The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-02
TELEPHONE WAR.
Old and New Company Engaged
in a Contest.
New Company Wants Franchise
But Old Company Objects.
COUNCIL UNDECIDED.
COUNCIL UNDECIDED.
New Ordinance Will Be Drafted
by the City Attorney.
Proposed System to Be Placed
Underground.


which is asking for a franchise in To-
peka has commenced in earnest
The ordinance introduced at the last
meeting of the city council was brought
up for consideration last night and it was
finally decided to instruct the city at
torney to draw up a new ordinance. The
friends of the Bell company submitted
an ordinance to govern the new COM
pany which imposes such conditions
that its adoption would result in keep
ing the new company out of the city.
This was also referred to the city attor-
ney.
S. ]. Bear who is doing the work for
the new company was at the meeting
and submitted the lists showing 400 sub
scribers, nearly all business men. He
said: I'VE now have 400 subscribers
and as soon as we can get around we
Will secure at least 500. We guarantee
to not open an exchange until we get
500 subscribers so that the people will
get what they pay for. All the towns
around here are putting in telephones.
There is new company at ST. Joe, at
Leavenworth, Ottawa and we have just
secured a franchise in Lawrence. Our
ordinance provides that the wires be
placed under ground in the business
portions of the city. By it's terms we
can not charge more than $40 for resi-
dences or more than s24 for business
houses.
JOLn X. MulVane, president or the
Missouri, Kansas Telephone company,
who is fighting the franchise said: Two
telephone systems in a city are not an
advantage because the people will have
to put in both telephones and that
means double price. The double tele-
phone system have not proven a sue
cess. In st. Joe there is dissa tisfacti
and in LeavenwOrth they want to sell
out. I have been looking over the tele-
phones in southern Kansas with a view
to purchasing them. We are here and
we expect to treat the people right and
we do not believe that you should try
to destroy US. We are now contemplate
ing a reduction in the price of tele-
phones in Topeka and we are getting
ready to make the reduction now. I
don't believe that it is good business
for this council to try to knock out a
system that is already in operation and
which is perfectly able to supply the
demand The underground system is
the coming system and I like that part
of the ordinance of this company. I
am not in favor of monopolieS but there
are some things that are natural mon
opolies and the telephone is one of
them"
E. s Quinton, attorney for the new
telephone company, said: "A few years
ago a new telephone system came into
Topeka and the Bell company reduced
the price of telephones. AS soon as the
company was disposed of the prices
were again raised. Mr.. Mulvane now
says that the company is contemplate
ing reduction in the price of tele-
phones in Topeka but 1 have it on pref
ty good authority that the directors
have already voted to raise the price.
1 understand that in Salina the Bell
company has been giving the people
telephones free for five years because
another company has come in. That
may be a reason why they have to keep
the rates UP in Topeka. I say, gentle
men. that it doesn't sound well for this
company to come in here now and talk
reduction.
that before?"
Councilman Dickinson said: ct run
a grocery store and would like to have
this council pass an ordinance to not
allow any one else to go in the grocery
business. A monopoly is a good thing
for the man who has 1t, but it is hard
on the people who have to pay the bills.
I want to say right now that got bet
ter service from the company which
Mr.. Bear represented here several years
ago than / have had before or since.
Before that company came into exist
ence I had a Bell telephone and paid
S72 a year for the use of it, The new
phone was furnished to me at $24 and
when the new company went out OF
business the Bell company put the rates
up to $42 and 1 am still paying that
am in favor of granting this franchise
Councilman Morgan said: 7 am in favor
of anything that will be of benefit to the
any kind we should do all we can TO
develop the city and when a new enter
prise proposes to come to Topeka and
spend money among our laboring men We
ought to encourage it
The people Interested in the. telephones
then withdrew and the council had some
man burgess of the committee on ways
and means said: There has been some
chise and I have here an ordinance which
would like to read
dinance?
Councilman Roundtree then read the
ordinance which was filled with all sorts
of impossible conditions. ,,,S
afford to come into Topeka under such
conditions as are imposed under this or
dinance. 1t provides for charge of 10
cents a yard on every bit of wire the COM
pany puts up and this would make, ng-
Councilman Elliott do not believe in
giving away franchises We ought to get
sonnet hing. for them. and I am in favor Of
not giving them one; do not know how
Gouncfiman Skinner-f have different
idea about this than any of the members.
mittee to go to the old company to see
whether they would not agree to reduce
new ordinance and keep them there. Two
telephones are NUISANCE
Councilman Bepson-We nave mad Two
telephones and we don't want any more.
If the old company will reduce its price
Councilman Warner-I am in favor of
doing what the people want. II they
and 1 confess that it looks from these pa
pers as if they do. am in favor of grant
ing the franchise. 1 know that two tele-
phones are a bad thing in some respects,
and 1 think that we ought to move slow
~ in the matter and find out what the
people want.
Councilman Drew am in favor of
ganting this franchise, but think that
we should see that the city is properly
protected The city attorney should
draw up an ordinance and then may
feel safe 1 am not in favor of more
loose ordinances in which the city has no
protection.
Councilman Dickinson-I am not in IA
vor of using the work done by this new
company to use as a club to work on the
other company and make it reduce rates
1t strikes me that such course would
not be fair to the new company. There