The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-02-09

All members Of Council were early in
their seats Monday night ct the regular
February meeting. The minutes Of the
lest meeting were read and approved.
The reports Of the Oity Weighmaster,
Water Works Trustees and superintend.
emit Of Public Works were presented and
approved.
The usual bills for salaries and Incl.
dental expenses allowed. Bill of Mrs.
Wright for rent Of lot on which the city
had been storing tile was cut from $l2
to $8.
Charles Barry presented . petition,
signed by about twenty of the residents
OF Main and East streets, asking Coun.
Gil to compel J. H. Richards to extend
his cellar drain, as previously ordered
by Council, and to put the alley in the
same condition it was before the drain
was built. Referred to the City Solicitor
for legal opinion in writing, which will
be submitted at the next meeting.
$36 10, the total amount in the street
fund, was appropriated for the repair of
the streets during February.
On behalf of the Home Telephone
Company, Irwin Med. Smith read the
ordinance granting franchise to that
company. He called attention to all it's
features and the changes which had
been made in it since the last meeting
at the request of Councilmen and the
Solicitor, and asked that it be passed at
once so as to give the company time to
solicit their subscribers and be in po
sition 10 commence work in the early
spring.
DO Morrow, attorney for the Central
Union Company, asked permission TO
INTRODUCED Mr.. John W. Cherry, General
Manager for the State of Ohio for that
company, who, he said, was better able
to talk on telephones than he was. Mr..
Cherry spoke for about fifteen minutes
in halty, hesitating manner of the boy
who never before faced an audience, and
gave the old stock phrases always pre-
sented by monopolies. He claimed the
telephone business could only be sue
cessfully operated Is q monopoly aud
wound up by expressing surprise that
his company had never before granted
Council the privilege to string its fire
alarm wires on its poles, and that the
company would see that it was granted,
and also that the city were given an in.
strument in the city building free of
charge. These are q part of what the
Home Telephone Company were offer
ing Council.
Mr.. Smith followed, and in his reply
to Mr.. Cherry made an eloquent and
forcible speech that carried conviction
to his hearers. He told what independ-
ent telephone companies were doing in
other towns, showed the curse of trusts
and monopolies in the clearest of terms,
and showed this enormouc corporation,
represented here by Mr.. Cherry, on it's
bended knee asking and begging Coun.
Gil to forbid any one to enter into com
petition With them so that they might
continue to charge exorbitant prices and
declare large dividends to their stock.
holders.
Mr.. Morrow, on behalf of the Bell
Company, criticised the Home company
and the ordinance, and presented no ar.
4
should not be granted. He was followed
by Judge Dittey, who explained how the
independent companies operated and
what this company expected to do if
granted the franchise. No vote was
taken, but the ordinance would surely
have passed If it had been voted on.
Solicitor Hire desired further time and
an adjournment was taken until Febru-