The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-04
STANDARD COMPANY wins.
tOaFa Of iidcrm d award Il an Exclusive
Telephone franchlS'.
representative # Zach Company Present
Inc" Claims in 'Thirt, Minute
''''"cS The American Conn
'"ns Also ia the Field How
tho Members Voted.

~ special meeting Of the Board Of
'''tn last night. the action OF the
NoiniHo" Council ~ awarding tho toie-
f"o"' franchise to tho Standard rele-
pooNe Company was concurred in. but
."e ocuy refused 20 grant The Home
-'i'phono Company the same privilege
~ 'ne decisive vote Of IA 20 g.
""fn the meeting was called 10 order
' i"iio"ine members were present:
Alien, Eahcn. Blake Burton.
uNicAc, King. Mitchell. Moore. Mount
,"9ut' Noble, Reeve, Snead. Tanner
'"khan, Turpin Messrs. Mann and
S'"iht came in soon after the roll was
clerk August read the call made bv
inc president for q special meeting TO
consider The matter Of telephone fran
Nnises. ana read the ordinance of the
standard Company.
MT. Blake moved that the representa-
yves OF each telephone company be al
''"eu thirty minutes IN which to dis
cuss the matter before The board This
was agreed 10. and Captain A. n. chi
fon. representing the Standard COMPANY.
sald mat the matter had been thoroughly
discussed before The Committee. the
council. and the board. az well as rho
newspapers. and 10 would accordingly
submit the qucsttr 10 the board without
argument.
THE HOMES CLAIMS.
MI ~ NJ. smith. Jr.. then took the
hooI ana said that there We're many
people in the city woo would like TO
know more Of this Standard Company.
rte knew of nothing by which ne could
reflect upon the Standard Company or
iis representative lie would bring
charges against the company II ne had
the grounds upon which 90 do It, The
representatives Of the Standard Company
however. SAID he had been ridiculed by
the press as a fraud, and nothing had
been done 20 disprove It. The com
pany started ont TO eloctify the world.
and claimed 10 have Sl0.o0OW0. but had
never established an exchange.
I'VE come before YOU" said Mr.. Smith.
as home company. backed by we'll
known Richmond business men. The
Standard would not accept the franchise
II given TO both companies. rhe Home
Company viii accept the franchise If
Civcn 20 both. and would back their
scheme by money. and build the eX-
change. We will compete with them. and
give you a good service II you grant
both companies the franchise. we will
accept IT. and thank YOU for II. Such
men as +. Whtlock, j j. Montague, S.
W. Travers. ". a. Catlin, J. y. Gull
llngworth. Junius A. Morris. and others,
We're backing the scheme. When they put
their seal on a thing, II will be ac-
cepted as genuine and purely business
Mr. GuiSon had said that the Electri-
cal Review. tie most reliable electrical
journal IN the United States, had com
mended the enterprise of the Standard
Company Il hold in my hand said Mr..
Smith. "a copy OF that same journal
which characterizes the Standard Com
pany as a fraud. Here it is. You can
read Il when YOU like. Mr.. Guigon adj
mittod that they got their stock cheap.
Yes. they get their stock cheap 10 would
Dee cheap at any price.
Mr. Smith then read an extract from
the Electrical Review. In which that pa
per said. amcng other things that the
STANDARD should make good some OF its
promises or retire from the field; that
some OF it's proceedings had been ques-
tionable. and that there were "A number
a. questions ina connection with the COM
pauy which ought 90 be answered lie
spoke of the local factory. whore phones
were satisfactorily turned out by Rich
mond workmon The Home Telephone
Company had no connection whoever
with the Bell Telephone Company they
manufactured phones which were snip
ped an over the country. lie 1sWs the
phones tested. They worked beautiful
~ The Standard Company sot the eN-
pert on the committee taken of. They
admitted that one phone was as good as
another but that the Standard Com
parry was an established fact, while the
Home was but an experiment As soon
o. the committee reported taN0rably Tor
the Standard the lScll Telephone Com
panv. whose franchise had expired, came
forward and asked the privilege of erect
ing additional poles in the city.
II represent weii-knoWn citizens OF
Richmond who have the welfare OF the
city at heart and know that the SEN
timent of the people OF Richmond are IN
favor of our company. The standard Is
afraid TO enter into competition with
Us. but we ore not afraid 10 compete Win
them
CAPTAIN GUIGON's REPLY.
Captain Guigon then took the hoof'
and said his company was an honest
company prepared 10 conduct an honest
business In Richmond. II any man made
a charge of fraud against his company
that man would be held personally re-
sponsible for the charge. Il DO not deny
that the Mason or the Maxwell phone
will not operate from one Office 10 an
other But where have they established
teleph0ne exchanges. Why were the Ma
son people turned down In Lynchburg
and other places2 Some people IN re
refsburg like the Maxwell phone, others
do not l do not think Mr.. Maxwells eN-
perience in Richmond IS calculated 10
produce any very great amount OF conii-
fence in his ability 10 invent a phone
any better than Others. We have an eN-
change In kingston and the people there
are much pleased with the service as
letters in my possession will show
Here Captain GuigOn stated that two
companies could not be successfully OPP
Grated in this city The Standard had as
honest "A directory as the Home, or other
companies our telephone has been in
the service Of the city for inspection
ever since IL was first put there. Where
Is the Mason or the Maxwell 'phone2 II
there IS a man in the world who IS
thorough capable. and honest IL is Colo
mel W r. Cutshaw. He recommended TO
Won the STANDARD and told you the Home
was an experiment. II this franchise Is
Granted 10 US we are ready 10 So TO WORK
At once We viii not seek capital, but
We will put capital on your streets l am
ready now 10 defend my company against !
charges made by newspapers and othor |
sources. Tho charges against us are a |
fake. / will not undertake TO discuss
this anonymous fraud. No sensible man |
will pay any attention 10 his
Captain Cuicon read letters from we'll
known business men and electricians |
speaking OF the advantages Of the Stan
daid phone end reminded his hearers |
that the company would have t. forfeit |
IT'S bond and turn It's plant over 20 the |
city unless II made its rCmises good.
Captain George -. Wise. representing |
4 10. nv f.4fi