The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-04
APPROVED IN COMMITTEE.
Manager Freely the Only One to
Appear Against 1t.

The assembly committee on streets
yesterday afternoon, again recommend
| ed that the ordinance granting the
Minnesota Central Telephone company
a long distance telephone franchise be
| recommended to pass.
The committee had arrived at this
conclusion about a week ago, but,
! when the ordinance was brought up
| for passage in the assembly last Mon
day night, Messrs. DAILY and Johnson
| objected to it's passage. Mr. DAILY was
in doubt as to the financial condition
| of the new company, and said he had
been informed it was a stock-jobbing
| concern
Mr.. Johnson wanted time to investi-
gate, and said he had been informed
| on reliable authority that the ordinance
had been recommended for passage I'M
der false representations.
| In order to investigate these charges
| the measure was referred back to the
committee, and public notice was CIV
en- that any objection or opposition to
| the measure would be considered or
| heard at the session yesterday after
noon.
Present at the meeting were Assem-
| blymen Thompson, Albrecht, Dix
| Kirke, Reardon, Larson and Craig.
| The Minnesota Telephone company
| was represented by D. N. Tallman, OF
Willmar, president, and Charles S.
| Cairns, counsel
Manager Freely, of the Northwest
ern Telephone company. was the only
| one present to make any objections
| and J. H. Beck, formerly secretary of
| the JobberS' union, declared himself In
favor of the passage of the ordinance.
Assemblyman Reardon said he had
been informed Monday that some of
| the members Of the assembly had Sc
| cured blocks of stock in the new COM
pany for nothing. He had, after an in
vestigation, satisfied himself that the
statement was all spite work
AS soon as the meeting was called
to order Chairman Thompson an
nounced that, if there were any objec-
tions against the ordinance they would
be heard at this time Assemblyman
Johnson, the chairman said. was un-
able to be present. owing to his having
to attend funeral.
Manager Freely, Of the Northwest.
ern Telephone company. said some Of
the statements made by the company
asking for the franchise were, to put it
mildly, misleading. The company
claimed that it would furnish connec-
tons with several hundred towns in
Southern Minnesota. If the was the
case, there must be one or two among
the several hundred towns where such
connections could be made He offered
to pay the expenses Of the members
Of the council either singly or in a. BODY
to pay one of the towns a visit and al
low them to investigate as to the
claims made.
J. H. Beck prefaced his talk by saw.
ing that he did not represent any or
ganization or body Of men, but was
simply business man and a lawyer.
He knew nothing about the company
and had never met any of those inter
ested in it until the meeting. He had
some talk with Mr.. Dix and Mr.. AL
brecht, and some months ago had TAX
en- great interest in the telephone bust
ness. The service now furnished by
the Northwestern company was abom-
Unable and the rates high
Mr.. Albrecht said the city was pro-
tected In all its rights by the ordinance.
The company had been in existence for
years, and was not paper one. Re
should vote for 1t for the reason that il
made Decent rate to talk to Mime
apolis. Minneapolis had passed the
ordinance, and If st. Paul did not the
country merchants would telephone
their business to Minneapolis mer-
chants instead Of to St. Paul. The city
had a bond under the ordinance which
mence operations ninety days after the
passage Of the ordinance. No valid
objection had been raised against the
ordinance and 1t was in the interests
of the city to pass 1t.
Manager Freely inquired If the new
company had connection south of Min
neapolis and st. Paul.
Mr. Cairns said 1t did not lie we'll In
the mouth Of the company which now