The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-11
WHAT COMPANY IS IT?
Mr.. KEELYN on hMERICtN TELE-
PHONE AND TELEGRAPH co.
He Says IL Il the BELL Company. Pract-
-Kich,nond Telephone Officials
Discuss tho Proposed State Circuit.

Ihc Times, dppilCdilOH Ndo maui 60 49,
last meeting Ct the city Council Dy
corporation known AS the American lele-
phone and telegraph Company for the
privilege Of erecting It's lines IN hieh-
mona. with "a view to giving TINS CITY
telephone connection with otheF CUES
all over the United states
The application on its face only asked
for the franchise with a view oi putting
an long distance phones, Dut al. Ii"t
ence H.. ouns, the pflNate secretary 10
Senator John IS. Ddnlcl, VINO "pp'"l'"
mere IN the Interests oil thc Anieil,al
telephone ana Icitsidph COMPANY e"NV
out "A lengthy interview the cay IOiio"-
ing the prcscntauOn Of the petition 10
fne Council. ia which ne declared that
ms company must have local privileges
ia ordcr 10 successfully carry cut the
enterprise.
ANOTHER PROJECT.
Just about the time that the American
Telephone ana IclcSidpn COMPANY was
muAlug las INITIAL move 10 secure loO1-
mold in TINS oIty, Air. ). y. kcc.yn, presh
ucnt of tine " cstcin CONSTRUCTION SV'"
pany. manufacturers Ga tne phones aaed
uv the KichmOud Telephone company
arrived IN richmond 40 did ass ,eic-
phone OincidIs nom NOIIOlh, Ictti5Dui6'
aud Lynchrurg. these gentlemen were
soon IA consultation win the manage
mcnt oil the Richmond Telephone COM
many tne object also beng the estdD-
.tshmcnt q iOns-uiatancc phones, pm
Many 10 connect the principal cues OF
Virginia. but ultimately to stretch 10 the
Norm, south, East and West, ana Iedch
all the large cities OF the country.
These sontlcmcn were engaged IN con
ference AT tine Offices OF tne tIcnHOhd
Telephone Company Tor several hours
Yesterday afternoon. Inc meeting was
strictly private one, but at us close MI
kcciyu sdIu that ne mad no objection 10
ststing that the proposed lines nad been
tuliy discussed, ana that the prospect
was bright Tor the ultimate cOnsumina-
ton OF The plans outlined above. MI
kctlyn cautiously declined 10 90 INTO
particulars dccming II unWlsc 10 90 80
in view Of existing cOndltiCns.
lie again talked quite freely concerning
the American Telephone ana IcicSiaph
Company his remarks being aions the
same line as the interview with MN
published in yesterday Times. lie had
no hcsitancy III declaring That the Amer
lean Telephone and Telegraph Company
and the Bell Company were practically
one and the same. and his suspicion,
amounting almost 10 certainty, that
the whole design of the American Com
pany WAS 10 enable the Southern Bell
Telephone Company 10 retain its hold
upon the city OF Richmond.
Il am willing to so on record as de-
cIaring." said Mr.. keelyn. that the
American Telephone ana Telegraph Com
paby would never consent 10 the moor
poration in its franchise of a provision.
under conditions that would enforce IT'S
observance, that That company shoulu
interchange messages with the kich-
mond Telephone Company at the same
prices charged its own suDscrlJcrs
THE WESTERN UNION.
Continuing. Mr.. Kcelyn paid his re-
spects TO the Western Union Telegraph
Company. and again asserted that II
owned 40 per cent. OF the STOCK OF inc
Southern Bell Telephone company.
THE proper way for the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company 10
begin this movement If 1t means eN-
acty what its petition sets forth said
Mr.. Keelyn, would be TO consult win
the officials of the Richmond Telephone
Company, ana agree upon rates Tor the
Interchange Of messages assuring lhem
that the new line had no intention OF
encroaching upon the local rights OF the
Richmond company.
II am satisfied. however" he cOntin-
ued that If local privileges are granted
this American Telephone and Telegraph
Company it will use the present cN-
change and wires of the Southern Bell
and there will be no change whatever In
the management or employees.
Several officials of the Richmond Tcle-
phone Company were seen last night
after the meeting, but they too, refused
10 give out any particulars as to what
had been done
I'VE do not wish" said one Of them.
Ito give out Information which may
he valuable TO the enemy We have 50
far made gratifying progress In the de-
velopmcnt of our plans but our attitude
now Is one of waiting. II we are allowed
10 carry out our plans the result Will
be of the greatest benefit TO Virginia.
AS Mr. Keelyn has explained our work
at first will be wholly i'm this state.
Afterwards we will take a wider range.
only limited by the number of cities OF
note in the country.
BENEFIT TO TRADE
LAS you can well scc.' he continued.
the thing of greatest importance to the
people of Richmond is to get this city
connected with towns i'm Virginia. whose
merchants trade with the Wholesale deal
ers in this city. Much greater Dement'S
would be experienced when q man IN
Lynchburg, Norfolk. Fredericksburg, or
smaller places could call up Richmond
merchant and give him an order lor
goods, than would result from telephone
communication with New York, which
would probably be used only by drum
mers at rare intervals
The management of the Richmond Tel
ephone Company. as far as can be as
certaincd, have no desire to oppose "a
legitimate long-dstancc' telephone
movement. but they believe in plain Ian
guagc, that the introduction before the
Council of the petition of the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company IS
but movement which has i'm view the
perpetuation of the life of the Southern
Bell Telephone i'm this city. and the III
timite starving out OF the Richmond
Telephone Company. Taking this view
of the matter. these officials are on the
alert for the next move of the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company ana
are getting their forces in shape TO face
the matter I'm any phase il may assume.
AS Will be remembered the petition of
the American Telephone and Telegraph
Company was referred by the Council
to the Street Committee. That commit
tee Will hold a meeting next Tuesday
night There Is no certainty. however.
that any action will be taken upon IT,
II II is either recommended or rejected
by the committee, II will have 10 80
back 10 the Council for concurrence. II
will next 80 TO the Board OF Aldermen
and then 10 the Mayor for his signature
that is providing of course. that each
body approves IT, The municipal wheels
revolve slowly, and IL will be many wea-
ry weeks before the fate of the petit
ton IS determined
ANOTHER CONFERENCE
y T. probable that another consuitu-
tion Will be held to-day by the Gentle.
men interested I'm the Richmond Tele
phone Companv's long-distance project
but nothing definite can be learned from
them until the conditions now existing
are changed.