The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-18
Important Changes Made 10 Protect the
Clly'S Interests.
CITY.ATTOREEY MEREDITH EXPLAINS
The Importance Of some Of the Prov Visions
lie Hopes TO Win the Guys Fight on
the Bell Compauy-rrogtFss OF
Negotiations on Transfers.

presented ODE ordinance litIN+N" ''
under directions from the committee
granting loeM and long.dis''nce p'N'-
l,ees to tne American Telephone ana
Telegraph Company Of Virginia.
The ordinance was read hy the eleiN'
and then Mr. Pollock asked 10 have ie"1 ,'l
the resolutions ot the commute
which the city Attorney was "l''',h'
rnIe ,..s done and Mr Pollock ana MI
Boombcrg protesting that the O''s N'
tofnev had disregardcd the comm. .
instructions. hc was on mo'on on -'-
Ebei. requested 20 go over iAt oi '-'.'-''
dmancc with the amendments, a.
bv the committee and sho" "heIe l' W. ",'o
uIoa.1 and where 30 failed Go pro'ecl 'ho
city'G interest
Ills INSTRUCTIONS.
.r- Meredith thon addressed the COM
,,t.tr. and said that when he hhd last
anroa-0i before Che committee he H''
1..,, toid 10 protect the city Interests
sr1 ID fac same time carry out lhe coHi-
,,lt+cc.. ,frWe as FAR as possible anu
tft. Do had tried o. DO. lie had been toid
th.f fne committee did not wish 'he
American Company 20 Doe required 10
brnd "a conduit f0r joint occupancy ana
SD nc hld especially provided I'm the ordl-
nance fhal the provisions OF the general
n.Io wire. and conduit ordinances, passeu
Sc.temhcr 30 1896. should lie quaHhed h
th4f particular Mr.. Meredith went on 10
saw that De had not imagined the COM
mittca had wished 90 exclude the long
distance company entirely from the opera
,io, 80 fho two general ordinances. Tn
which the street Committee, the CITY
o0oi.ls and the Council had worked Tor
more than "a year. and ne knew OF no bet
ter wav 20 protect the citys interests
than by constituting the general ordl-
ranccs $50 carefully prepared, a part Oh
surh franchise as the committee proposel
TO give the company.
Tho CITY Attorney then proceeded 10
consider the committees ordinance sec
ton bv section. beginning 10y saying that
ho thought the committee were disposed
10 ri-e up the fight against the Bell Com
pany too easily; that DE hoped ana be-
Heved hc would win the city's fight In the
higher courts. and thus enable the city
90 succeed in putting out the Bel COM
p1ny.
AN IMPORTANT POINT.
However. he added if YOU pass 1t. ana
give The American Company the right To
do local business as w.ll as long distance,
and telegraph as well as telephone, you
uuf ID certainly and irrevoc ably out OF
vour power to control the company, and
puf ihe city in just the same helpless po-
.iti8n towards lhis company as the Beu
Company now claims it occupies towards
it.
continuing Mr.. Meredith showed that
thp languace of the next section OF the
ordinance as sent To- him by the commit
Tee. would seem 20 allow the company 10
erect poles "foT local distribution in
The very heart of the city when the COM
wittee really desired 90 require conduts
90 be used.
AIR. Meredith stated that he had given
a great deal of time to the preparation OF
This ordinance and had given several
lengthy hearirt to counsel for the Long
Distance Company. I'm fact it was me
objections ma le by the rcpi csentatNes or
the company 60 % maximum rate, winch
caused him t0 lioVide in the ordnance
for maximum rate for two years after
which the rate -n0uld Doe graded or should
lo fixed hy arbitration.
Mr. Meredith WIS proceeding to show
other objections ,o the committee oidi-
raurc when it was suggested 10y Mr.. Etol
that the matter had better Dee postponed
to r special ting. when the committee
could consider the whole matter careful
N He then moved that the telephone
matter he laid ON the cable till May 26th.
at o'clock II. NJ, which was carried.
Tlc ordinance reported by Mr.. Meredith
i- as follows.
TIE ORDINANCE.
An ordinance to allow the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company Of
Virginia go construct and operate tele-
phone plant cor exchange within the line
Jos of the City of Richmond.
BE 30 ordained by tho Council OF the
City of Richmond.
First That the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company of Virginia be-
aud Tine same is hereby authorized TO
construct and operate a. telephone plant
or exchange within the limits of the city
of Richmond subject TO the conditions
limitations and restrictions herein SCI
forth or referred to.
Second An poles. wires. couduits and
other apparatus are To- Doc constructed
snI used ln strict conformity to The pro-
visions of thc ordinance of said city enc
tIDl "Au ordinance as 90 the joint use
ol poles erected in the streets of the city
of Richmond for the support of wiros
ueol in connection with the transmission
OF eiD.rcItN' approved September lO
1eo. aud ALSO of another ordinance of
faId rifv entitled "An ordinance Ca rc-
Ou.ro thc removal of poles and wires
from overhead n certain streets and
for the construction and using of con-
dnits lu certain streets. approved Sep
tembor io lNa. except as herein other
w.se provided.
Third The said company is hereby au-
thorizcd to erect poles construct con-
duits and run wires for tho purpose of
lonc distance tc.ephoning necessary fOr
its route through said city and TO enter
Sos office iu said city. such route to DE as
determined upon hy the Committee on
Streets
NJ shall desire Go establish in said city
one or more branch COZ local offices iu
addition to iis general office the COM
pany may erect poles. construct con-
duits and run wires on such streets as
may hc suitable and necessary m the
opinion of thc Committee on Streets. 10
connect said local office or Offices with
said general office.
Fourth. m the said company can make
satisfactory terms for local business ana
communication With any telephone cou,-
pany now in this city. except the South
pany. or with any company which may
hcflafter 10 ilsinCss in this city with the
consent of said council 10 ls hereby au-
thor'zed 10 erect such poles. construct
such c0nduits. and run such wires as
may. n hc opinion az the Committee ON
etrcDts. boz necessary TO mako al proper
connection of wires between it's office ANA
the office 9f the company doing such local
business.
Tifh. If U cannot make satisfactory
terms with "a local company as above
stated 81 shall have the privilege of doing