Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-22

TELEPHONE HEARING
Home Company Representatives Talk
to the Commissioners.
NEED OF CHEAPER RATES
Affairs of Interest From the Dis
trict Building.
A
AN VERSE REP ORT

Mr. P. H. Adams appeared as the legal
representative of the Home Company and
made strong argument in favor Of the bill.
| The bill which he was interested in had been
prejudiced, he said, without a hearing, upon
information based upon facts alleged to
exist In 1888. He denied that the indis-
pensable condition noted by the Commits
| sioners in their letter was a matter of fact
| The present holders of the Bell telephones
cannot now talk to those who will take the
cheaper service, and as there is no law to
compel people to use any particular kind of
telephone. there can be no hardship on any
| one In granting the franchise. The company
he represented had no fight with the pres
ent corporation. All the Home Company
desired was to carry out it's contracts with
the $500 subscribers who couldn't afford
| to pay the present rates. He thought the
people should have some consideration
shown them.
Commissioner Truesdell, replying to the
speaker, said the Commissioners in refer
| ring to an indispensable condition as far as
1t related to the necessity of one subscriber
talking to another through a central office,
| meant indispensable condition to a perfect
system A telephone was worth more to a
business man If he could talk to every other
| subscriber through a central office.
Wnlle that proposition was correct Mr..
Adams did not think Washington was
| Utopia.
| Commissioner Truesdell thought if the
| Home Company came into Washington
| next year another company would want to
| come in The line, he said, must be drawn
| somewhere.
| That was SO, replied Mr.. Adams, but it
| was no argument to confine q service to
Lou. when 1000 were clamoring for the
same thing. IF the present company
| won't reduce it's rates. you should permit
some other company to come in and cause
| the reduction"
The correspondence the Commissioners
received relative to telephone rates was
| Tor the year 1898. Since that time condi-
lions have materially changed. The Bell
company no longer had a monopoly of the
telephone business Why did no. the Com
missioners take Toronto and Montreal in
making Up this list. In the former city
the Telephone rates were $40 and in the
latter, latter 100 per year, with one telephone
| Tree 10 the subscriber. He thought the
commissioners had gone into the subject
| rather hurriedly. Instead of making n
comparison with 1893 they should have
| taken 1896.
Commissioner Truesdell asked the
| speaker how many cities of the same size
| as washington permitted more than one
1e,ephone company to occupy its streets.
Mr.. Adams replied that as far as he
Knew Cleveland and Newark were the only
ones, but the question was unfair. for the
reason that it has only been q wear that
the monopoly Of the Bell telephone had
| been broken. The advent of the Home
Company in Washington would save to the
citizens $4,000 and to the District s.. $50.
| AT the present time the District was pay
ing $3,ooO per annum for its telephone
| service. His company would do the same
| work In better manner for $3.50 He
would venture the assertion that IL the
franchise OF the Home Company were
ductior of $4,000 in rents.
| Commissioner Ross then said:
| am willing to vote for bringing the
telephone rates down to the lowest possible
l nOtCh-l no hot e
| Tor the same service in other cities-but it
has never seemed expedient to me to tear
up the streets of the city when Congress
| has the exclusive control of them Of oil
| times"
| Commissioner Powell asked what the
| company proposed to do about paying for
the franchise If one were granted. I've
| ought not to give these franchises unless
the company is willing to divide its profits
with the public-to take the public in as an
| equal partner"
The Home Company, Mr.. Adams replied,
| was willing to do more than that 1t would
according to the figures already submitted
give the public almost two-thirds the best
| OF the bargain as compared with the pres
ent telephone rates. The company would
step right in and take the poles of the Com
| missioners, replace them according to their
| recommendation, allow them to run wires
| thereon, and keep them in repair for all
| time.
I'VE want underground conduits for all
| our wires" said Commissioner Ross, and
| Maj. Powell added:
IF we lay any more conduits they shall
more separate conduits under any condi-
tons. All wires of the city should be put
underground, and in one conduit"
| Mr.. Adams, continuing, said:
| In your report to the Senate committee
you practically abandon any hope of lower
ing the present rates, asking only for tax
alton. Why should there be talk of Con-
tgress regulating the old company when the
MIMIC ci<ran r,;&l~
proval a bill to require it to reduce rates
| to the very figures we are willing to &C.
cept? 1t puts the public in strange situa-
ton. You refuse to approve the compulsory
reduction of rates by the old company and
| refuse to approve a bill for a new company
at these rates. 1t would interest the pub
lie to know just what the Commissioners
| think the proper way is to get at this mo-
| nopoly and secure telephone rates within
| the reach of the men of moderate means.
What have the people to expect when you
| refuse to compel the present company to
| reduce the rates, and at another time re-
fuse to grant privileges to a company
| which is willing to put up bond that it
| will give equal service for these very rates
| to which the Commissioners refuse to COM
pei the present company to reduce"
Plumbers' Licenses.
The Commissioners have set aside Thurs
day, January %, at IL o'clock, to hear the
| executive committee of the Master Plumb
| REORGANIZATION of unsuccessful applicants
| for plumbers licenses.
Amount Expended.
The Commissioners have referred to the
District auditor for report the resolution q
| Congress calling upon the Commissioner.
for a statement Of the amount expended IL
the cities Of Washington and Georgetown
by years from 1878 to 1894, both inclusive
also an estimate Of the property held BY
the United States and the assessed valua
ton Of private property held in tho county
and a statement Of the amount of take.
collected.
To Refund 5000.
A bill has been introduced in the Senat,
by Mr.. Gibson authorizing the Commits
sfoners of the District of Columbia to re-
fund to John Murphy & Co. 500, deposited
with them in 1892, said deposit having beer
declared forfeited because Of the alleged
failure Of Murphy & Co. to furnish SAID
supplies.