The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-20
IT Is AWARDED TO BOTH.
STtNDtRD IND HOuE COMPANIES
ItCH CIR A FRANCHISE.
The Long Drawn-out Telephone Fight in
the city Council Ends in "a
ftsscc-Thc Arguments.


night FOR the purpose OF receiving the
report of the Committee on streets, which
again recommended tho adoption OF the
ordinance allowing the kicnm0nd stan
uard Telephone Company 10 construct
aud operate "a telephone plant or cN-
change. The following members am
swcrod to the rol-call Messrs. Blanks.
BloOmDcrg. Briggs, Garter, DAVIS. Deaile'
Don Lcavy. Epps. terrter, Giinin.
Grimes. Jackson Lawdcr. Murphy, smith,
arowcr, and President Glover.
AIcssrs. Gunst and Landcrkln were rep
resented 10 bc out OF Town, while Mr.
Wallcrstoin was absent on account OF
sickness. Mr. IT,. II. Garter. who mad
been elected 10 succeed Colonel Branch.
III Clay Ward, Tor his uncxpircd term,
gas la his seat for the iirst time
Tho reading of the minutes OF the last
meeting was dispensed witn, on motion
VI Mr.. BlOOmberg and after reading the
call Tor tho. meeting, the city CLERK read
at once the ordinance 20 be discussed,
which has been published in tul IN the
columns OF The Times.
Mr.. Rl0Ombcrg offered two amendments
the first OF which was OF clerical nature
while tho other refers 20 section Z, ana
provides that the service TO be furnished
BY the STANDARD Company snail be sails
factory TO the Committee ON streets.
The TWO amendments were then anopteo'
WANT CHEAPER PHONES.
Mr.. Briggs offered an amendment 10
section Z, reducing the price OF telephones
for stores and business offices TO s. per
month. and for private dwellings 20 N.J)
per month.
Mr. Bloonberg moved that Mir Guigon.
AS counsel Of the comDany. be hear on
fhe amendment and also the repr senta-
I've Of the other company. Mt 1io"er
moved that the time be limited ON each
side TO ten minutes, but the motion was
lost Dy vote of l3 10 g.
Mr. Bloomberg's motion was carried
and Captain Guison addressed the 'oun-
ell stating that II would be Impossible
for his company, from "a business stand
t.olnt. to accept the amendment Besides'
IL would DE necessary in June next to put
the wires for some twoniy-cight squares
in underground 'couduits. ana the conol-
lions provided by tho city Engineer ana
suncrintendent Of the tirc-Alarm Tele-
eraph were very stringent. Another iact
20 be considered was, the larger tho tele-
,,no exchange. the more the expense
would he increased.
judge George l.. Christian, on behah
of the Home Telephone Company, stated
that in the main he agreed with MI
Guigon's statement. but ne did not agree
that an charging of the exchange would
increase the expenses.
Mr.. Briggs then withdrew his amend
mont city Clerk Il. +. August next Ieau
"a petition from Richmond Lodge, No. 10
international Association Of Machinists.
asking that the franchise le gwen TO the
Home Telephone Company.
Mr.. Bloomberg. on behalf Of the COM
miftee on Streets, explained in detail the
various steps taken by the Committee IN
the matter In conclusion he said that
DE- was prepared 20 vote i'm favor OF Civ
tng the franchise 10 the Standard Iele-
phone Company
1T then being $3.50 O'Clock, it was decid-
al that The public debate be close0 al
10.80 o'clock and "a vote be taken al IL
o'clock This was agreed 10. and on mo-
tion Of Mr.. Woody the time of the public
debate was equally divided between the
representatives of the two companies ON
motion of Mr.. Bloomberg II was decided
that the representatives of the Home
Company be heard FIRST.
judge George T.. Christian was first
given the privilege Of the floor. and he
dwelt az some length on what iranspired
during the various sessions of the Com
mittee on Streets. He laid special stress
on the fact that the city Engineer ANA
sunerintenlont Thompson. after an inNes-
tirnff1u had declared that the respective
telephones were about equal ana that
they only decided Foo favor of the stan
darl Telephone because the other was
merely of nn experimental stage. I'm
speaking OF Che various charges that mad
been made against She Standard Com
pany. Judge Christian said the counsel
should Insist on their refdtauon which
had never been made lie was prepared
to- prove that the circular, suggesting
that certain money should be set aside
for greasinc The Common Coucil dii ema-
mate from tine office of the Standard
Company. He reiterated The charge that
the Standard Company did not own any
telephone nor switchboard. ana that
iis patents were almost worthless.
After dwelling ou the proceedings Of
the Committee on Streets at the last
meeting. when the motion 10 postpone
the matter was lost hy a tie vote. Judge
Christian suggested that the matter be
referred back Co committee OF five FOR
a thorouch Investigation Of the entire
matter and the affairs of the two COM
pauies as we'll The speaker then read
part of a lengthy article published in the
New York World against the Standard
Company
The time allotted TO the Home Company
having expired. tho time for public dis
cusson was. on motion OF AIR. Boomherg.
extended one hour. giving another thirty
Iiomc Company.
Judso Christian. in concluding. called
attention 60 the fact that an invostiga-
tion Of the a0eirs OF the Standard Cone
pany was now being made IN the state
Of New Jersey. and that q similar invcs-
tigation bc made here was an that he
asked OF She Council on behalf of his
company
Quite a number OF articles from various
papers were then read by Judge Chris
tian and subsequently by SIR. James ".
Gordon. on behalf OF the Home Company.
Judge Christian then read a letter from
Sir John e.. Robertson. president OF the
Standard Company. containing a number
o. assertions which he endeavored TO
refute.
MIR ATKINSON'S STATEMENT
Mr. Atkinson. the general manager or
the Hcne Company, who was present,
stated that he was prepared 20 prove
that stock of the Standard Company had
been offered for sale m Baltimore with
the statement that the company mad its
poles rD and its wires strung In the city
" Richmond.
Mr. Murphy hero suggested that every
statement made before the Council I'm
this connection be made under oath.
JUDGE Christian stated. and " was cor
iroborssfed hy Mr. Atkinson. tnat an
statements made bv them would be sup
ported hy aifdaviis
When the time granted 20 the Home
Company hal expired some discussion
arose az 90 w-.o should icilow, and coun-