Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-17
NOT READY TO VOTE.
COMMITTEES AGAIN rosTroNEs Ac-
TIoN on PHONE FRANCHISE.
SPICY LETTER FROM Mr.. GEELYN.
He Makes vigorous Attack on the
Long-Distapcc Company--Mr. Gull
gon Urges Action aud Gen. Meany
Pleads for Thorough Examination.

The Street Committee will not pass
upon the application OF the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company for a
franchise in this city until April 18th.
This was the decision reached last eve
ming at tho special session Of the COM
mittce called 10 consider this subject.
There was little discussion OF the mat
ter. as the members Of The body said
they preferred to investigate and think
further before they voted
The committee-room was crowded
throughout the proceedings. Both the
petiiioning company and the Richmond
Telephone Company were represented by
counsel. and General r. =. Meany. Of the
former. had come on from New York for
the purpose OF being present at the meet
Ing.
The committee was called TO order
promptly at 5 o'clock, and there were
present Messrs. Allen chairman, John
NJ. King, Woody. Foster. Bloomberg,
Burton. Bahen. John J. King, Ebel, and
Carter.
MI SFittAANfAk iIWN'N a FNNf'rt.f"'' -
rules 10 Introduce petition for a
bridge 10 be erected on the dock by the
ice-house The matter was referred TO
the Ward Committee. The committee
then proceeded 20 the consideration Of
the application for franchise by The
American Telegraph and Telephone Com
pLny, At the request OF several mem
bers the petition for the franchise was
read
MIR. KEELYN'S LETTER READ.
A letter addressed 10 the Mayor City
Council. and committee having the tele-
phone question IN charge was next
called for. when MIR Guigon. OF counsel
for the Richmond Telephone Company.
asked TO be heard. and said he was
authorized by Mr. Keelyn to withdraw
the letter There was some discussion
as TO whether the letter should De read
or not Mr.. Gugon said he wished TO
explain the reasons which prompted the
withdrawal The letter had been writ
ten some time ago. and was rather
violent denunciation of the American
Telephone Company. As the tactics pur-
sued by his company had been marked
by no abuse of the opposition, he de-
sired that the letter should be with
drawn.
Mr.. Carter moved that the letter
should not be read. but this was OPP
posed by Mr.. BloOmberg. and the Chair
ruled that. II any member desired the
letter TO be read. inasmuch IS II was
addressed 10 the committee, It must of
necessity. be heard.
The letter. which was then read, was as
follows:
Chicago. H.. February 4, 1891
To the Mayor and Common Council and
the Committee having in charge ordi-
nances for TeleDhone Rights of Way
IN the City OF Richmond, Va:
Gentlemen.--T writer has endeavored
10 be present al the meeting when the
special lOng-distance ordinances were
under consideration. His time is taken
up I'm a thousand different directions Of
a similar tendency. The effort 90 obtain
a MONOPOLY of the telephone business by
one gigantic organization aided and
abetted By the paid talent and energy OF
the most influential men, politically. IN
this country. prompts this communication.
For The past month the writer has been
occupied preventing the telephone
monopoly from represe ntatiOn even in the
Cabinet Of the United States IN the
coming administration
The writer. as president of the National
Telephone AsSOclauCn, ana az representa-
tive In matters of this kind of more
than 300 public telephone exchanges IN
this country asks only tnat consideration
which would be for the best interests or
the public. The granting OF an ordnance
10 the American Telephone andl Telegraph
Company. including rates of operating
a local telephone company in the city Of
Richmond, means the prohibition or use
OF these long-distance lines except with
consent arbitrarily determined by the
ong-Dlstance Telephone Company II Is
fair 10 assume that this would act as
bar to the use Of these lines by other
telephone interests than those within the
special favor OF the Bell Company. II Is
undeniabe-in fact, procla tned-that the
Bell Company Tor the American Bel
Telegraph Company. American Telephone
rafaurufth ffpmnanV SOnf hpTn RflI
Company will not connect its lines or
telephones with any other lines or tele-
phones excepting those controlled by the
Bell Company: therefore. the Richmond
City Council must at this time determine
for its citizens whether in future its
long-distance telephone business shall be
the city can be protected against such
contingency There is absolutely no
doubt that ii can VIII 1t?
THE QUESTION OF MONOPOLY.
IN one breath the American Telephone
and Telegraph representatives, declare
"they must have an ordinance protecting
them against local monopoly and IN the
next breath declare they must have a
monopoly OF long-distance business at
Richmond" There is no other cOnstruc-
ton to be reasonably placed upon their
assertions. They say I'VE must have
local rates. so that We Will not be at the
mercy of any local company. in one
breath. In the next breath they declare.
10 the use of our long-distance lines. eX-
cept the telephone of our pater Bell COM
pany Is used They state that they can
not afford 10 build lines in Richmond
without such ordinance and threaten 70
build around Richmond and give il the
'.go-by" II the Richmond Council refuses
their arbitrary demands. The writer Will
put up a bond. FORGETTING 5000 10 the city
charities OF Richmond, il the Bell COM
pany Dong distance) Will build line 10
Washington and VIII furnish thereirom
service anywhere within fifty miles south
OF Richmond without connecting with
Richmond within one year from the date
OF completion and operation for service
OF such a line. The threat * but the
! bombast of a pool, and II IL astonishing
that such audacity should be offered
as an Imposition upon the credulity OF
the cOmnittee or the people OF Richmond.
LONG-DIsTANCE COMPANIES.
Now preparations are under way 70
give Richmond a long distance telephone
service 4 No arbitrary demand viii he
MADE for an exclusive right OF use o. these
long-Sistance lines If the Bell Company
or any other company there desire 10 con-
meet with these lines on the borders OF
the city OF Richmond, IL Will give the pro-
posed ng-distaRce company no heart
burnings. but the greatest pleasure to wei
come their business. That Is what d
long-diStauce company Is fOr 10 get long
distance business from whoever has the
prlce and wants the service. The writer
ought 10 except the Bell people from this,
Tor they want to be four quarters OF
Everything. Further than that. such long
distance company will expect reasonable
regulation OF It's rates. in fact, IL Will Wei
rome such an endorsement OF the justice
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