Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-30
GET TIE FRANCHISE.
AMERICAN COMPANY GIVEN THE
FRANCHISE IN MANCHESTER.
OTHER ITEMS FROM TIE SOUTH SIDE
Committee Accepts the Hull-Street
Work M Far ns Comp1ete-Talk OF
DeIegates-PersOna Notes.

DeIegates-PersOnal Notes.
Another special meeting OF the Man.
chester Council was held last night to
consider the action OF the Street Com
mittee in regard To the franchise which
the American Telephone and Telegraph
Company is seeking in Manchester. The
Street Committee recommended an ordi
nance favoring the franchise, and this
recommendation was sustained by the
Council.
The Council convened at $50 o'clock,
with President John O'Brien presiding,
and the other members present were
Messrs. NJ. A. Campbell, w. w. Pool, w.
o. Randett, Matthew Morton, ]. r.
Green, c. IL. Sims. II. C. Nelson, r. l..
Patram, John L. Utz, and w. Z. Hart.
The ordinance presented by the Tele-
phone Company at the session last
Thursday evening was again taken up
and reread. Mr.. Clarence Il. Young, of
the American Company was present, to
look after the interest of his company,
and was made the butt of many ques-
tons calculated to bring out the aims
and objects of his people. Mr.. Sims,
chairman of the Street Committee, re-
ported that his committee decided in
favor of granting the franchise, voting
3 ayes to noes. He then made a mo-
ton that the ordinance be adopted as
read.
SHOULD FIX MAXIMUM RATES.
The discussion was opened by Mr..
Campbell, who said he was opposed to
granting the franchise only in the fact
that 10 maximum price for service had
been fixed. This was his sole ground
of objection. but was a ground upon
which he stood very firmly. Let the
company" said he, fix a price, and I'll
vote for IL. Let them say 800, SO, and
$50. or any price as their maximum
charge. and / could be counted among
its friends
Mr.. Pool said he was opposed to
monopolies and trusts of every kind, and
for the reason which his colleague, Mr..
Campbell stated. and many others, he
would certainly fight TO the last against
it, and vote against it.
Mr.. Sims then argued for the franchise
and said that it would be an advertise
ment for Manchester to have such a
telephone station i'm the city, and he
thought the city should look after its
own interests and let Richmond do as
she pleased. He said the matter was
simply whether the lines of the com
pany should so around the city instead
of going through it. He was I'm favor
of inviting the American Telephone Com
pany to the city.
Dir. Randlett said he did not see why
the gentlemen should oppose the fran
chise on the ground that other COM
panies would be excluded. for the ordi-
nance which was desired did not ex-
clude other companies. In reply to this,
Mr.. Campbell said he could see very well
how that could be- This company repre-
scented millions of dollars. and as Illus
trated in Richmond to-day, the COM
pany could crush out any competing
company and announce at that point
any price that it desired.
Mr.. Sims called attention to a new
clause added to the original ordinance.
which precludes the American Telephone
Company from selling. transferring, or
leasing the franchise if secured but. in
explaining these terms, Judge William
!. Clopton. City Attorney, said that while
the company could not dispose of their
franchise it was a fact that the city
could not prohibit the company's buying
as many shares In any other company
as IL pleased.
Mr.. Campbell asked Mr. Young If his
people ever named any maximum price.
To this. Mr.. Young replied NO" This.
he said was not possible because of the
varying business done in different States.
There were repeated calls for the ques-
ton. and the vote was then taken,
with the following interesting result:
Ayes-Messrs. Sims. Green. Randlett
Morton Hart, Nelson. and Utz.
Noes-Messrs. O'Brien, Campbell, Pat
ram. Pool. and Owens.
The session, upon motion. was then
adjourned
ACCEPTED THE WORK.
In the Stree. Committees session at
$50 o'clock yesterday evening. the work
on the paving of Hull street, from
Eighth to Fourteenth. was presented by
the contractors Messrs. Ambrecht &
AIiddendorf, and was accepted by the
committee and the bill for the work or
dered to be paid.
This work has been pronounced very
satisfactory. and complying in every re-
spect with the contract under which IL
was given ont.
ON POLITICAL SEAS.
A meeting of Mr.. Ellyson's friends was
held in Mr. A. ]. Bradley's office last
nislt. and the political situation In Man
chester was discussed at some length.
The City Central Committee will meet
tomorrow TO decide the time and method
OF electing delegates 10 the Roanoke con-
vention. At this meeting a committee.
composed of friends Of the three candi-
dates for gubernatorial honors, will APP
near and ask that instead Of ward meet
ings or primary convention shall be
held in Leader Hall or some other con-
venent place. This Is considered by
many the best plan. as 1t will afford the
people an opportunity to express their
approval OF the Chicago platform.
The statement has just been given out
that the movement set on foot some time
ago by the State Secretary of the Young
Mems Christian Association. Mr.. l.. A.
Coulter. to establish branch of the as
ISOLATION In Manchester. has been aban-
doned for the present. The railroads en-
tering the city. through their associations,
made proposition to give yearly APP
propriation to the work in Manchester.
provided the city raised the remaining
sum needed TO support the enterprise. a