The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-27

The excitement promised over the
Lackawanna Telephone company
franchise ordinance did not ma
terialize in common council last
night. When its title was read
under the head of concurrent busi-
ness. Mr.. Oliver moved that it be refer
red to committee together with a pc
tition from about 800 business and
professional men that the prohibittive
amendments of select council be
stricken from the ordinance. The mo-
tion prevailed and the measure was
referred to the streets and bridges com
mittee which will meet Tueeday even
ing to consider il.
Appended Is a copy of a printed
copy of the petition. About fifty
names appear in the printed copies,
but the signatures Of over 800 repre-
sentative firms and individuals are
attached to the original which was last
night referred to committee with the
franchise ordinance. The petition fol-
lows;
70 the Honorable the Select and Com.
mon Councils of the City of Scranton,
Pennsylvania:
we, lle ullutTSlBHtu, tlllLtllS Ol SCItI-
ton and subscribers for telephones to be
furnished by the Lackawanna Telephone
company, do hereby each emphatically
protest against the enactment of an or
dnance of the file of select council No. 10
entitled IAN ordinance authorizing the
LaCkawanna Telephone company to con-
| struct and operate lines Of telephone in
| the city of Scranton, state of Pennsyl-
| vania, under certain conditions as
D1SSp1 bV the select council.
The undersigned most respectfully rep
| resent:
First--That as this company is offering
| to furnish telephone service to the peo-
| pie of the city of Scranton as good as
| any telephone service furnished anywhere
| in the country. end better than the SER
| vice now received Dy thcm at about one
| half the price now being demanded ana
! paid.
WHAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO.
| Second-That the Lackawanna Tele-
| phone company named in said ordinance
| is entitled to and ought to have as good
| privileges for the establishment of their
| plant and furnishing telephone service
| to the citizens of Scranton as any other
company or corporation furnishing The
| same.
| Third-That it is plain to every one
| having knowledge of the provisions of
| said ordinance that the same Is not Just
| or fair to the said LaCkawunna Tele-
! phone company, nor is it just or fair to
! the citizens of Scranton.
Fourth--That the last clause of section
! |, which reads as follows:
| Excepting, however, the center of the
| city embraced within a radius of 1000
! yards distance from the court house in
every direction. beyond which the poles
| and wires shall be located under tho di-
rectiOn of the street commissioner and
the city engineer. and be so located as to
do as little damage as possible to private
| or corporate property
And the first part of section q which
| reads as follows:
'"Said Telephone company is also au-
| thoriZed to construct and lay under the
| surface of the streets and alleys within
| a radius of 1000 yards from and around
the court house in every direction. con-
| duits, ducts mains or pipes with the nee
| eseary manholes, etc, for the purpose of
| placing therein their wires and cable, and
! to connect said wires ana cables under
ground with the subscribers premises"
| are unjust and inequitable, and, it would
| seem, interde to be prohibtOry, and
| prevent this company from establishing
! telephone service within the city of
Scranton, against which provisions the
| undersigned most earnestly and cmphat-
iCally protest.
The undersigned further represent that
the city councils of the city of Scranton
| should, and as a matter of right ought
| Dut I'm said ordinance a provision sor
| underground conduits, etc, nor more
stringent and buTdensomc than is in the
ordinance by which the Central Pennsyl-
| vania Telephone and supply company
! wer permitted to establish their plant IN
the city of Scranton. which provision in
the last mentioned ordinance is as fol-
lows, to wit:
STRINGENT PROVISION.
Section D. Said company shall con-
struCt within one year from tie passage
Of this ordinance at least 1000 feet of
underground conduit, and the same shall
be constructed with reference TO carrying
the wires ON the streets where the wlle5
are most numerous"
! Fifth-Aud the undersigned further rep
resent that the city councils cannot be
jIsIihed in placing greater burden upon
one corporation than is placed upon an
other "nEagrd in giving to the public the
same service. Special privileges for the
purpose Of giving one corporation or ono
class of business a preference over an