Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-08
FIGHT FOR TELEPHONE RIGHTS.
Southern Bell sim Rcticcnt-Propo-
sition of Brown d Kelvin.


The fight now on in Richmond be-
tween the telephone companies Is both
warm and interesting. That the out
come Of all the scramble for franchises
VIII result In a reduced price TO sub
scrlbers. there seems little room for
doubt.
The petition OF Messrs. Brown &
Kelvin. Of New York, for privileges FOR
either an overhead or underground sys-
tenn when was presented 10 the Council
on Monday night. places third new
company IN the Held. The others are the
STANDARD Company. composed OF Rich
mond ana Manchester capitalists. and
the Home Company. OF Baltimore. The
details Of the propositions Of these com
panies have already been given to tho
Dispatch readers.
dispatch man yesterday called upon
Major Robert Stiles. OF the firm of Stiles
x Hol"day' counsel for the Southern Bell
Company. and inquired what his people
contemplated doing. lie said that at
present he could not speak about the mat
Ter. lie mad noted the reduction in Pc
teisoufg made by his company, but could
not tel what they would do in Richmond
MesSi5. Brown & Kelvin are said 10
be experienced telephone ana telegram
puliderS ana their proposition IS r.
Safded 10y those who have considered IT
aS very reasonable They make two APP
pHcdiiohs. They ask first for the right
70 use Broad street from the western
SIDE OF First to the eastern side of
EleNenlh' Bank street from Ninth 10
twelfth Main and Cary from Seventh 10
Fourteenth. Seventh 10 Fourteenth from
Broad to Cary. for their subways. or
Underground cables, the heavy valtage
wires to 20 in separate subways. They
ALSO petuon the Council for The right 10
use such highways in the city for the
'Ioctioh OF poles as may be necessary 10
complete their system in this city.
privilege Of ten years standing is asked
Ior' and the company agrees to furnish
the cry with room upon their poles and
III thelr conduits for all municipal wires.
10 pay per cent Of their gross earnings
70 the Clty Treasurer. 10 interchange
business with any other telephone com
pahy IN the field. The company also
oDhgates Itself not 10 charge over s3S
per annum each for business phones,
o"u GOV per year FOR phones placed in
private residences, this, however. to be in
ehect within a radius Of only one mile
from the city Hall
Inc second petition Of these gentlemen
provides for pole system, and offers
10 me city the privilege Of running its
wires on their poles, 10 pay $1,000 per
dhhum INTO the treasury and TO charge SO
each for business phones. ana So for
residential phones. Both applications
were referred TO the Committee ON
Streets
Neither the Standard nor the Homo
company has as yet made application
for the right 20 establish an exchange.
run wires, etc. Both Of these are work
ing for subscribers first. and will ask
Tor the privileges desired when their lists
are sufficiently large TO warrant them in
beginning operations. The Standard Of
when Mr.. John c. Robertson is president.
has secured about 200 subscribers. in
Guiding many who are now patrons of
the zen company. Its officers are highly
sfatihed at the progress made. and ex-
press the belief shat they Will have 100
names I'M few days II the Homo goes
INTO the business here. II Will i'm all
PROBABILITY use the Mason phone. which
Is manufactured in this city. At least
negotiations looking TO the adoption of
the Mason phone by the Home com
pany are pending The heavy cut made
by the Bel company in Petersburg leads
to the belief that there will be a CORE
spending reduction made by that COM
pany In this city.