The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-18

THE CITY CAN WAIT.
Telephone Company, with Its Exclu-
sive Franchise. Indifferent.

s1Ve franchise, Inu1neFemt.
The administration, which practically gave
away an exclusive franchise to the teIe-
phone company, is growing tired of the
dilatory tactics of the telephone company in
regard to placing the two hundred extra
telegraph poles for the use of the city, and
with refernce to making an agreement with
the Gamewell Company for placing the po-
lice telegraph wires. in the underground
conduits Saturday w. Chandlee, agent Of
the Gamewell Company notified local SUI
perintendent Vail, of the telephone COM
pany, that the mayor, the Board of Works
and the Board of Safety would meet Mon
day afternoon and would like to have the
telephone company's superintendent of con-
struction Mr. Jackson, of Chicago, present
Yesterday the mayor and two boards with
representatives of the Gamewell Company,
met but Mr. Jackson was not on hand.
Richard Herrick, clerk of the Board or
Safety. was directed to call up Mr.. Vail and
ascertain whether Jackson was coming, and
if not to come himself. Mr.. Vail informed
Mr. Herrick over the telephone that he
knew nothing about the matter personally,
and did not care to come TO the conferences
Mayor Taggart got up and went to the tele-
phone himself He gave Mr.. Vail to under
stand that if his company did not begin
putting in the telephone poles at once II
would be done by the city and the bill sent
to the company. This aroused Mr.. Vail 10
action, and he promised the mayor TO talk
to Mr. JACKSON over the lOIl6 -ulS le1hNS w
phone to ascertain why he had not APP
peared.
While the mayor and board were waiting
the MAYOR expressed the opinion thar tne
only thing left to do was to direct the
Gamewell Company to begin putting IN
their cables this morning, without waning
longer for the telephone company 10 come
to an agreement about putting in the nre-
alarm wires at the same time. Inc con-
tention of the telephone company mas D zen
that it did not want separate cables, one
for police and the other for hre-aiarm
wires put in. Mr.. Chandlee reported Cnat
his company had tried to get an agreement
from the telephone company SeVeral tliles'
hut was each time met by further delays.
II think the best thing for us to do Is 10
go ahead and order the Gamewell company
to begin putting in its cables without re-
gard TO the wires the telephone company
has to put in for the fire department, Ihey
have kept delaying us for sixty days ana
/ do not believe it just that we be delayed
longer" said the mayor:
Nj A. Downing, president of the Board OF
Works. doubted whether the telephone COM
pany would allow the Gameweil company
to so into it's manholes to run the wires
'''fhe contract provides that we are 10
have one duct" said the mayor, and 1t
right to get at the conduit in order 10 ran
Mr.. Downing thought that the telephone
company would insist that its own Work
men do the work. ,,
After a long and tiresOme wait that grew
every moment more and more aggraVallnS
To the city officials. Mr.. Vail called up py
telephone and said that Mr.. jackson Wouiu
he here this morning for conference, WITH
fuu authority to act. If the matter Is not
adjusted Mayor Taggart intimated that the
Telephone company might not expect Iur-
Their favors from the city IN Such gu ICY eSei ~
the Cfamewell Company Will pc ordered 70
place its cables regardless of the telephone
companyS wishes.