Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-28
HEARING
Advocates Of New Companies Again
Present Their Claims.
SAVING THAT Can Be ACCOMPLISHED
Statement Of President Bryan Of
the Chesapeake Company.
A LIVE ELY COLLOQUY

A LIVELY COLLOQUY
The telephone monopoly in the District
and proposed methods Of relieving it form.
ed the subject of hearing before tho
House District committee today. Gen. w.
W. Dudley. Gen. Butterworth, Ex-Repre-
sentative Hemphill and Judge Jere Wilson
were among the counsel appearing for the
respective parties at issue in the hearing.
Gen. ButteryvOrth's Argument.
Gen. Butterworth opened the discussion
in behalf Of the Columbia Telephone Com
rany, asking a charter to do business here.
He said the local telephone company had
conducted a monopoly in this city by vir-
tue of legal patent. That patent ex-
pired some time ago and the monopoly
should have expired with it, but has not,
and the efforts Of the local company ara
in the direction Of extending 1t.
1.-The Bell Telephone Company has more
feet than centipede. more heads than a
hydra, to say nothing Of pockets and
hands," said Gen. But.erworth, and this
accounted for its hold upon the monopoly.
The local company las refused to reduce
the telephone rates, claiming that it could
not reduce them.
"Tbis company entered into a contract
years ago not to reduce its rates. said
to reduce them to strangle competition. I
hold copy of that contract in my hand"
Preceding to outline the plans of the
Columbia Company, which were fully eN-
plainej at the last hearing, Gea. Butter
worth said his company is now operating
in twenty-five or thirty cities.
will you tell the committee the names
Of those cities?' asked President Bryan
of the local company.
Yes, We will tell them, but you know
them already" said Gen. Butterworth. You
don't need any instruction upon that point
CT any other matters connected with tele-
phones We have the system in operation
in Richmond, and your people. the Bell
Company, have been ordered to take their
il struments out"
Service Of the Columbia Company.
President Neelyn Of the Western Con-
struction Company in behalf of the Column
bia Company, explained 70 the committee
the extent of the telephone service being
operated by the company that proposes to
supply the Columbia Company, The service
Included towns and cities in all of the east
ern and middle states. He read letter
from the competing telephone company at
Lynchburg, Va, where the Bell Company
had been compelled by reduction TO reduce
its price Of telephones to 81 per month.
"A new company has been established at
my home I'm Tennessee" interrupted MIR.
Richardson Of the committee. "ani opened
yesterday, furnishing q service at 81 per
month";
Continuing, Mr. Neelyn sail his system
has been put in at Richmond, Va, and the
Ben company ordered by the city council
to leave
Mr. Neelyn referred to the general SUBJ
way bill for this city which has been
recommended TO Congress by the Commis-
sione,s, and said he had no doubt the Bell
Company would. favor 1t because il would
prevent any other telephone company from
coming into this city for long time.
Mr.. Hemphin for the Home Company.
Mr.. Jno. j. Hemphill then addressed the
committee In behalf of the Home Telephone
Company. He said his company has all
ready agreed with 3.4O0 people in this city
to take the service as soon as It can be put
into operation. He cited proof to substan-
tiate his statement that the Home company
is solid organization aud backed by re-
sponsible people.
I'VE can do business here" said Mr..
Hemphill, without the consent of the Bell
Telephone Company. The time has gone
by when permission has to be obtained
from that company 20 do business. In
proof of 1t, rival company is now doing
business in Westminster. Nd, in President
Bryans own Jurisdiction.
Mr.. Hemphil said tie practical question
is whether the new company can serve the
people of this city better than they are
now being served. He would answer this
question in the affirmative most positively.
He read testimony from an expert at Johns
Hopkins University in advocacy of the sys-
tenn to be used by the Home company. He
said the system of the Columbia company
is not as efficient as that of the Home, be-
cause while the Columbia system operates
well for small number Of stations, il does
not work satisfactorily with large num-
ber.
"It may be true that the Columbia COM
panyS instruments work well In the In
terror Department building" said Mr..
Hemphill, land 1 am glad they 10, for that
fact at least disproves President Bryan's
statement that no company but the exist
ing one can do business in Washington.
What Can BE Saved.
with our present contracts" continued
Mr. Hemphill, I'VE can save the people
of this city between 100000 end 100000 q
year and can save the District government
from $1,000 to 1900 a year. 1t is certainly
a strange thing that city which has not
the capital to conduct it's own telephone
plant will object to other people coming
in here and establishing a plant"
Mr.. Hemphill introduced to the commit
tee Mr.. Jackson of Baltimore, one of the
incorporators Of the Home Company In
that city, who briefly told of the status
of the rival company in Baltimore.
President Bryan's Statement.
President Bryan OF the local telephone
company then took the floor. He said his
company has just gone through an inquisi-
ton by a committee appointed by the Mary
land legislature. That committee has made
it's report, and has laid bare all the busi-
ness of the company, and the cost of oper.
atng the system.
We are not the Bell Company" said Mn
Bryan, 'and We have nothing 10 do with
that great monopoly. We are simply
company trying 20 do our duty here and
serve the people,"
Mr.. Bryan contended that the citizens
and business men are not petitoning for q
rev telephone company. He said the two
rev companies have sent out canvassers
and got signatures, but that they are not
all bona fide, and, moreover. many of the
names are duplicated.
1T is incredible that 6.000 or 1000 peorle
I'm this city want telephones" said Mr..
Bryan.
Referring to the system now in use in the
Interior Department, Mr.. Bryan said it was
inferior to his own
do 1 understand that you claim that
system is not as good as yours" asked
Mr.. Neelyn.
Il do. most emphatically." said Mr..
Bryan. I've would call that plant junk
and treat it as such.''
"The Interior Department does not sug-
gested Mr.. Neelyn.
MT. bryan Contradfcted.
We'll, they will,'' replied Mr.. Bryan.
This statement was received with ex-