Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-13

not willing TO agree to any regulation
OF rates prior to the establishment OF
the system. because Il was Impossible
TO do this until all the circumstances and
conditions should be fully known and
CONSIDERED. To go wrong now would
DC TO strike at the very fundamental prin-
'ipie upon which the company was TO
rely Tor its success He did not see
What ground the Richmond Telephone
company had TO complain. 1t now had
more than 1000 subscribers. and he under
stood was getting the compensation for
'hem provided In its charter. This was
as large a number OF phones as the
southern Bell had here prior TO the es-
lap'iShmont OF the new company In
TINS city, which ne thought should be
satisfactory TO that corporation
General Meaney then dwelt at length
upon the matter OF the capitalization of
these companies. stating that the Ameri-
can Telephone and Telegraph Company
was capitalized at 100000. about s22.-
W'VW or which had been put into these
pants Each company in the different
states was embraced in this capitalza-
ton
Mr. Guigon was granted five minutes
IN which to make replication TO some Of
the points raised by General Meaney and
uWelt entirely upon the connection OF
the companies. and the Importance of
iNing maximum rate. The final re-
marks on the part Of the representa-
tNes OF the companies were made by
colonel Anderson. and this gentleman
argued that the proposed bond. If given
by his company, for the faithful perform
ance or. the obligations assumed under
the franchise. would be a valid instru-
ment and could be forfeited.
THE ORDINANCE BY SECTIONS.
The ordinance was then taken up seria-
TIM on motion OF Mr. Carter There was
no oDJectlon whatever to the first section.
| Wllch merely deals in q general way with
the nature OF the franchise the ordinance
grants as TO use Of the streets and high
ways OF the city, the placing under ground
or me wires and poles within the section
bounded by the north side Of Broad
street, the south side OF Cary street. the
west side Of jefferson street. and the
tdss slde or Seventeenth street. except
such as are required for local distribution.
| ana these 10 be placed I'm alleys wherever
practicable. This section was agreed
upon without amendment. and section 2
was also passed. but with provision in
corpOrated requiring that the subWavs or
| conduits be constructed in such manner
ana along such routes as the Committee
on Streets may designate, under the SUI
pervision Of the City Engineer.
TAX UPON THE COMPANY.
The third section provoked no little dis
cussion. IL deals with the special tax to
be imposed upon the COMPANY for the
| privilege OF keeping its poles on the
streets. the original ordinance fixing this
at 81 per pole per annum. Mr.. Pollock
| thought this should be left at this figure
ana that the company should also pay
| tax or per centum on its gross earnings.
lie offered a motion to amend the sec
ton IN this respect which was defeated.
| on motion of Mr.. Ebel the section was
amRnTll1 ll fn 10 10 H., 90
| per annum.
Section T. which has reference TO the
| strlnging Of wires. was left unchanged
and but slight alterations were made to
section .. IN the latter the company is
! required TO file with the City Clerk within
| thirty days after the approval OF the
ordnance lts acceptanpe, and also to file
with the City Treasurer bond or bonds
Of the city Of Richmond or the United
States ia the sum Of 5000 for faithful
compliance with the conditions of the
measure The amount Of the bond was
made 10000 instead Of 5000.
RESTRICTIONS OF THE CITY.
Section was so amended as to read
as follows:
In consideration of the rights and
privileges herein granted. the said Ameri-
can Telephone and Telegraph Company
| or Virginia shall provide one crOss-arm
on each pole. such space as the city may
now or hereafter require in the subWays
constructed by virtue Of this ordinance
! FOR the free use of the police and fire
alarm system of the city of Richmond ;
and the American Telephone and Iele-
| graph Company of Virginia hereby Obli-
/ gates and binds itself to connect the city
| of Richmond with the lines Of the Ameri-
/ can Telephone and Telegraph Company,
commonly known as the long g-distance
! telephone system, within six months
| after this ordinance becomes a law. Pro-
| vidcd. further, that should the American
/ Telephone and Telegraph Company OF
| Virginia decide 10 do "A local telephone
business in the city of Richmond the
said company shall provide the said city
with ten phones, free, and fourteen ad-
ditonal phones. to be furnished at a cost
not 10 exceed SO per annum"
Section Z provides for indemnifcation
on the part Of the company for all liabli-
ties incurred by the city for damages by
reason of the existence of the company
here.
CAN'T DEAL WITH THE BELL.
The following was presented as section
S by the company. and was adopted:
THE said American Telephone and Tel
egraph Company of Virginia snail not
/ sell lease. or assign any OF the rights
| herein granted TO the Southern Bell Tele-
/ phone Company"
Mr.. Carter then offered this as a new
section. 10 be No. 9:
"This privilege is also granted upon the
/ condition that the charges for affordine
am sending telephonlc communication
/ or service to all subscribers shall be not
/ less than s. per month for all places Of
| business and not less than s. per month
/ for private residences and the phones
/ for business and private residences at
rates mentioned shall be single phones
/ on single wires
| sion. but an effort on the part of Mr.
| Allen 10 insert similar section nXlng
| the same figures as the maximum rates
was defeated by vote Of to D. as 1ol-
lows:
Noes-Nessrs. Bahen. Bloomberg, Car
ter. Ebel John NJ. King, Pollock, Law
der and Woody-S
/ This was about the first test vote or
the evening. although il was apparent all
the while that the committee stood about
/ < TO 4 for granting the franchise. with
/ certain restrictions which would il was
| thought. be acceptable TO the company.
NO MAXIMUM RATE FIXED.
Mr.. Allen made vigorous fight TO keep
out the section expressly repealins an an
ordinances or parts Of ordinances con
| tanning provisions inconsistent with TINS
| measure so far as this conflict went. But
| Mr.. Pollock argued that this would bul
| mean the waste Of all the work done py
| The committee and 10 defeat Just what
! the company wanted, as IL would place
! the burdens of the general ordinances re-
! garding telephony as 20 rates. conduits'
! Sc upon this company. The Jackson
/ Nard member finally won, and the Sec
| tion was so amended as 10 repeal all
| ordinances conflicting with this one as
/ 10 conduits poles. and rates.
Nr Rloomberg offered the following
| section which was also adopted:
"That the said American Telephone ana
| Tolepraph Company shall construct
1 comm and maintain a telephone exchange
/ ~ i,s own in the said city OF Richmond.
The entire measure haFlhs peth anoIe-