Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-16

until they pass out OF the city. II they
mean long-distance business alone let
them come into the city and carry their
wires whore they choose. on condition
that they do no local service. There are
not twenty men IN Richmond who have
need OF iong-distancc telephone service
III there are twenty or twenty-five people
In Richmond willing TO pay 900 or $50
for communication with New York or
other points let this company come in
and do long-distance business alone with
out local privileges"
NOT ASKED ANYWHERE ELSE.
1t was a striking fact. Mir. Guigon con-
tinued, that Richmond is the only city
where the long-dstance company desires
TO DO local business. When this CON-
pany made its first application to erect
its system here, Il only wanted 10 give
long-distance service. The change he
said, was due 10 the fact OF the with
drawal OF franchises from the Southern
Bell Company. The speaker than quoted
the rate charged by the American COM
pany. lie said It would cost s. for five
minutes conversation with New York
city, and It was possible TO send ten
words by telegraph for 35 cents, and keep
a record Of the message He argued that
the charges for this long-distance con-
nection were excessive. Mr.. Gulgon
read and presented manifesto. signed
by a majority of the signers of the pc
tition presented by the American com
pany at the last meeting Of the commit
tee, practically Withdrawing their sigma
lures from that document, and stating
that they had been induced to put their
names to It, believing it to be simply
and solely n long-distance telephone, and
not knowing that It was proposed 10
I..4rF rQ0 al
festo states that those who have signed
# believe that. If this American Tele-
phone Company Is allowed to come In, IT
will inevitably lead to the extinction OF
the home company.
Captain Guigon then presented petit
ton signed by a large number of repre-
sentative business people, praying that
the committee refuse to grant the Ameri-
can Telephone Company any local rights
Mr.. Guigon, in closing, said company
with 900 surplus is power That
1t behooves the people of this city to be
very careful in admitting to this city.
MAJOR DANIELS FINE SPEECH.
Senator Daniel then rose and spoke In
behalf Of the long-distance company The
existence of the Richmond company, Cap
tain Guigon had said, depended on the
good faitn of the city of Richmond.
'orhen." said he, IT welcome 1t to I'M
mortality, for we are not here to an
tagonize the Richmond Telephone COM
pany We are not at your gates asking
for any monopollstic privileges. we 90
not ask you to give to us any privilege
which you object TO grant 10 any other
company. Counsel for the Richmond Tele-
phone Company has said that his COM
many cannot live unless you make OF IL
monopoly. If monopolies cannot live they
ought TO de" The people who use teie-
phones want to get the best telephones
that are made the speaker continued
"The American company" he said, is
living and vital thing, carrying lhiornla-
ton into 10000 offices and homes oil lhe
United States. The moment the CITY %
Richmond permits this company 10 put lis
'nbones here the man in his Office can
touch a button and communicate Win
100 600 stations. We are not dealing with
small things. and small criticisms must
ALWAYS fan short of the marx, sald ne
He emphasized the statement that the
American company is not connected Win
the Southern Bell Company in any way.
Captain Guigon" he said, asked IL
we were not required 10 connect
with the Southern Bell Company
wherever Il had an intrument' ue-
clare that we are bound by no such
NVN''+~
or not the Richmond Telephone COM
many had endeavored to sell out IT'S
franchises TO the Bell Company, when II
now stigmatized as grasping monopoly
CAPTAIN Guigon rose and denied en-
phatically that any such oVertures had
been made. Senator Daniel, continuing,
said he had understood otherwise. IL
YOU pull up the Southern Bel COM
pany. and send it's plant TO the JUNK
shop, is there any reason why we snoulu
NOT buy from the junk-dealerY There
was no logic. he contended, In the sug-
gestion of counsel on the opposite SIDE
that the American Telephone Company
intended TO purchase the plant OF the
Southern Bell Company. I'VE 90 not IN
lend 10 revive that company and ran
TO see that counsel made any point III
that argument
SPEND OVER a MILLION.
The charge that the American Telephone
Cornpany could not spend million dollars
in Virginia was absurd, said Senator Ia
MEL. He roughly estimated that 1t would
cost more than that sum. There was an
Inconsistency in the proposition OF inc
Richmond company that unless the CITY
nourishes it on nurseling pap II Woulu
cease to exist &C.,. 80.
"Does Richmond" he asked, want an
other telephone company? l cannot tell.
An we have to say is, let us compete; let
ms have i'm Richmond what we have every
where. NV learned friend AYERS tnat TINS |
SIS the only city in which we desire 10 90 d |
local business. There is not city In the |
United States in which we are DONG
business which mas ueilleu
to ms the right to do local business MI
Guigon has said that If we want 10 put III /
twenty or twenty-five telephones, ana |
"a
many win not oppose us. If we accepted |
anv such proposition we should abandon /
on ner cent. of what our capital leads US
~ exnect and should be foredoomed TO 1
failure" ..o
II would be out Of the question for the !
company he represented, argued senator
Daniel. to use the poles or wires Oh .lc
Richmond company, for, without "lsnlns
"a ir,niv such Z contingency suppose the |
company went into the nahds OF q &c
ooi,er or a dispute arose among the Dohu-
holders. The money Of the Bell Company |
ana not stand il in good stead when the
,,oonIe Of Richmond said they ala not /
,,,ort the telephones OF that company any |
,,oro and WHY should the American CON-
,,orx,s canital be source OF anxiety 10 |
the local company? The senator reau
lone list Of telephone exchanges pro-
nofed by private enterprise, that hau COZ
Iapsed during the past Two ye ti . ~ 80
.,ti,re company. ne said. could 20 into
eitv and live with only few direct lines
n other cities. AS to charges, Senator
D.niel said If YOU lay down arbitrary |
.h ,s'r, for any company 1t would mean
he putting Of the burden on the poorer
classes. The tendency or charges
Is 10 lower and graduate charges
Referring TO Captain Guigon's state
mcnt that 1t would COST - 70 -
phone TO New York for nVe n'lsn.va,
sonator Daniel argued that the charge
-, ,,,ae for keeping the phone at the