The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-16
LONG TALKS OYER PHONES.
Continued From First Page.

THE OTHER SIDE.
Captain Guigon then read TO the col'i-
mittee another paper. signed by num-
Der Of the subscribers to the former paper
and all Of the Richmond banks except
the Merchants National. The paper an"
signers are as follows:
Richmond. Va, Dec. 81, wv
We. the undersigned, respectfully S'l',
TO the Council Of the city OF hlch'l'o"u
that we signed a certain petition uiu''
date Of July q. 1896. asking that '"e
Council permit the establishment OF
long-distance telephone in this cltb' as
operated by the American Telephone an"
Telegraph Company.
We beg TO say that i'm signing thls
paper. We were not advised that II VIZ
the intention OF that company 10 ASK
for the right TO do local business un-
der any terms. much less absolutely Win
out restriction as TO price.
We are now informed by the representa-
tivcs of that company as reporleu ln
the public press. that local rights are
demanded, and We feel confident that the
granting OF an additional local itahchi7e
to powerful ally OF the Bell company
will be an act of unfairness TO the nov
company. recently chartered by the CITY.
and which is now giving an extended ana
efficient service. at greatly reduced
prices.
We further fear that the giving Of such
a local franchise by the Council OF the
city will result in the practical eNtinc-
tion Of the new local enterprise. and the
pcrpctuatiOn OF the Ben monopoly. from
which the citizens have so long suffered,
with IT'S greatly increased. and, IN many
instances. prohihuOry schedule of prices.
I'm consideration OF these facts, AS they
appear TO us. We respectfully petition
your honorable body to reject the appi-
cation Of the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company. and TO refuse o.
grant amy additional local franchia,
whatsoever.
And your petitioners will ever pray.
IL. q. Burnett. Cashier OF the First Na-
tional Bank. Richmond. Va; James
y. Boyd President. Planters National
Bank. Richmond. Va. Richard "A.
Smith, Cashier of the Planters Na-
tional Bank. Richmond Va, John ;.
Elicit. President OF the State Bank OF
Virginia, j ". Lockwood. Cashier
National Bank of Virginia. Richmond.
Va, Security Bank. 4. y. Blair. CASH
Ter; The Dime Savings Bank Of ltich-
mond. Va, by j. II. Southall. Cashier.
Virginia Trust Company. by Mann :
Quarles, Nice-Prcsident, William H.
Palmer President, city Bank. Virginia
10y w. u. Mccarthy. Secretary. Owens
q Minor Drug CO.. j. Thompson Brown
a. Co. The Snow-Church CO.. William
j. White. Manager, j. -. Beasley
Cashier. Union National Bank of Rich-
mond. Samuel II. Pulnam. John b.
Cary q Son. John Bowers. Il. a. Pat
tcrsOn Tobacco Company John NJ. BAN,
Cashier. the Savings Bank OF Rich
n,Ond. &. ". Branch. stephen putncy
q CO.. Watkius-Cottrcn co, Stern a
CO.. a. j.. Clarke * son. y. vs.. Tig-
nors Sons. n. w. Wood q Sons POLK
Miller Drug CO.. H.. l.. Carayati. Man
ager FOR G.. j.. Kenny.
The speaker then stated that signatures
10 the paper had a.sO been obtained
from four hundred subscribers 10 the
Richmond Telephone Company and many
others could have been gotten If they had
only been seen.
Captain Gugon then paid his respects
to 70 circular gotten out by Mr. n. NJ.
Smith, Jr, Of counsel for the long-distance
company. addressed 10 the Richmond
Telephone Company. and rejecting upon
its past policy. lie answered the asser-
tons made in the circular frankly and
fully.
Captain Guigon cl-sod with an impress
sive appeal 20 the committee not 10 al-
low "a corporation with unlimited funds
behind n. 10 crush out a home industry
and set the iron heel OF monopoly upon
the city.
SENATOR DANIEL.
Senator Daniel followed Captain Guigon.
lie asserted i'm the outset that MS COM
pany ala not propose 90 ask the city 10
DO any thing which savored Of bad faith
TO the Richmond Telephone Company.
q B. o. 10.
good results Of competition. "ln q fair
field and u free fight" he said. the best
viii always win. We are not here TO ask
for any monopoly. We d0 not ask for any
privilege which wee object 10 being granted
to any other company"
Senator Daniel took exception 10 the
remark made by Captain Guigon ia OPEN
ing his address. 20 the fact that Colonel
Anderson had not been ingenious in what
NE had said. and denied the charge that
any Of counsel for the iOng-distance COM
pany was di-ingenuoue.
Having noticed this incident In passing.
Senator Daniel then cxpatiatcd upon the
great advantages Of competition. The
counsel for the Richmond Telephone
Company Dee said iurrichcd against moo
nopolIes. bu' asked fhe city Of Rich
mond TO allow DTS company 10 monopo-
IIr inc business OF ltIN NMDNN.
Senator Daniel continued 10 discuss 1T
great leneth the advantages OF compoti-
tion TO communities ln regard 10 the
statement Of Captain Guieon. that Rich
mond was The only city whore the long
distance company had' -lgod local rights.
De- replied that in none of the CITIES ON
the company's lines bad such privileges
been refused Them lt was ont Of the
question. Do s1id for his company 10 at-
tempt to DO business without local privi-
lcecs. as from them arose GOD per cent Of
MS income
The speaker said that there was anoth-
or reason why hH company must have
local privileges. since BE- they were unable
20 control their connections 200 city.
they might Doc ruined bv damage suits
arising from something in nowise their
iault. il was inst all business prin-
cipies. be- said Further. said Senator
Daniel, what would happen 10 the long
distance company II i's Richmond con-
necuons were controlled by the Rich
mond Telephone Company. and the latter
company should Doe thrown into tho hands
Of "a receiver
II don. mean to suggest that such a
thins is likely. Do said "it is but a sup
position To Illustrate my meaning"
Senator Daniel then spoke as TO the
identity or the American Telephone and
Tclesraph Company. we are not the
zen company Doc said we are one
OF the children of the Boil patent. we
can help that n there is ANYTHING
wrong or ont of the way about this
company, II is NOT I'm any OF its dealings
win richmond. ! am not aware OF any