The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-28


yokcd the franchise of the Bel COM
pany and gave them a year to ask Tor
a renewal. which they have never done,
as far as know. In the meantime tne
city has given the franchise to the Klcn-
mond Telephone Company. requiring them
10 deposit 5000 18th the proper Officers
of the city. which was done. They also
protected the citizens by every possible
provision. One was. that N at any tlmc
the Richmond Telephone Company should
charge more than their present rate, the
franchise should be revoked ana the
property revert to the city. The city
has no control of this character over the
Bell Company. We all know how eN-
acting they nave been In their charges.
Well do | remember when Mr.. McCluer
was before this body some time ago urg-
ing us not to use our influence with the
Council. that he stated that every SUD
scriber cost the company $50. ana tnat
he did not consider $40 too much pront,
when the outlay was cOnSiueitu. anu LOT
one ! agreed with him. Now, after
keeping perfectly quiet all these months.
permitting the new company 10 put UP
their poles and wires, just as they are
beginning to be ready TO give q eood
service he steps forward ana offers 10
give the same service that ne says cost
him $50 for $50, a loss OF go 10 eacn SUD
scrIber. and 4 believe That ne IS oHerlhs
phones at residences Tor SIS; for one
| am not willing that the Bel Company
shan 40 Us u service at auch great loas.
/ have made II a rule all my ne 10 pay
done ana / distrust such hperaiity from
4 corporation. -
MIR. President. what guarantee nave we
that as soon as the bell mas drlNcn OUT
competition, rates VIII not pe lcs.oi. u,
ana even higher ones TO make dp LOT
loss sustained by this nght! nave hediu
complaint OF the service OF the new com
pany. There IS no doubt TINS VIII M
prove. Tho Eel Company was Il lV"s
lime in making theirs as GOOD as IL now
q x.ta a
vice they give Us ir lncnmOnc Il az sVo"
If not better than any 1 have seen. Inc
new company, with few exceptions,
am toi0, Is employing all tntH le indlo
GENERATORS from this city ana Mdhches'ei'
and IL reoUifes but snort TIME 10 learn
Wncn no doubt the service WIZ lapiuiS
improve. 1 am fol- falr pay, dI. ilesi-
dCnt. The KichmCnd Company nave gone
/ owork, have over one .ious''a ,bair
scribers. have very nearly competed thelr
system have expended great ueal OF
capital and at the very time they arc
hoping 10 realize smail piohl 'his o.u
company have made thelr prices 80 loM
man IL may induce some people 10 rene"
with them. / think, therefore, IL Is en-,
uautiv proDcr that this Chamber shOuiu
/ adopt the resolutions, ana mat We ShYu',
Use whatever influence we nave 10 lliuu-'
our people 10 subscribe 10 the new com
pauy. 1 have said nothing ABOUT lhe ~
status OF this company, nothing OF w
Injunction which they have SOlteh oue
against the city. that being matter lol
the court. but this we can co. we Cdi i
induce all TO take the me- phohe, li .n,,''
N. snail thereby accomplish our opyeCt,
namely. of having only one phoh. lOi
the BELL Company will hardly care 10 re-
main with rs without business
CHANGLD HIS MIND.
Mr.. Charles Straus said al the last
meeting hc was opposed TO the resolution
offered. hut his mind had been chanss" -;
he statement of Mr. McCluer, tnat Due
one company could exist, ana thdt IL ""'
fla. intention Of his company, II heceS-
my to take the case TO the highest
court in the land and that the nusaloH
of il might require five years, thdl scu
orally he was opposed TO such aC'lOh 81,
connection with rival corpoIallVhs' -
from the peculiar character OF thls pual-
moss the Chamber rad gone before inc
! Citv Council: that the Council had aeteu
I'm the direction desired by the ChamDti,
and that now II the Chamber dla hol
do an that il could TO sustain the Couh-
oil the next time il appeared before tl'1.
body il would have little influence, anu IL
would deserve to have little. The ohiy
way iu which the organization cou.o con-
trovert the efforts of the Ben company
was through the patronage OF the con-
mr,nitv. and. therefore. he favored the
minority report 49,,
Nr b. Rand " clifford a member OF the
committee. I'm support of the majority j.,
mort said that 10 was useless 10 disc
companies. that the commit 80 vas ~
tirelv free from any such influence me
question resolved itself simply mo ,ilS'
Whether the Chamber should ,ahe aeuo"
between two corporations. 1hcy "'Ic
neither here for love Of .hc community.
but for the profits Of the business. ana
that the Chamber should not ailoW any
autaconism against the OLD company 10
Influence its action, That the ihttlti
should De left TO the determination on
each sui scrihor. who could patronizc the
company which he thought WOuld p',3t
serve his individual interest that thr
companies then could isht IL out VI
tween themselves. and the strongest anu
hest would survive. that If the Chamber
took this action it would be bad pre-
cedcnt. and IN any fight between Two COT
poratiOns or two concerns ~ the 'it9
Tho Chamber might be appealed 10 10 help
tLe weaker which was evidently not the
DrCVince OF the Chamber. that the pIeJu-
dice felt against the Bell company as
EXPRESSED in the preamble 10 the ieSo-
luton originally offered. should not m
nuence It's action. as the court 10 Wnlci
IL appealed thought the Bell Company had
a sufficient right 10 be mere to aiford u
protection until the case could be heard.
Mr. Eugene G. Massie said that ne was
not familiar with the constitution OF me
chamber hut felt assured this body, ike
all other bodies had the right 10 pro-
tcct itself and also the right ana duty
10 do what was necessary for the beneht
Of the community. He. therefore. con-
sidered It entirely within the province OF
the Chan her TO exert its influence where
the public interest was involved IN the
service. He then referred 10 some CORE
srondence which he had had with the
Rcll Ccmnanv when he was approached
for a substitution 10y the new company.
which proving entirely unsatisfactory. in
asmuch as az that time they offered no
reduction OF rates. no had requested them
To remove their telephone. He then
stated the advantages which he believed
the new COMPANY would pOsSosS when The
service VS. pc. fcCtcd and the subscribers
had ieccr'e accustomed 70 il. and for
these cor sideraticns urged the Chamber
to adopt the minority report.
FAVORED THE MINORITY.
Mr. H. h. Munford stated that he would
vote for the minority report. That II
was no boycott. IN his opinion. that the
contest between these companies was not
ANALOGOUS 10 one between two private
citizens or corporations but was one
which involved an interest 10 every bust
ness man. every professional man. ana
number of other citizens. That the
Chamber should not refrain from acting
and see the community relegdted back
10 the situation which existed when The
Bell Company was the only one in the
field The old company did not apply
for q franchise after its original fran
chise had been revoked. because IL did
not desire 10 come under the operation
of the new ordinances that ne was or the
opinion that from these natural monopo-
lies the city should derive substantial ad-
vantaces as they grew in value with the
Increase and wealth Of the community.
that many of them had beeN given away
FOR the purpose OF encouraging their es-
Enlistment. but they could well afford
to yield 10 the city large rsyenHaes IN
the way Of taxes or confer benent 10
its citizens BY rendering service at red-