The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-17


Nothing Less Will Satisfy Him
Having given McDaniels an oppor-
tunity to tell his side of the telephone
controversy an Eagle reporter called on
Councilman Oliver for a statement of
the ctty's position in the matter, yes
rerday.
Yes, we are in a fight with the tele-
phone company" said Mr.. Oliver, but
remember the city administration did
not originate the trouble. The fight was
tzsstigated by the users of telephones,
VINO felt they had a just grievance
against corporation who had grown
5uch on the public by charging eXhoTbi-
tant rates. The users felt that they
had just cause TO kick against the
Topeka syndicate that operates the
phTne system Of Kansas, when they
were Informed that the same company
was furnishing the same service TO
Topeka and other towns for SIS and $2i
a year, that Wichita had been paying
$4S per year for, and hence the agita-
fiion Tor cheaper rates for Wichita was
STARTED. The city council hoping to
protect the users Of phones made dill
gent Inquiry as to the methods adopted
by other cities to secure cheaper rates
and decided it was better to induce the
d
Tafes rather than grant a franchise to
another company which would guaran-
tee the rate charged at Topeka and
other towns. We agreed ii was much
better for the present company to name
reasonable raite-say $50 for business
phones and $24 for residence phone-and
take all the business than il would be
Tor them TO compel the council 10 grant
a computing company a franchise tina t
n II
vide rhe business and perhaps lose
money for all engaged in the telephone
service. The entire effopts Of the coun-
Gil has been in this direction, knowing
that the complaint of other commit
tees was that two phone companies op-
Grating in a city did not reduce the cost
of phones as they were compelled to
subscribe for both phones. In taking
this position we offended some of our
enterprising citizens who applied for
a franchise for the purpose of furn-
ishang cheaper phone service to our
people but we felt we should profit by
the experiences of other cities.
I'VE finally succeeded in getting a
proposition from the present company
of $50 on business and $50 on residence
phones
This did not meet the APPRECIATION
of the citizens and council as all felt
that a mudh better rate was possible
To convince the phone company that
We were in earnest in the matter we
passed an ordinance taxing them on all
phones used Si2.00 per year per phone
This you can readily see practically
made the phone company realize but
$50 per year at the present rate They
did not pay it and we arrested their
manager.
This is the case the supreme court
has remanded to Wichita for trial, prac-
+ tFcaily admi1cinS that we had the right
70 levy the tax. / believe there is an
easier way out Of this than litigation
and i would suggest that the users of
phones go into a combination to 10y
ally support any new company that will
furnish telephone service at SIS and
$26. Enter into i contract to this effect
and if responsible parties will apply
for a franchise they Will get 1T.
IF this ISN'T practical, let the present
users of the phone, come before the
council with a petition signed by all
asking that the proposition of the
telephone company Of a $36 rate on
business and $50 on residence be &C
cepted- This win end the fight, but
We viii not accept the statement Of
Roy CoChr3ne or any other employee
of the telephone company that uhe
above rate is satisfactory.
The city does not owe them any such
an amout as stated in your interview
with Mechanics and they viii never
pay it. They made a rate TO the city
and its cheapness has induced the
CITY to use more phones than absolute
ly. We could discard them all and
would if necessary to secure the people
their rights. We are the servants of
the pkople. II they want the fight
stopped, they can do it as suggested
aJbove, but 1 apprehend they will stay
with the "MUlvane syndicate" until
they accord Wichita just rates for all
time to come"