The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-28

Tailor shops. fifteen al s20..... 500. 90
Uudertakers. three az s5O.... 5000
| Wholesale beer agents, four at
$40 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 10000
Wholesale liquor dealers, thre
at s75............-.............. 225.oo
Wholesale grocery companies,
four at 800. 400. 90
Water company. one al $780,. $4,000
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS S3eSSe 90
The council, however. resolved that
the ordinance as passed should stand.
and that no guilty party should escape,
by electing Councilman Hanley father
Of the ordinance with full power 10 call
all assistance 10 his aid.
The following communication was
received, read, and placed on file. from
j. F. Craig Of the law firm Of Houston
& Craig:
To the Hon. L. NJ Cox. Mayor. and the
Hon. The City Council OF Wichita, Kan
sas.
GentIemen:I represent parties.
whose means I am not at liberty TO dis
close at this date. who are interested in
establishing telephone exchange in
the city OF Wichita. They VIII organ
lie thoroughly responsible stock com
pany with good financial backing; and
as soon as organized viii be prepared 10
make a proposition 10 You as follows:
If granted a franchise by you. they
Will agree TO furnish telephones for bu-
sineSS houses and offices at the rate Of
$24 per annum. and residences at the
rate of SIS per annUm. In addition 10
this they Will furnish the city with four
telephones free and any other number
for the actual use Of the city at one half
the regular rates. They viii furnish
telephones free to connect the different
stations of the fire department with one
another and keep up the wires and keep
the instruments in Sood working order.
They VIII allow the city the exclusive
right TO the use of a certain number OF
wires on all OF their poles for the pur-
pose of maintaining the fire alarm sys-
TEN equal or better than that which the
city now has. The number of wires
and their location on the poles can be
determined by mutual agreement before
granting the franchise They are will
ing 10 allow the city 10 insert into the
franchise necessary safeguards for the
protection of the city'S interests in adj
ditiOn 10 what / have outlined above
They want a franchise for thirty years,
the same that is asked by the company
that is at present operating in Wichita.
hut with this difference: That at the
expiration of ten years the city may
by giving six months notice 10 the COM
Pany prior to the expiration OF the ten
years. In case the city elects TO buy,
Il shall appoint one arbitrator, the
company one. and those two shall
choose a third, and their decision shall
be binding upon both parties as 10 the
price which the city shall pay. If the
city does not elect to buy at the end OF
ten years. it shall have the same privi-
10 he e ha f11f
years, i. e. twenty years from the date
Of the charter; and if il does not elect
TO buy then, ii can buy the following
ten years, or thirty years from the date
of the charter, as provided in the first
instance.
This proposition is made, however,
upon the distinct understanding that
the said city if it grant a franchise to
these parties, these parties shall pro-
tect them in their rights. They are viii
ing TO come here and give the city cheap
telephone rates. provided they are given
a monopoly on telephone business. They
know what it costs 10 build and equip
a plant and what it costs TO runit, and
they have figured upon a profit at the
rates above given in case they can sup
ply all the telephones that are used in
the city Of Wichita. If the business is
divided and they have to compete with
TO enter the field. The city can easily
prevent the other company from doing
business in the city if it will, and that is
one condition upon which the parties /
represent viii equip and maintain a
telephone system in this city and sup
ply telephones to patrons at the rates
above given; and il Will insist that the
city obligate itself that upon the com
pletiOn Of their system and a successful
on fsl, Of
completion, that the city will order and
compel the company now here to re-
move its poles and wires from the
streets OF the city OF Wichita. / have
heard some objection made by certain
parties that il would not be fair and
right to compel this company 10 re-
move its poles from the streets, claim
ing that to a certain extent that would
be 4 COnfiScation of its property. / do
not propose to discuss here the ethics
OF such action on the part Of the city
The city has the power TO do il. If it
will exercise that power it will save
telephone patrons thousands of dollars
every year. The question which the
city council is called upon 10 decide now
IS, whether or not IL viii allow senti- |
ment 70 prevail in favor OF corpora
ton whoch has grown fat off the city of
Wichita, or whether IL will allow bust
44Sa~S p44lAI ill4ES ~ DI<Nd4i anu ErL At4t-
phones where il can get them the
cheapest.
II had hoped TO be able to present an /
ordinance TO the council before this !
time which would embody what have |
outlined above, but some complications |
and preliminary matters have arisen /
that has made il impossible to do so yet. |
l think, however. / am safe in saying I
that within sixty days from this date. !
the parties l represent can have their /
organized, the capital stock /
paid in and be able TO present an ordi- !
nance 70 you for your approval which /
viii be satisfactory 70 you in every 1
way; and on behalf OF these parties l j
ask you now that you at least tafA ~ 1
action until we are in a position TO make /
you a definite proposition II is true /
that this involves delay OF some def |
mite action for a little while longer, but |
considering what is TO be gained by the 4
delay, il SENS 20 me that you viii be \
well repaid for the delay. Very re-
spectfully yours, -. +. CRAIG"
The fire marshal then read the follow
ing report showing the cost 70 maintain |
FIRE alarm boxes per year in different
cities:
New Haven. Der box, s23 20: Macon,
Ca. So. Augusta, Ca. SIS. %; 81. Joe.
Mo. $J7.7J: Peoria, H., so 90 Terre
HaUte, Ind, $l7.75; Evansville. Ind.
SIS %. Lafayette. Ind. $3.50: Wichita.
Kan. $3.50; Lincoln. Neb.. 50 90; Chat
Tenn. $500.