Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-23
TO GO TO NEW YORK.
,rREET COMMITTEE TO rNvEsrr-
GATE LoNG-DrsrANoE PHONES.
RETRENCHMEkT LAW RETURNED.
recommendations "s TO once Hours
Of All Departments, omcers Doing
outside work, Etc.-Council Bor-
rows Money TO Meet Current Ex-
pcuScS.

Tho Council Committee on Streets
held a four-hours session last night for
the purpose Of hearing the final state
ucnt OF the City Engineer concerning the
retrcnchment ordnance touching his de-
partmcnt. and considering and acting
mon the same. 1t did this. and more.
too. The body by a vote Of 7 to 3. ac-
ccptcl an Invitation from the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company OF
Virginia to so TO New York and other
cities and investigate tho practical opera
lions OF the long-distance telephone sys-
ten. There was a fight against the ac-
ceptance of this invitation. upon the
ground that the log-distance phone was
no longer an experiment, but a thing
practical; but a majority Of the members
said that they wanted to see II IN OPERA
ton. and test its usefulness: and thev
had their way. Messrs. Allen. Burton.
and Carter said, emphatlcally that they
would not so.
INVITATION TO GO TO NEW YORK.
The Committee on Streets convened
promptly at o'clock with Messrs. Allen
chairman. Bahcn. Bloomberg. Burton.
Carter Ebel. Lawder, John N. King.
John j. King. Pollock present. As soon
as the minutes OF the previous meeting
were read. Mr.. H. NJ. Smith. Jr., ap-
poarcd and presented a communication
which. he said. fully explained Xself.
IL was an invitation 20 the committee and
others 10 so 10 New York and other cities.
az the expense OF the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company of
Virginia, 10 fully inquire into and see
the practical working OF the long-distance
system.
Below is given in full, the letter Of the
company through its attorney, Colonel
George Wayne Anderson:
Richmond. Va. February %, 1897.
TO the Chairman and Gentlemen Com
posing the Street Committee of the
Richmond City Council:
Gentlemen-ln Connection with the con-
test now carried on against the petition
Of the American Telegraph and Telephone
Company. OF Virginia. which is before
you for decision. / have learned that the
Richmond (Standardr Telephone Company
has invited. and has had your mem
bers 10 visit and inspect its exchange
and switchboard. l am informed that
various. and. no doubt, impressive. tests
and experiments have been conducted for
your information and guidance. 1t seems
that Il is only just that you should make
"a Ike inspection Of our methods and
system before deciding the important
question that Is before you.
We feel impressed, and properly so.
! think. with the fact that this PROPOSE
ton is one Of great Importance to this
city as well as to ourselves. and viii
affect. in unknown measure, n future
commercial greatness and prosperity.
For this reason. as well as because we
realize how imperfect is the knowledge
that even intelligent and well-informed
men have Of electricity and telephony,
We have determined to invite you 10 in
spect our system and methods as you
have inspected those Of our opponents.
We, therefore, cordially and respectfully
invite you 10 go as our guests to New
York and Philadelphia. leaving Rich
mond about the 7th day of March, and
returning I'm time for business on the.
morning OF the 10th. In New York, you
will be shown our methods, plant. and
system. and be furnished an opportunity
10 investigate and test It IN every way.
In Philadelphia. you will be shown every
detail concerning the extensive conduit
systems Of that city, and learn OF it's
experience in that regard.
CITY OFFICERS INVITED, TOO.
We shall invite to accompany you his
Honor the Mayor the presidents of both
branches of the Council, the City Engi-
neer. the Superintendent Of Fire-Alarm,
the City Attorney, as well as your Ser
geant-at-Arms. We fix upon the 7th day
Of March because OF the fact that the
president of the Virginia Company has
been called TO the West, and will not
be able 10 meet the gentlemen Of the
comm ttee in New York at an earlier
day than the Sth proXimo.
While this involves some little delay in
the final action Of the committee. we be-
lieve that the importance or the decision
10 be rendered far outweighs the delay
which IS requisite for the fuller infor-
nation OF the gentlemen who are TO de-
eide the matter. Assuring the committee
that they shall be free TO make any and
every inquiry and investigation that they,
or any Of them, may wish TO make, we
trust they viii give our great enterprise
the same careful and personal invesuga-
ton that they have given TO that or
those who oppose Us.
To this end. we invite them to visit
the seat OF our enterprise that they may
see for themselves
with very great respect, 1 remain.
gentlemen. yours. very truly,
GEORGE WAYNE ANDERSON,
Attorney for the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company, of Virginia.
THE PROPOSITION OPPOSED.
Mr. Ebel moved, in order to get the
matter properly before the committee
that the invitation OF the telephone COM
Dany be accepted. There was a brief bit
OF discussion, in which Mr.. Allen urged
that the trip would be a useless one, IN
that every member of that committee
had a sufficient amount of intelligence 10
know that the long-distance telephone
was a practical thing
Mr.. Ebel said that he wanted to see
the practical operation Of the system ana
especially 10 have the committee look
thoroughly into the conduit system, about
which there had been so much tax among
members Of the City Council
II have heard Ii claimed" interJected
Mr. John NJ King. that this long-de
lance phone cannot be connected with
the Richmond Telephone Company's sys-
TEN. and / would like 10 have this matter
fully established 10 my mind"
The City Engineer said he felt very
much like Mr. King had expressed him
self lie said he would rather not go,
and could not see what was 10 be gained
10 the members OF the committee by go
ing OF on what was commonly called
"1unketlng" trip, when so much was
known about and so mush literature cou!a
be had about the long-distance telephone.
Colonel Cutshaw stated that should ne De
called upon 10 80 by the committee ne
would 20. but II would be a little under
protest. The Colonel pointed out the
disadvantages Of the proposed trip 10
New York, and referred TO the unchari-
table comment which generally follows
such soiourns when taken by city coun-
cllmen and officials.
After some discussion the committee
accepted the invitation by the following
vote.
al
j. NJ King. and J. j. Lawder. and Pol
lOck-T