Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-13
TALKING OVER THE PHONE.

The people of Richmond may have the
advantages Of the long-distance telephone
system II they wish it.
The only question is, Are we willing TO
give the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company the same privileges that
1900 other communities have given It?
Nothing more is asked Of US. Nothing
less will secure 10 US the privilege of
communicating by phone with other sub
scribers in Washington, Baltimore, Phila-
delphia. New York. Cincinnati, Chicago,
Detroit, ST. Louis, etc.
The petition of the American company
for the right to enter the city has been
referred to the City Council Committee
on Streets and viii be considered by
that committee before long. 1t is for
the committee TO advise the two branches
of the Council whether the corporation
seeking this franchise IS what it pur-
ports to be; whether it can give us COM
munica.ion with 1000 other exchanges;
whether it asks of Richmond anything
more than It has asked Of other com
munities. and whether our businessmen
WOulu DC 'Afoiia-'A VI llDN ~ iHN4il-
the wires extended here.
The committee will find that the wish
IS general here that Richmond may soon
have a longdistance telephone exchange.
For us TO be unprovided with such an
exchange. while 1000 other communities
are provided, is for Richmond 10 be put
10 a great disadvantage. In our judg-
indignant, hot" indeed. II, through any
action or non-action of the Council we
should be "belt-lined" or "side-tracked"
by the American company.
The wires Of the American system now
cover New England, the Middle States,
the Central West. the West. and the
Southwest on the Atlantic seaboard
they have reached down to Washington
and Alexandra. OF course, they viii not
be stopped there. They are to be ex-
tended South. II the company is al
lowed to come through Richmond, it will
be glad TO do so; and it asks no fran
chises Of us that have not been freely
given to it by other communities.
If the lines cannot be extended south
ward through Richmond. they Will be
extended southwark around Richmond. To
the South they are certainly going
The situation is as we have stated il.
Now, the question for the Council to de-
eide IS whether II will allow the local
telephone exchange war so TO engross its
attention and benumb its judgment as
20 cause It 10 lose sight Of the great OPP
portunity presented TO the business COM
rnunity of Richmond.
This question Of franchise or no fran
cbise TO the American company must be
settled promptly. We can't have our
own time to decide whether wen accept
or reject It. We cannot wait until the
local telephone war IS over. For our own
part, we heartily hope that the Council
will look to the future in dealing with
this question. The time is not to come,
but IS already at hand, when the city
that IS unconnccted with the lOng-dis-
lance telephone system is at a dlsadyan-
fage. compared with those that are IN
the circuit Richmond ought not only
20 be in the system, but should be the
Virginia headquarters for the system
And we believe that we shall be, If the
Council gives its consent-if it grants q"
franchise similar 20 the franchises grant
Cd by other cities of this country.
Now. let onr Businessmen think about
this matter. Let them talk TO one an
other. and with their councilmen. Let
them ask those who are Informed on the
subject ~ a 'long-dlstance telephone ex-
change would be beneficial 70 Richmond
And II the answer IS in the affirmative.
let them consider II Richmond couldn't
afford TO give to the American company
such franchises as have been freely voted
it by so many other communities