The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-21
TO COMPETE WITH THE BELL.
COUNCIL GRANTS FRANCHISE TO
NEW TELEPHONE COMPANY.

test of the Bell People, who Claim
the City should Regain the OppO-
sitiOn 10 Put Down the Under
ground System-It Is Claimed Not
to BE the City's Policy, However.
Mr.. Bisbee Says His Company viii
Regin Operations Soon-A Material
Reduction in Telephone Rates
Looked For.
A franchise for an overhead telephone
system was granted yesterday by the City
Council to Mr.. W. A. Bisbee and others,
who in a short time will apply for a char
ter for the Georgia Telephone Company.
The Bel Telephone Company, through five
of its representatives., who came to Sa-
vannah after the petition for franchise
had been filed, opposed the grant on the
ground it did not require the petitioners
10 put down the Underground system,
which the Bell company adopted some
years ago, in the business section. While
the city will allow the newcomers to use
the overhead, however. the erection of
poles temporarily until an underground
system can be substituted will be under
the supervision of the street and lane
committee
While the resolution allows the new
company to construct the overhead sys-
tenn it also requires that should the city
hereafter adopt the policy of having all
electric and telephone wires put under
ground, the new company shall comply
with it. In the section between Bay and
bot A and jefferson
streets, the company is to put its wires
underground at the expiration of five
years after work is begun, which 1t is
provided shall be within six months from
the time the franchise is accepted. To
secure the competition desired il is also
provided that the petitioners shall give
bond for 5000 conditioned not to SELL
lease or otherwise convey it's franchise
to any other telephone company doing
business in Savannah. The resolution is
as follows:
BE il resolved by the Mayor and alder
men of the city of Savannah, in council
assembled, that the petition of w. 4. Bis
bee for himself his associates and as
signs, filed Jan. 10, 1899, for The use of the
streets and lanes of the city of Savannah
for the purpose of establishing and main
tanning telephone poles and wires and
operateing a telephone system be and the
same is hereby granted subject to the fol-
lowing conditions.
The said petitioners will be allowed to
use said streets and lanes under the direc-
ton and supervision of the committee on
streets and lanes, and the poles shall be
placed only al the points designated by
said committee
''The Mayor and aldermen of the city of
Savannah reserves the right to compel the
discontnuance of the use of said streets
and lanes for said poles and wires and to
require the wires to be put underground
should the city hereafter adopt such a
policy in regard 10 electric wires, used for
telephone or telegrapEic purposes. Wires
used by the municipality shall not be re-
qured to be put underground NeveTthe
less that portion of the telephone system
TO be constructed under these resolutions
as lies within The district bounded north
by Bay street, west by Jefferson street,
south by State street and east by Aber-
corn street and including said streets, shall
be put underground within five years.
The said poles and wires that may be
placed and erected under This permission
shall be subject to such ordinances and
rules as now exist or that the Council of
the city of Savannah may hereafter pre-
scribe.
The said petitioners shS1l have the right
from time to time to put any portion of
said wires underground under such ordi-
nances and regula tons of The city of Sa-
vannah as now exist or as may hereafter
be adopted.
lie said petitioners shall give bond with
good security to the city of Savannah in
the sum of 5000, as liquidated damages,
guaranteeing that the rights and fran
chises granted by these resolutions shall
NOT be leased, sold. or in any manner
transferred to any other telephone COM
pany now existing in or dO--g business in
the city of Savannah.
The said petitioner and his associates
shall begin work on said telephone sys-
TEN within six months and shall have said
telephone system in operation within two
years from the date of these resolutions.
Before beginning work. petitioners shall
sign a contract embodying this resolu-
ton"
When Mayor Meldrim called the board
to order. Aldermen Thomas, Reid, Guck-
enheimer, Owens Krouskoff, Smith and
O'DouneH were present. Messrs. J. Ran
5oIph Anderson and M. A. OByrne were
there in the interest of the petitioner, while
the Bell Telephone Company was repre-
scented by Mr.. II. w. Pope of New York,
traffic manager; Mr.. w. T. Gentry of At
lanta. general superintendent of construc-
ton; Mir. T. l.. Ingram of Atlanta special
agent, MT. II. GlnkneN Miiief OF New
York. special agent, and Manager Polk
of the Savannah exchange. Ii is under
stood most of these gentlemen came TO
Savannah since the petition was filed, but
il is stated they are not all here to look
after the company's interests in this re-
gard.
1t was known that the Bell company'a
representatives desired 20 be heard on the
report of The street and lane committee,
contained in the foregoing resolution.
Mayor Meldrim suggested 1t was proper TO
fix the amount of time for each, where
upon the board adopted Alderman Smiths
resolution allowing fifteen minutes.
Mr. Gentry was the only one who spoke
in behalf of the Bell company. In coming
before Council, he said he did not do so
as a stranger. He said the company was
assessed $4,000 on its building and $4,000
on its underground plant and all told it
paid something over 81, 500 city taxes
when we were preparing TO move into
our new building" Mr.. Gentry said, I'VE
endeavored to look ahead, and, realizing
what had come in other cities, we made
al