Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-04
This Company TriumphS In The Fight
Before The Board.
HOME ORDINANCES VOTED DOWN.
The virginia LoDg-Dist"nce COM
many trges Delay and Fun IN
auiry Into the her's w
phones. But This IL Defeated.

Of the Home company, which the lower
branch had also adopted
This apparently ends one Of the most
stubborn fights ever made before the
councn and one that In several Instances
assumed threatening aspect me
Reu company's franchise expires in
few days.
A eoon az the two ordinances had been
read last night, 1t was decided TO aho"
each company thirty minutes IN "h'ch
Ito be heard.
Mr.. X. NJ. Smith, Jr., as the repre-
sentative OF the Home company saiu
cha, there were many people here who
would like to know something about 'his
cta-,aard comnanv. While he knew per-
sonally nothing against the 'ai'uaI-,
renptabie Journals had made charges
~ fraud against Il. which had never peeh
disproved He referred TO previous
statement from Mr.. Guigon tnal 'Ho
STANDARD had been endorsed by 'he ~
trical World, but he added 'hdt ne
Smith had a copy Of that paper V ~
49, 9otb condemning the Standard
and asking IL to make good IT'S PROMISES
MIR Smith then spoke of his own COM
,anv which. he declared. had no connec-
lion whatever with the Bell company
lie referred 10 the Mason factory Hcir
and to the phones turned out by H. ana
charged that the Standard had sotteh tne
evpert member of the committee OF three
taken off I'm the Street Commit
tie Mr.. Smith also laid stress upon the
fact that after the Standard had been
reported favorably by the Committee on
Streets. the Dell company, whose iran
chise here expired December loth' went
before that body 10 secure privileges TO
put up additional poles. What did TINS
s.snifv2 Mr.. Allen, chairman OF the
Committee ON Streets. here explained that
the Southern Bell had only asked for me (
privilege 20 put up poles TO extend n wire
10 the place Of business of an apothecary |
I'm the East End.
WOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. /
Captaln A. 3. Guigon. counsel for the
Standard. replied 10 Mr. Smith. lie SAID /
he could not reply 10 charges maze I
against the Standard company out or I
Richmond, but that any one making any /
Implication Of fraud or dishonesty upon I
the Richmond gentlemen connected with /
the company would be held to strict /
accountability. lie produced papers and +
letters TO prove that the Standard had /
a telephone exchange I'm successful and /
satisfactory operation in the city OF /
Kingston. y. y which was now extend /
ing its lines TO several surrounding towns, /
ana lIil Ilf company MNAiu TAAh iNaAN /
Albany He absolutely denied that the /
company had any connection whatever /
with the Bell and rather pointed out |
suspicion that the latter corporation |
might be behind the Home.
Colonel Cutshaw and Mr.. Thompson. /
Mr. Guigon said. had said that the Stand 1
ard was the best phone for the people !
Of Richmond. and the City Council could /
not 90 behind that Captain Gugon /
stated that the Home people had taken !
their phone out Of the City Hall and !
put It back several times. while the
Standard instrument had remained there, /
open to inspection by all.
CAPTAIN W1sE'S SPEECH.
Captain George D. Wise in closing the
argument for the Home company. first /
read a petition signed by LOO citizens of /
Richmond, asking the Council not TO
grant the franchise to any company until
il had been established by proper COM /
mittee that the company granted the /
franchise was a proper company. and had /
the ability TO give a fair telephone ser /
vice. Captain Wise asked If the Board .
Of Aldermen could afford 10 disregard
such a petition He referred briefly 10
the remarks of Captain Guieon concern /
ing the exchange Of the Standard COM
p9ny. and said he dared Captain Guigon
10 give the number Of one phone owned
by his company. Said Captain Wise:
III give him time now. out OF my own
time 10 give the number Of one patent
owned by the Standard company. Cap
tain GugOn saws he will not give away
the business affairs Of his company"
Captain Wise said Captain Guigon knew
that there was patent-ofiice in Washing
ton, which would protect him. He de-
clared that every man from whom Cap
tain Guigon had read letter had been
charged with fraud 10y reputable journals
IN several cities
When time was called on CAPTAIN Wise
he exclaimed: I'D give so for ten min
utes longer" This produced laughter
throughout the chamber and the repeat
ed rapping of the presidents gavel.
THE VIRGINIA COMPANY.
II was here stated that Colonel George
Wayne Anderson and Mr.. Wyndham r.
Meredith were I'm the Council Chamber as
the representatives Of the Virginia Long
Distance Telephone Company, and would
IKE 10 have something to say. They
were allowed fifteen minutes. Mr.. Mere
attn opened by saying that what his com
pany wanted was for the Council TO post
pone action until the merits of his com
pany could be fully looked into He
could not say that the company would
accept the franchise under the terms Of
the ordinances of the Home and Standard
companies, as IT did not really consider
these companies as competitors His
company was twelve years old and leased
number of the Bell patents which
MT. Meredith said. were the best in the
world. He asked that the Board defer
action, and investigate whether or not
his phone was proper one TO come To
Richmond.
Colonel Anderson also spoke on behalf
or the Virginia Long Distance Company
ana answered a number Of ouestions
asked by members Of the Board concern
ing IT, He explained that his COMPANY
preferred not to do local business but
wanted the local franchise to keen anv
other local company from exacting ex-
orbitant terms. This closed the arpl,-
ments on the part Of counsel
MIR BLAKE HEARD FROM
MIR. Blake obtained the floor. and sais
that as the Board had gotten throush
WIN The lawyers IL should get DOWN Ia
business. Mr. Meredith had voiced his
sentiments. and the Board was all al
sea lie did not think the Aldermen
should take any action at this session
MT. Blake did not appear 20 think e
matter had been made a subject of much
hvesugation. The committee should have
asked Tor an appropriation, and have got
Yen on the train. and gone where these
dinerent phones are located That WIS
,ne only way 20 get al this whole matter
, M,, SisAe SAID he was no, prepared &c
NVte Iol a company charged with fraud
company which had been IN existence
several years ani nai soften frarchtses
from oregon 70 Florida. and from Maine
~ ~ ou's,an t' ana only had one little tele
n,.one exchange. The Home company
proposed 10 have its phones manufac
tnIed IN Richmond IL had exchanges n.
rhkHla cues, and these were meritorious
t,SaS'S. lie was for home all the time
re. however was IN favor OF LAYING both
we ordinances upon the table and an-
p 10 ,n,d special committees. consistine
ol TWO members OF the Board Of Aldermen
ana three OF the Common Council -