The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1896-01-22

Mr.. T. Il. Adams. the attorney of the
Home Telephone Company, whose appii-
cation for a Washington franchise, hitherto
referred to in The Times, has been re-
ported upon adversely by the Commits
sioners. was before the board this morning
with an argument for the reconsideration Of
1.-THE decision.
Mr.. Adams made an offer in tehah of
his Company TO conform TO every require
.nicnt now imposed upon the Bell monopoly;
to give service equally as good, at rates
not 10 exceed SAG q year; TO give bond in
any sum required, up 10 ST OO,GG0 or over,
in any form, for tie faithful performance
~of its contract, and to give five per cent OF
its gross receipts 10 the District govern
nent in return for the privilege OF intro
its system.
]. He went further and said that his COM
pany would lay cOuduits for the introduce
lion OF It's wire, would make them large
enough to accommodate all other wires,
and would either rent the privilege upon
ANY fair condition or permit the District
to rent TO other corporations upon any just
stipuations.
+ Mr.. Adams attacked the conclusions of
the Commissioners in respect to the neces-
sity for a monopoly. The board has hith-
erto stated in report to Congress that
one of the Indispensable requisites to a
perfect service Is the maintenance of a
monopoly. and one OF the reasons advanced
in support OF this proposition this morning
was that TO make the system of greatest
benefit il was necessary and desirable that
there should be but one central exchange
in a city.
> This was met by Mr.. Adams by the state
ment that the conditions upon which the
commissioners used as predicate existed
rivalry He said that this same Bell Tclc-
phone Company had reduced its rates in
Montreal to $50 per year, and in Toronto
to $40, and he also showed that already
there are cities that are giving Il franchise
to each of two companies.
at has been hut 4 brief time since the
opposition was possible" lid he, land now
that the Bell Company has said that it can
not reduce its rates here, l think you should
ADMIT a company that says it can and Will
do So"
There is no doubt that the conditions
have changed since 1898" admitted Maj.
Powell. Suppose we give your company
the privilege sought" inquired Col. Trues-
dell, would you he willing to have another
company chartered"
Certainly not. but we would feel that we
have no legal right TO object
as not a telephone company gilmore vaine
to the business man. that affords COM
rnuniCation with all other business men,
Col Truesdell again asked.
lyon must remember. Mr.. Commissioner,
that this is not Utopia. II might be better
TO have but one central dispensary'for each
of every line. but we haven't reached the
stage when it is possible. Besides. the Bell
Company does not afford communication
among ali the business men. for 1t Is only a
few who can pay the price"
The Belt Company has lego patrons.
We come here with $500 subscribers,
not one of whom is suhscriber TO the
Bell service and not one of them will be.
II regard your proposition as desirable,
Mr.. Commissioner. bit not as Indispensable
Mr.. Adams contended only for the local
service admitting that it would be n long
time before the long-distance service could
h, introduced. He called attention to the
fact, however that the Bell Company fosS:d
it necessary 10 incorporate Il separate coin
plny for its long-distance system.
Give us the frachise, Mr.. Commissioner,
said Mr. Adams. land guarantee you that
inside of twenty-four Tours it will effect
a saving to Washin gton Of 100000"
Mai Powell observed: 1--WE have some
thing to say about the price that shall be
charged"
But YOU say nothing about it in your
rcport" returned Mr.. Adams
1--WE intend to do so,'' was the reply.
The Commissioners promised to give the
matter further consideration.