Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-29

That was one way TO do business. but
II was not the way Of the American Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company. The ablli-
" Of the latter corporation TO carry for
ward Its work and live up TO the pro-
visions OF It's ordinances was commented
upon briefly by General Moany. Large
things can only be accomplished by large
means declared General Meany. Judge
us by what we have done In the past. not
by any Illusion as 10 what we may do
In the future. / challenge the gentlemen
OF the opposition 20 state where We have
violated In the twelve years Of our ex-
istence any agreement that our company
has made with any city or corporation or
any OF its customers"
General Meany then paid his respects
10 the manner In which the Richmond
Telephone Company has lived up to the
terms OF its franchise, calling especial
attention 10 it's failure to put it's wires
underground in a certain portion of the
city by July 10. 1897. "Where are its un-
dorground conduits? Where is that fine
Of 800 a day for each day the company
does business without that conduit sys-
tenn asked the president Of the Long
Distance Company.
NO CONTRACT WITH THE BELL.
company had no contract with the South
ern Bell Company here, and added that
the Southern Bell was not in condition 10
conform to the requirements Of the long
distance system. He remarked that his
company had made no demands upon the
people of Richmond; It only asked TO be
permitted TO come here. IL had made
more concessions here than In any other
city in America.
Considerable time was devoted by Gene
raj Meany TO a discussion Of the maxi
mum-rate question. He said the Rich
mond Telephone Company had better have
been uneasy about the matter Of mini
mum rate. He declared that no company
could tell what IL would cost TO equip
and operate a telephone plant in city
under different circumstances and condi-
tions. His company had devoted twelve
years to the business without being able
TO fix in advance proper rates in all
cases and had been operating for several
years in New York without one cent OF
profit. but its business had now been
placed upon a basis by which IT hoped 70
make money and this basis was 10
charge each subscriber for the amount
Of service rendered. General Meany ask
cd a patient careful consideration Of this
measure. and thanked the Council warm
ly for its attention 10 his remarks.
PROTEST OF CAPTAIN GU1GON.
General Meany was followed in his
speech by Captain A. b. Gugon. counsel
for the Richmond Telephone Company
who earnestly and ably protested against
the adoption Of the franchise Of the
Long-Distance Company He objected
10 the position in which the Richmond
Company had been placed, and TO Gene
raj Meany's line Of argument, IN so far
as attacks upon his company were con-
cerned. "The Richmond Telephone Com
pany appears to have been placed on
trial here" " said CAPTAIN Gugon. "by
General Meany. and his assault upon US
is tho principal feature of his argument
that the ordinance letting his company
come into Richmond should be adopted.
Now. gentlemen Of the Council If the
Richmond Telephone Company is TO be
placed on trial, General Meany is not
the proper person to be our prosecuting
attorney / submit that we have, 10
all intents and purposes, lived up TO
all the provisions and requirements Of
our ordinance" Captain Guigon mere
referred 10 what he termed the attacks
and obstacles which had been made upon
and thrown in the way Of his company,
and the stringency of the times and de-
clared that the Richmond Telephone
Company had lived through all these.
and had been carried into successful
object lesson of what Virginia and Rich
mond pluck and energy could DO. cap
tain Guigon remarked that General
Meanv had said he was at loss TO know
why the Southern Bell Company was so
unpopular in this community. III this
is the case, the two years he says he
has been watching the situation here
have been lily spent. If he had gone
among the people of Richmond and have
heard what they had suffered at the
hands of the Southern Bell Company for
the past fifteen years; if he could have
seen how the very name of the Bel
created a stencil in the nostrils of these
people. he would not be at a loss to
know why the Southern Bell is 50 un-
popular in this community
CAPTAIN Guigon spoke at length Of the
relations between the American Bell, the
American Telephone and Telegraph, and
tho Southern Bell Telephone companies.
He said that for "A long time the same
man was president Of the three com
panies, and five of the largest stockhOid-
ers i'm the companies were on their Ill
rectorates. 1t was charged by the speak
er that the Long-Distance Company
was the ally or the friend of the South
might have different names the royalties
and dividends were wrung from the peo-
ple throughout the land.
THOUGHT HE WAS INPERTINENT.
Captain Guigon referred to General
Meany's remark that the Rlchmohd
Telephone Company had mortgaged its
,,ronertv and said he considered it i'm
nerfinent for General Meany TO refer to
he priyate affairs Of his company. The
contain went over what took place seVe-
raj months ago in relation TO the proposed
,est of the phones of the Richmond
Telenhone Company upon the appliances
of the American Telephone and Telegraph
Connanv. He asserted that the phone
svstems could be connected; the connec-
lions had been made, and business ar
raneements could be perfected. Ihe
American Telephone and Telegraph COM
~, had rushed i'm with the proposition
ae minimum rate. This minimum rate
does not amount TO a row of pins" de-
clared Captain GuigOn. rs there any
Iow nv which YOU can compel business
concern to collect its bills captain
cuigon said even If the company should
he granted the franchise it asked win
q maximum rate attached, IL Wopiu DC
very easy. after the home company hau
been crushed out or existence lOI IL ~
come to the Council and say that tele-
phony could not be furnished at such
price: and up would go the rate The
sneaker reviewed briefly the points EN-,
braced in the argument of General
Meany. and gave his reasons, which he
deemed as good ones, for thinking that
the ordinance asked at the hands OF the
Council should not be granted. He could
only find one reason for granting the
Sranchise and that was that the Ameri-
can Telephone and Telegraph Company
wanted 1t. .so,,,,,o
CAPTAIN Guigon urged in very enectiVe
manner that the Council shouiu ao' ~
- faith towards his company.
MIR POWERS AND HIS PEIliloN'