Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-05-27
A GENERAL ORDINANCE
In Relation to Telephones Formulated
Last Evening,

Last Evening,
By the Council Committee on Or
dinances-The Measure Will APP
ply to the Peoples or Any Other
Company - Provisions in the
Nature of a Return for the Rights
Given--A Synopsis Of the Sec
tons, as Compared With the
Original Peoples Ordinance.
The Council Committee on Ordinances
met last evening for the especial pur-
pose of taking up and considering the
Peoples Telephone and Construction
Company ordinance, in accordance with
the action taken at the session of FRI
day afternoon The full membership
of the Committee was present, and in
addition attorneys of interested COM
panies and the City Solicitor.
Mr.. List, from the subcommittee,
stated that it had been said the sub
committee had done nothing, and that
he had been credited with being the
obstacle. In reply to this Mr.. List sub
mitted a bunch of letters, representing
correspondence he had had, and also an
ordinance he had drawn, limited, not
to the Peoples Company alone, but ap-
plying to all companies.
Mr.. Williams said he would like to
hear from attorneys, and if there was
nothing to be said, he moved an exec
utive session.
In reply to this Mr.. Cowden for the
Peoples Company, said some papers
had been submitted Of which he had
never heard, and an ordinance which
he had never seen. lie did not under
stand thai the ordinance submitted by
Mr., List came from the subcommittee
in fact, he did not know quite where
he stood.
Mr.. List said he had been accused Of
preventing a session of the sub-com-
mittee This was wholly untrue. He
lad been asked once to call a session,
and had done so, and was there, but
nothing had been done. No other re-
quest for a meeting had been made and
ne had been i'll for little over a week.
In his leisure time he had done what
work he could. and had made report
Of the same and it appeared he was the
only one who had done anything.
Mr.. COwdel discussed the matter a
little further, saying he hardly knew
what to say until he knew what was
before the Committee.
An executive session was then or
dered.
When the doors had been closed, the
letters procured by Mr.. List were read.
The first was from Baltimore, giving
the situation in that city, and then fol-
lowed a letter from the Marine Bank
Co.. Of Cleveland the United States Ma
tional Bank, of New York City, Citi-
zens National Bank, of Cincinnati 7.
Mellon & Sons, Pittsburg, and the Ma
tiOnal Bank of America, of Chicago. all
giving rates of charges, opposition
companies. if any, number Of subscribe
ers. etc, in the various cities named.
Following the letters came the read
ing of the ordinance submitted by Mr..
List. The ordinance was general one,
under which any company might oper-
ate. and provided for an underground
service in the central part Of the city,
with the paving of the street with new
brick form curb to car line on all
streets the surface of which should he
broken for the laying Of cOnduits, re-
stricted the companies 10 the use OF
alleys in other portions Of the city, for
bidding the placing of poles upon
streets. either within or without the
underground district, provided FOR
city wires, etc, and thirty tele'
phones at SIS per annum each,
for the use of the city; for teie-
phone service equal TO any now in
use" at a price not to exceed $50 per
annum within the city limits, with the
usual provisions for the supervision OF
work. the saving of the city harmless.
etc. and exacted a bond of $4,000 as
an indemnity to the city for any loss,
damage. suits. etc, and if any company
sub-let a subway the city is to receive
seven and one-half per cent Of the gross
receipts from such lease. The ordl-
nance must be accepted in thirty days
and work completed in six months al
ter the acceptance.
At the conclusion of the reading
of the ordinance, Mr.. Fair said
the time was too short Tor
tbe commencement and completion
of the work. The old ordinance, pre-
scented by the Peoples Company, gave
them six months to commence work
and eighteen months to complete It,
and he said no company could comply
with the terms.
Mr.. List said he thought 1t was merely
a question Of money. He. thought there
were no engineering questions.
Mr.. List moved to take up the measure
nv sections for discussion and amendment,
and Mr.. Fair moved an amendment for
vote whether 1t would be taken up at all
or not. which was practically vote on
Mr.. Lists motion. The Committee got a
little tangled as to what Mr.. Fair really
meant. but finally IT was explained that
he wanted a vote whether or not the new
ordinance should be considered az all or
not Mr.. Fair got no second. and Mr.
Lists motion was adopted, ayes .. noes d.
the opposition not voting. The new meas
ure was then read by sections. In section
one. where it read permission is hereby
granted to any Telephone and Construc-
ton Company Of Wheeling,' the word
.Wheeling" was stricken out and West
Virginia" inserted. on motion of Bachman.
hut this was a misunderstanding. Mr..
Bachman explaining he meant TO insert
Peoples Telephone and Construction
Company of West Virginia. instead OF
ANY Telephone and Construction Com