee
and succinctly set forth what the petitioners
desired He said the parties he represented
were men of the highest standing and
wealth in the commercial world and were
not accustomed to conducting business on n
small scale. Tney meant TO give San Fran
cisco cheap and efficient telephone
system.
He said his principals had incorporated
with n capital of S5 000, 600. and paid up the
amount required by law. They proposed TO
lay 200 miles Of wires.
Attorney Cross read from an act passed
by the last Legislature. which provides thai
all franchises for street railroads. electric
and telephone systems shall be sold at pub
lie auction TO the highest bidder The
present franchise is the first one which has
come before the board under the new law
Attorney Cross stated that uEr ct the act
an application must first be made to the
board for franchise, and all its conditions
specifically set forth.
The committee then recommends 10 the
board the franchise, which is carefully
drawn up with all the conditions set forth.
The franchise must then be advertised for
ten days. For thirty days subsequent no
action could be taken. The board then
offers the franchise so drawn and adYer-
tised at public auction, snd it is given to the
highest bidder. 1t might so happen that
the highest bidder getting the franchise was
not the company making the original appli-
cation.
''All we ask OF you." said Attorney Cross,
''is to take the initial step. recommend the
franchise and have 1t properly advertised"
Supervisor Ryan wanted to know some
thing definite about the company's inten-
tons.
WELL" said the speaker, 1--WE propose to
give complete system, and will give two
wires, IL necessary, free of charge to the
city for fire alarm and telephone communi-
cation. The company in the start expects
to get its greatest revenue from the resi-
dental portions of the city, for the rate will
be only 81 month"
Chairman Day inquired If the proposed
expenditure Of $50, 600 would be used in the
purchase of e lot.
The representative of the company indig-
nantly denied that such was the intention,
because the men at the head of the enter
prise had all the lots they wanted, and were
in earnest on the proposition.
We'll" said Chairman Day, "in what
portions OF the city do you expect to lay
your conduits" You may confiHe yourself
TO one locality, for instance, and a person
out on Thirtieth and Mission streets could
not benefit by your system. We must have
specific information ou these points. You
must district the city and tell us when aud
how you wild lay your conduits."
II cannot give you this information" said
the attorney.
"Tel US how much you are going to charge
switch. The present company only
charges cents. You may charge mora"
Emo, we will not charge more, because
we are going to compete, aud cannot do So"
said Grass.
Day-You have a patent on the Invention
for transmitting written kilograms. Now,
having monopoly of this, you may make
that your principal business. and charge
monopoly rates. We want definite infor
nation on all these points before we will
move in the matter
RYAN move the matter lay over two
weeks, In order to give the company time TO
furnish the necessary Information.
Cross-Well, You are rather hard on US to
delay so long. 1t Will take several months
to get the franchise.
mo, it will not" replied Day. These
things should not be done too quickly |
remember this board stayed up till l in the
morning and went through mud and slusn
TO accommodate the Olmyplc Club and give
them their salt water franchise. They were
IN such hurry, they said, to wash them
selves IN salt water. Several months have
passed, but not brick has been laid or n
spade Of earth turned"
Attorney Cross stated that he would have
All the necessary Information compiled be-
lore the TWO weeks were up, and the meet
Ing was adjourned till that time.