The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-22

ors.nanee 1ozzrsag the tsleSsooe rates
vas rna3e TIA special order % bus neAz.
Er. y. 8 ~ Giiser seat = letter 70 IL
eeuncsi. IA whieA ~ sAyrs
TIE csssa szsrse4ftsn begIrs ~ caJissg a.
tentl1n % ire petition ts- the rnmlaier-
an@e os The present feflcsd rates Pre-
seated az ire last meeting q e5as-ctl and
- TIE charges against tie feles saze com
rany waich the petition contains. Ee-
ssrrinS - tie tssspbane company. tAs is<-
ter cu1flrGes.
II hss also seen charged against thsTs
"a thzk petition that they Discriminate
Is favor os certain persons % tie eetTi-
snent & others
.lEAre they attempted 70 eeny or dis
avow thisg I state positively tEat x =
rat wltAin sse reach e any prof. that
they may bring here that TIE accusation
IS 3 false one. TIE satare of tbs methods
they smpi9y. ard IRE threats they have
naa4e 70 in;4Easiate patrons. are those
geaeraliy used ~ h.ghwayrsen Sho feel
a security Ia fhe reviewers behind which
taey stand
During the last meath the eoIieetor u
thls company entered many bGsiness
houses ard presented bills OF s. and 81. TO-
tally ignoring the provisions q the or
einaace whiea your hono-asla body passed.
regulating TIE maximum rates ot the teie-
rAone company. Yoa Will observe That By
this action they held the AVS which yen
enacted Tor the good o. the public IN ab-
selefe eontensvH. They EseneI 20 regard
yoa as the suhservlens .oo.s. or willing
perpetrators of a scheme designed. IL is
villzlay. - secure possession OF the az
fairs q the city. Indeed. these men have
boaste8 that they we're well acquainted
VITA tie methods o. councils. Further,
they have practically charged councsimen
with making demands with a view 10 Sc
curing pernlciors endz. Il this truce
In making Theses threats 10 patrons the
telephone company seems to have forget
ten that &c is public servant ard that il
has no more Fisht 20 take out telephone
than 10 remove. without consent. piece
Of furniture from private residence.
Nov, gentlemen. the telephone ccm-
pany has invited you and other citizens -
examine new system. which Il proposes
% inangurate il leu Of the present one.
should you extend 70 Il a new franchise.
Has II given you a single guarantee that
IS worth a brass button that Il VIII Keep
is pledges2 Not They are prolific IN
promises, but have rarely Il ever kept
che.
+'aIr clark ventured 70 make me asser-
ton that evening q the 18th inst. that
our petitioners 60 not represent more than
~ telephones. When he did 80 he knew
that he was guilty Of most deliberate
falsehood An expression from each OF
petitioners Eve invite an inquiry VIII dis
close that between 4e0 and go telephones
are used b. them. He asserted also that
our petition contained the names OF non
subscribers: OF Ell these. only one was a
non-subscriber. ana We defy Mr. Clark to
name another.
How Is 4 on the other slider Observe
the letter from Mr. Blaine. who says viz
tnally, that the company put down his
name without his knowledge: and that Is
not The only instance. MIR. Blaine alleges
that he never saw the petition.
Ell Is difficult 20 account for the action
OF some men. and particularly those who
have written IN favor Of the telephone
company. after their signatures we're az
nxed 70 this petition. ! am willing that
their names remain as they stand In proof
or their perlay and unreliabiiity. The
nature Of the ex post facto influence which
led them 10 bend aud write a letter IN ex-
tenuation az their iunrmity. | am not able
% decide. The symptoms reveal, however
an lnfectiye spinal debility. a disease
common to many people; bat you, Ar.
Mayer and gentlemen OF the council must
diagnose these cases.
Dr. Miller goes on 70 remind the council
that the telephone company IS d foreign
corporation composed Of non-resldents,
paid nothing for rs franchise and. While
making at least Si0.e1o year. pays It's
women operators only the miserable pit
taace" Of s. a month. lie recalls that the
city has a colossal bonded debt and has
given away every valuable acquisition
without compensation untn now all that
Is left IS the personal security Of the pub,
hc against imposition. lie calls for ener-
getlc action on the part OF the council
and says that Judge Carpenters decision
dcelarlng void the Bell Telephone Com
paay's patents affords the people an OPP
pnruusty to use an invention for which
they have already paid millions Of dollars,
and says.
This tgrn OF affairs vill allow OF home
A&AtAA& AAAA+Etkai- akt 81 NtAF fttA'N kt-~faAs az
a liberal outlay, with a corresQondinEly
low rate, aud all the money accrGing
thegesrom VIII be spent al home II viii
enable home capital TO give the very best
telephone service for about one-half the
rates now charged ana that before many
months. o. iet the city take hold OF K.
II necessary. and. ike our city water
works. il viii prove . blessing TO our own
people and solid source Of revenue. upon
wh!ch our treasury can draw IN emer-
Eeaclez without interfering or disturbing
private financial affairs
"Why should We encourage 80 uncom-
promising and autocrauc an institution.
the only aim OF which IS 20 drain oag city
o. every cent within It's reach, without any
corresponding return for comparatively
one Of the most stapsnjous enterprises OF
the coast
IN conclusion. I ask tire members OF
your honorable body as wise councillors.
as men az honest purpose, good Judgment
and gifted with common sense. end as
men q untir,ng zeal Ia the welfare of our
city. - maintain rs yoar Efforts the or
dinanee which yoG have already spread
upon the statute books % the city. and 20
which yoa viii surely ig tie future have
occasion q look back wiki pleasure and
-ss-tf~n surh a desirable consurDula-