Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-07
n, Council Votes Unanimously to Re
neal the Telephone Ordinance.
AVE TWELVE MONTHS TIME
N. Resolution Viii Take Effect One
Year After Approval.
ppTRENCHMENT AND REFORM
y.oort Laid on the Table and the
o,,or Taken U, pBut Quickly Dropped
An Interesting Session.


..i,, last night revoked the ordinance
~. ,be southern Bel Telephone Com
g. r.rmlssion TO rua its poles and wires
'-. ,se streets Of Richmond
s.ssion was by lar the stormiest
.,'.h.s taken place in the Council cham
D .,ncc that apartment in the
cr,y Hall was FIRST occupied, Con-
..,,, surprise was caused by the &C,
- the body upon the telephone
No ore thought the vote would
...,,,,rnous. as was the case.
-,. r-snt OF the Councils action. II
-.,-s8 in by the Board Of Aldermen
.rur5ved by the Mayer. will be to
,s. way for competition here in the
.... NJ telephone service, which COM
...., mas already presented itself. and
.0.r.ng the tempting inducement OF
...,.,,ents al greatly reduced prices In
..r7rsr franchises are attained.
~t, proposition to revoke the privileges
NJ me southern Bel company cene from
committee on Grounds and Buildings
U', ,loosa the refusal Of the company
.-.r, the city government thirty-nine
frl, OF cost. A subcommittee
me Committee on Grounds and
'r..ovs WAS appointed 10 look into
liter. and had a number OF meet
,..fh officers of the company. The
,t.,e people finally refused the re-
~ the sub-committee, and sub
S,,.4 counter propositions, which were
-, -,-egfable, either TO the sub-tommit-
&C. or ,he general committee.
I'll. fght against the telephone COM
.'-y was led by Mr. Marx Gunst. with
e.. cts Engineer and Attorney at his
i-4 ana tho Chamber of Commerce
,.l,. The Council not to grant the Bell
-.5.r-9v any further privileges. All
,s.. gentlemen took the ground that
d.. .lmrluy had a monopoly. and that
.-.4 should be taken away and an ordi-
r-.a alapted which would give equal
,-t.s 90 any and all concerns desiring
T.. -- ist1 ths business here.
Jresl-nt Glover called the Council TO
.,s- promptly at o'clock, and ten
..fs. later twenty-seven out Of the
.s-y members OF the body were In their
u.,, The absentees were Messrs Mayer.
y.pweI. and Murphy.
THE BUSINESS ANNOUNCED.
Clark August announced that the pend
fol. motion was that Of Mr.. Caskie TO
,..- The ordinance from the Grounds and
q l,nes Committee revoking the fran
,as. Of the Southern Bell Telephone
,.-rany 70 the Committee on Streets
s-r me city Engineer and Attorney.
Nr Gu1st stated that he had requested
t..,a officials to be present, and moved
IL. hsy be asked 10 come before the
council. and give the body their views
r1a the phone question. This was
.r.l %. and Mr.. Gunst was requested
~. 4
cf ,h- desire Of the Council.
0- Mr Grimes's motion the telephone
natter was passed by for a few minutes.
ana other business taken up.
Az ADDITIONAL JANITOR.
Avy,hlr ordinance from the Committee
d. Grounds and Buildings amended the
e-lna1ce with reference 10 the en-
l.,ees ot the City Hail. so as to provide
ir au additional janitor After some
discussion the paper was referred to the
COMMITTEES on Finance.
Tte Council then returned to the tele-
,bre question. Mr.. Wallerstein stated
that De- thought IL would be useless TO
g- any further time upon the matter
U, reference % the Committee on Streets,
U. c.ill for the question upon Mr.
C..a motion. which was voted down.
Mr Carter. OF Clay Ward, then arose
ta question OF personal privilege, and
EI that the morning papers of Tuesday
Ll IIl him In a very unfortunate light,
E-hrE him appear 10 do an injustice
60 tie Committee on Streets, very
i-.ran, body OF the City Council Of
Na.a De- was formerly a member. These
'iur's he said. accredited him with say
-s 10 his discussion upon the telephone
question that the Street Committee could
r,A.l, the assistance OF the City Engi-
,r and the City Attorney. What Mr..
-r..r said was that this committee could
G,uayc three inches from its nose with
at 'he Guidance Of the City Engineer
,- te one hand and the City Attorney
q, o.. other and that the Committee on
Grounds and Buildings had been taking
some ~ its medicine and had these Off
ti fsly iu accord with II (the Grounds
ll Buildings Committed in this tele-
I.re matter The Clay-Ward member
r.tr meant to compliment the Com
ttse On Streets for its prudence than
g als, any reflection upon its ability and
1tr.ty.
COLONEL CUTSHAW'S VIEWS.
The City Attorney and Engineer at this
'-10.-re entered the chamber, and on
Sr Ca-ttrs motion Colonel Cutshaw was
Fu.el ,0 address the Council concerning
iie tC. phone trouble. The Colonel said
a-i 5e hardly knew at what point 10
t-a DE had brought with him lot
% .teTs. papers. and ordinances con-
et.-s telephone companies and tele-
ln rates elsewhere. The question was
NH s-tol1 one with the Committee on
stet as 10 had been given much con-
A-au'n by that body. and II was not
C} bis recommendation, but that OF
De- Street Committee. that the ordinance
' 'Ir company be repealed. Colonel cut
Gdw explained the original franchises OF
.e e.un ny, saying that these privileges
tr'e given 20 be revoked at the pleasure
ife Council The feature giving the
Smmry the twelve-months' privilege
-i always been stumbling block. and
'''e had always been trouble upon the
s-Hu.n " poles once the Council had
.l-. iel "a pOle-ordinance. which sought
70 diminish the number OF poles on the
'i,tii This ordinance was never ac-
"..'i hy the company. and the Councii
o'"l not change the pole matter until
w.. franchise OF the company was re-
NN-' The measure provided that any
Wa.r company could put It's wires on the
pcs o, the Bell Telephone Company
1i.h the payment OF reasonable com
r''auon. In other words said the CITY
Lasineer the company WAS operating
l''ef an ordinance which was mono
g'y' There was no way 20 remedy this
oIply save 10 repeal the ordinance and
~ elopt "a new one. reyokabie at the
treasure o. the Council. He said he had
1' hesitation IN reiterating what he had
|rt'ousiy recommended. that the existing
"'Asn'e shOulG be revoked and a new
..1 adopted. by which fairness and equity
Nola Do accorded 10 all. The Engineer
,sphlned tho controversy between the
l street Committee and the telephone
,hp4ny concerning the separate-pole
N'ss'on and the conduit matter.
TIE FREE PHONE FIGHT.
Nf Carter asked Colonel cutshaw 70
tct
ae Engineer said that when the city
r. were arranging 70 move into the
80 N'y hall the question Of putting In
phones arose Tubes and wires had
s, ~ paced in the building so as TO have
a. Ae phones operated from one ex-
sse 10 be located In the Office OF the
s5tln,endent Of the Fire-Alarm De-
,,,Nstnt. Colonel cgtshhw said he had
Nrtfll With ona - fha ~Q3c.re NJ the