The Portland daily press., 1895-05-04
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Special Meeting of the Mayor and AL.
dermen Yesterday.

dermen Yesterday
Permission Granted the Cape Elizabeth
Electric Railway TO Erect Poles-New
Telephone Co. Has a Hearing-Other
Business Transacted.
A special meeting of the Board of
Mayor and Aldermen was held yesterday
afternoon at o'clock, Mayor Baxter in
the chair.
Absent: Aldermen Peters and Simth
PORTLAND CAPE ELIZABETH
ELECTRIC RAILWAY.
The above snamed company spetitioned
for permission to construca and operate
its railroad within the limits of the city
of Portland by electrical spower, by the
single trolly system, and to set and
maintain such poles and wires, appIi-
anoes and fixtures as are necessary, be-
ginning at the intersection of Cross and
Middle streets and running through
Cross street to the intersection of Cross
and Commercial streets, thence through
Commercial street to Portland bridge
by way of Commercial street, and the
street, road or open way running
through the grounds of the Boston &
Maine Railroad Company, or over such
other grounds and ways as the compa-
ny may determine, and over the land,
flats and navigable tide waters on the
easterly side of and adjoining Portland
bridge and over the draw and other
parts of said bridge into the town of
Cape Elizabeth.
An order had been passed giving pub
lcation of notice of hearing to be held
yesterday afternoon at o'clock.
Mr.. Clarence Hale said he appeared as
counsel for the road. That a fortnight
ago the charter was issued by the Iegis-
lature, and the company would like to
get to work as soon as possible 80 the
road could be running this summer.
There was no remonstranee.
Mr.. Randall asked if this work was
to be done in proper shape in regard to
rails, etc.
IL was explained that this matter
relnted merely to placing poles. l.,
The petition was granted.
NEW TELEPHONE COMPANY
Petition of George Durham. Jr., and
others WAS presented to have the right
to establish aud maintain "a system of
telegraph or telep hone in the city of
Portland with permission to place
poles, string wires. and all the usual
privileges of a. telephonesor telegraph
company, agreeing to commence opera
tions six months after the granting Of
the franchise.
The usual order of notice was passed
and hearing called for yesterday at
pm.
Mr.. c. f. Libby appeared for the road.
The company known as the Automa-
tic Company of New York has the right
to the automatic switch board and is
the head company. The company here
will be d branch of it. Hon. Seward
Webb of New York lis president of. the
patent company, Mr.. John C.McGuire,
surveyor of the port of New York,
member of the company, and j. Wes-
ley Allison, president Of the Automatic
Telephone Company of New York, are
here and viii answer to any questions.
Mr.. Libby was requested to say at the
outset this company is not started for
speculative purposes, but to set Oh foot
improved telephone service already in
uso. which they are ready to put in
Portland, and agree to commence opera
tions within six months of the granting
of the franchise. The patents on trans
mitter and receiver have expired and
the fundamental matters of the service
are open to the public. The old compa-
mics have the field and the advantage over
new companies unless the new companies
have something superior to the Bell
Company, and this company think they
have it in the Stroger automatic switch
hoard, and this is bound to revolutionize
the telephone service of the country.
They do not want to force old compa-
MES to reduce rates, but they propose
by the advantages they possess to give
lower rates than we have enjoyed, in
oluding the metallic return which will
prevent buzziug, and the automatic
switch board by which you call your
own number and which does away with
the expensive central system. The pres
ent company in New York has the mon
ey to carry out what they may under
take. This won't be any isolated system.
Mr.. Mcclure, who was introduced, said
the system was easily understandable
The great feature was the fact that the
sabscri Der called up the number wanted
himself, thus making the commercial
value of the telephone greater by reason
of its oheapness. The device is patented
There are, we will say. three push but
tons in each subscri be rs's Office. one for