The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-20
ASKING FOR FRANCHISES
CHrfPER TELEPHONEs PROMISED
10 rHE CITIZENS or RICHMOND.
The street Committee Hears Argu-
mcnis on Applications for Franchises
Nv TWO Telephone Companies.

franchise. that had been presented by
various companies.
The following members Of the Commit
tee were present. Mossrs. Allen CHAIR
man. Blanks. Burton. Diacont King.
Mcdowell, Mann, Page. FerTitcr. and
Iith0n.
On motion OF Mr.. Mcdowell. Il was de-
c.lcd that three speakers De heard on
each franchise and that each be allowed
ten minutes.
The FIRST application read by Clerk
JaDops WIS dated Norfolk. August 9TH.
ana signed boy W. r.. Brown and J. \.
GIN. 10 was ou that date referred 10
tlc committc" hy the Common Council.
The franchise SIS asked for a period Of
ten years. The company guarantees to
carry tho wires of the fire alarm and
police telegraph system. free of charge
ana proposes TO give the telephones free
or charge 90 various municipal depart
m'nis The rent of instruments shall
not exceed $50 per year for business pur-
poses and - for private residences.
Where two or more persons use the same
resident circuit, The rate for instru-
ment shah not exceed $40 per year with
in the corporate limits Of the city. out
side of the city's limits. the rate is 10 be
somewhat higher. The company also
proposes TO pay annually the sum of
Nr'. inciulug taxes etc.. into the city
treasury. The company is prepared 10
give any reasonable indemnity bond TO
the city within sixty days after the
passage OF the ordnance and 20 have
the plant in operation within twelve
months from that date. A trunk line
service is 90 De given between the cx-
change of the company and those of other
companies doing business ia This city.
Asormn APPLICATION.
Another application from the same com
pary was dated July 3d but II was re-
frrred 10 the Committee Oh the same date
as the one previously read. IL asks for
the privilege OF using the underground
system ou Broad from First TO Eleventh
street on Bark street from Ninth TO
Twelfth streets on Main and Cary streets
from Tenth 10 Fourteenth street. on
Seventh, Eighth Ninth, Tenth. Elcv- nth.
twelfth Thirteenth. and Fourteenth
from Broad to Fourteenth street The
company further asks for the privilege Of
us.11 poles ir the ether portions OF the
city.
To appeared that no representatives of
these companies were attending the
meeting Of the Committee and the two
applications just read We're therefore
Tine application Of the Standard ToIe-
ihole GO niany was reXt read. Ii asks
inr tnc granting 81 the franchise under
the general telephone ordinance and
promises 90 furnish satisfactory ser
vice at So per month for business pur-
poses ana 81 for residences. REGARDLESS Of
location within the corporate limits
Ito application is signed by John c.
robertson the President and Captain A.
IS. 'mton. attorney for the company
j he Application Nas accompanied bv q re-
port. slsheI hy Mcssrs Jacob Gary David
q. Aihsl' ana ". $. Copeland. three dis-
interested citizens who have examined
mo the contracts made by the represent
tatltcs of The company with citizens of
Richmond and Manchester. for the rent
lnt oi thc lcW telephones. and which rem
resent q fair proportion of the repre-
sentative business ana professional men
az tine two cities.
The last application read was that of
the Home Telephone Compsnv of this
'ilF' "Ai'n asks for the establishment
OF los lines ia The various portions of
inis city. THE company claims To- have
aitaif secured large number of sub
s'I4u'i-. ana which is daily increasing.
IL b. proposed to begin and complete the
Nne just as soon after the granting Of
the franchise ass Practicable. and the city
authorities may prescribe any reasonable
amt oi time. The charges proposed are
. per month for each instrument at resi-
aences. and s. per month for subscribers
at tncir places of business. The petition
D. signed hy Mossrs Christian N Chris
Non' counsel oi thc Homo Company
lhe following afe the members OF the
Board of Directors of the Home Tclophonc
company. Mcssrs. j. y Cullingworth
d. b. Patton. $. vs.. Travors. j. Whit
lp 'h' L. d. 'atlin. }. -. Crump JunIus A.
Norris j Montague of Richmond and
Ff'd b HIhh %. vs.. j.. Atkinson. and
ames Russell. OF Baltimore
rLrNnlSe oH 1883 STANDARD COMPANY.
At The close of the reading of the va
ioua papers Captain A. -. Guigon. the
attorney of .he standard Telephone Com
pany, addressed the committee lie pee
iuted OBJ the most emphatic manner the
iunor that his company was tn any way
allied 90 the OLD Eoll Telephone Company.
Already more than one thousand sub
scrihers Dad bsen secured for the stand
arl Telephone Company. about 10 or 100
OF whom were from the city of Nam
chester Captain Guieon added that r.
per cent. oi the stocks and bonds of his
company would be owned by Richmond
people. while only % per cent. would be
~
company The stock and bonds TO b
issued woull Doe AT the rate of $40 for
each instrument in stocks and so in
bonds. There was no better telephone
made than that OF the Standard Com
Iany. and the members of the company
had been able 90 test the same. a sample
having been placed jon the committee I
room. which had been connected with q /
circuit of twelve miles OF wires. Each I'M (
strument used hy the Standard Company
was a lOne-dlstance telephone. and its 1
lne II once established i'm the city OF /
could be easily connected with |
g mnar systems OF the same company I
used in other cities At an events the /
rates 10 Doe charged in such Instances /
hOull not exceed oue-half OF the present !
lates. The entire amount OF the stock /
and bonds 90 boz issued had already been /
lred.
Captain George ". Cross. Of The Stand |
arl Telephone Company, in New York. |
aas next heard He spoke in detail about /
tle condition of affairs OF his company /
AVID described the working OF tho various /
Instruments and apparatus used 10y them. |
N also read some opinions given 10y cN- |
ports as TO the quality OF the .nstrn- !
h'rts used. lie explained that the pa
rental company in New York had or
In2 70 sixteen other Territorial com
lHnies. each on" OF whom was expected ]
ID establish similar plants 300 its territory.
iherc was ~ present a telephone line
under cousiructo on from Boston 20 Wash
ington. and 90 was 90 boz continued as far
oa Florida. and all cities on this route
where tho cOmrIuN'e system was intro