The morning times., 1896-01-16

There Is determined cnntest to be made
| before the present Congress for permission
| la introduce n rival line, or two rival
| lines, of telephone service In the District.
| Two companies are seeking the privilege,
and each has had a bill introduced in its in
| tcrcst.
These two organizations are the Home
Telephone Company, of Washington, and
the Standard Telephone Company, of Wash
ington and Baltimore. The first named
| claims To have a apitalization or $500 900,
divided into shares of $50 each.
ihc other is alleged to have Il capital
stock Of $140,GOO, divided into shares OF
$1U0 each, aud the privilege OF reaching
a maximum capii2ilzatioh or Sl4o per
share.
the two compa nics respectively seek per
mission To establish themselves IN the city,
the District Commissioners disapproved
of both, for reasons already given IN The
Times, but mainly, as stated, that they
objected TO The excavations through asphait
paving for the purpose of laying the con-
duits.
HE HAD NO HEARING.
The representative or the Home Com
pany, Mr.. Adams, of Baltimore, says
That he was promised an audience by the
Commissioners prior To their action unon
the bill, but Commissioner Ross, with
whom he talked, said he had no recoliec-
tion OF any promise of that nature having
been given.
Manager Adams presented to the Com
missioners paper In the nature OF
petition, containing the sigrat urcs OF
5000 residents or tie District ana askeu
for their favorable consideration OF his
measure. He proffered To concede every
main proposition advanced Us an oD.cc-
tion to thc Introduction CT his plant, and
also requested the board, ir any coubl
existed OF the reliability OF his company,
TO name the bond that would be necessary
To satisfy the authorities OF their honesty
OF purpose, and said II Would DE iortli-
coming, whether the surety named should
be by a guarantee company or otntrwise.
He stated TO the board as he alleges, that
his company has already $500 local
patrons, who stand Ready TO accept the
new service Just as som as 1t can be fur-
nished, and in comparison win TINS ne
showed that the total number or patrons
OF the company th>t now has monopoly
of the field is bit 1900, including the gov
erninent service, as shown by the com
Dlny's plbiisned list, and that this number
contains at least two hundred Implications,
so that in reality the Chesapeake and 70
tomac Company has not more than l,6OO
patrons
WHAT THEY PROPOSE.
II Ipresu,ne The Times and the public care
bat lit e which OF the two companies now
seeking to enter this territory shall succeed,
or whether either does, SO long as com
petition can be secured said Mr. Adams
TO the reporter yesterday, plt ~ rs q
matter OF some Interest TO know that we have
already secured the approval OF the com
munitv, and l believe we shall yet sue
ceed In obtaining the franchise.
'.Our company has made every fair
proposition 10 secure the favorable con-
sideration OF the Commissioners. We
consulted with them, aud distinctly stated
that we did not expect To proceed without
their knowledge, nor did We desire 10 &c
so without their consent
1.-The objection was made that ours is
foreign corporation. Well, our company
was Incorporated iii West virginia, as
nr
willingness. however. to abandon that
charter, if necessary, and accept one under
the District, If ii can be obtained All
we want is permission to cnter The Held
where We think We Will be well patroniZed
1--WE viii give any guarantee required TO
insure the construction CT our plant in case
we are given the privilege"
MR.. TRUESDELL'S STAND.
1t is said that when the representative
of the Home Company called upon Col.
Truesdcll, who has charge OF the branch
of the District business that Includes the
telephone serrice, he declined to even dis
cuss the proposition, saying that be was
unaltcrabiy opposed 10 the granting or
franchise to any new telephone company,
and assigned the reasons, in part. that
were embodied i'll the letter of the board
which accompanied the bill back to Con-
Eress.
Neither of the two companies now ap-
Dealing to Congress fer a franchise is Il
Washington enterprise, the members in
each being Baltimore capitalists. IL is
stated, however, that each has plenty of
means at command and that one of them
has its system established Ill number OF
other cities.
Mr.. James Russell is the president of
the Home, and the company has an office
in the Baltimore buiding on street.
The other company has as its president
Mr. John W. Woodland, whose principal
office is i'll the Equitable building, in Balti-
more.