The Portland daily press., 1895-04-18
FOREIGN CA PITAL

FOREIGN CAPITAL
when it comes and gives good facilities
He was not present to- antagonize the
new company. The New England Com
pany would not do SO. But he thought
it desira BILE that the city should deter
mine what it intended to have done
with the wires, whether the plan of
putting them under ground was to be
continued or.not. There had been for a
long time requests made for the New
England Company to put its wires un-
der ground. 1t had got authority to do
SO IN the legislature of 1891, and had
begun the work of putting the wires
under. This was their policy, and they
were extending.the conduits as fast as
poss:b 1t canLot be done all in one
year, however. The New England Com
pany is also putting IN metallic circuits
as. rapidly as possible. This new COM
pany comes and ask for the right. to go
on top of the ground. We say that we
have nothing to oppose. If in order to
get cheaper service you want to return
the old way of putting wires on poles
and housetops. we can accommodate
ourselves to it in entire good nature. 1t
is for you to say.
Collector Deering said he thought the
underground conduits would not ma
terially diminish the number of poles,
for the houses would still have to be
used
Mr.. Larrabee said that since the new
company had filed it's application for
leave to. erect poles. the New England
Company had asked of the city govern
ment the right to lay conduits in a large
number of streets OF the city. 1t seemed
| to him that this sudden request was
move on the part of the old ompany to
get possession of large number of
streets for their conduits in order to shut
out the new company. He thought the
new company should be allowed the nse
of the conduits. on the same term of the
| old.
| Mr.. Hale said that the New England
Company did not wish to shut anyone
| out, and the matter of the use of con-
duits could readily be adjusted. Al pres
ent the New England Company was con-
tent to putting it's wires. under ground,
supposing that such was the desire of
| the citizens. If the city council intended
| to change this policy the New England
Company would accommodate itself to
the situation.
Collector Deering asked if in the con-
duits already built in Exchange and
Middls streets, any Fights were reserved.
Alderman Dam said that the city re-
served the right to put it's fire alarm
wires into the conduits. Mayor Baxter
said this was the only reservation.
Collector Deering said he objected to
any company, especially foreign one
having exclusive rights in our streets for
it's conduit system.
| Mr.. e. B. Winslow agreed to this. 1t
was too valuableI franchise for the city
to give away. Franchises were too valu-
able TO be lightly parted with.
Alderman Thompson said he thought
this was right. The city gave away too
many franchises. He was glad to see the
new company come in. He thought the
gentlemen in it meant to give the city
a better service. But if we kept up we
should get city of electric wires and
pols. The two new electric car sys-
TENS would put many more poles up.
Now the telephone company wants to
erect many poles, and there is another
company on the way here with more
poles. There should be conduit system
on all the leading streets, and the wires
should go into it. He hopsd this matter
would be considered well.
Alderman Dam presented an order to
enable the new company to erect it's
poles in the streets named. But Mr.. Dam
said he believed this was too important
! matter to he decided hastily. He would
therefore suggest that committee be
appointed to consider the matter, pend
ing which the order could lie over.
Alderman Randall was for immediate
action.
Alderman Little thought that better
service could be obtained through COM
petition, and he favored immediate ac-
tion.
Alderman Peters asked if the new
| company would make maximum rate.
Mr.. Brown said they would The pres
ent rate for metallic circuits are $75 and
SEQ yearly; those of the new company
would be s37 and $45. For non-metallic
circuits, the
RATES WOULD CONE DOWN
from SIS to S24
Mr.. Peters wanted these promises in
corporated in the ordinance.
Alderman Smith thought the new
company should not be tied down to
rates if the old one was not.
Alderman buddy deprecated any
abuse of tho New England Company,
which had given good service. He did
not wishsto oppose the new company, but
thought the matter of condu1ts and rates
should be settled specifically before 60
ing ahead.
Mr.. Larrabee show ed that an existing
city ordinance already controlled the
.x,;roe INDIAN oroup1