The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-05-19
THE TELEPHONE HEARING
ANOTHER iBEFORETHE ORDINANCE
COMMITTEE L AST NIGHT.

Motion to Postpone the Hearing Until
After Legislative Action Was Denied
The Bill Concerning Use of Highways
Discussed by Couneel-T. g. Bennett
and II. G. Warren Oppose Double
Telephone Service.
The adjourned hearing on the petit
ton of the Massachusetts Telephone
company, before the committe on ordi-
nances, was called to order at $3.50 last
night. Attorney John w. Alling, At
torney C. S. Morehouse, Judge Stod-
dard and Attorney James T. Moran ap-
peared to represent the Southern New.
England Telephone company, and Ats
torneys Seymour and S. Harrison Wag-1
ner for the petitioning company. The
hearing was opened by Judge Stoddard
who stated that if the bill concerning
the use of the highways now before the
general assembly passed, it would SUI
percede the petition of the common
council. He stated in the argument be-
fore the judiciary committee no claim
was made but that the bill now on the
statute book should be changed SO that
foreign corporations could not come in
to the state at all or else that they
could only come in under certain re-
strictions. He said that he was confi-
dent from the tone and substance Of
IL,
report favorably on the bill.
Mr.. Wagner-"You must have heard
from the committee already"
1--WE did, they indicated to my mind
what have said; nothing confidential;
it was done in open court"
Judge Stoddard said that he did not
want to go on with the hearing with
that law pending, and thought that the
hearing on the petition before the COM
mon council should should be postpon-
ed until the Judiciary committee made
it's report.
He said that a foreign corporation
without capital came here making an
application saying that Simon Borg n
Co. was going to underwrite the state
of Connecticut and therefore they want
ed this thing driven through with whip
and spur. He moved that the commit
tee postpone the hearing.
Mr. Seymour took exceptions to the
statement that the law concerning the
use of highways should be amended.
He said that the law did not need
amending, but that there should be
declaration that telephone companies
having right to use the highways ct
the state should have the right to layA
conduits where necessary. He said that
the statutes say explicitly THAI tele-
phones companies may build and main
tain lines on any highway in the state.
Local governments could say that sub
ways must be built and SO a bill has
been introduced providing that such d.
rection by municipal governments
should be sufficient permission to build
subways. To the bill a substitute bill
was offered by the committee provid-
Ing that no telephone company can
build lines over any highway In the
state unless chartered by the general
assembly. Mr.. Seymour said that the
people would never permit the enact
ment of law to prevent any telephone
company but the Southern New Eng
land building lines over the highways
Of the state. He said that even II the
bill did pass the new company was here
asking privileges under the United
States postal act and that the legis-
ature would probably not pass a meas
lre in contravention to that act. He
claimed that no state government had
power to close its roads to Interstate
commerce He said that the petitioners
desired to continue as rapidly az pos
sible and asked that the matter be not
Mr.. Alling argued for continuance
and referred further to the bill con-
,erning the use of highways.
Judge Stoddard remarked that the
committee had already reported favor
,bly on the bill once and had then call
ID it back for further hearing. He
said, however. that he was sure that
since the further hearing the committee
lid not change its mind in regard to
he bill.
Mr.. Wagner asked Judge Stoddard IL
le was sure, and Mr.. Stoddard replied
hat he was
Mr.. Wagner stated that the Southern
New England company erected poles
md wires in New Haven without a res
,lution being passed by the common
to give the company the priv
lege.
Anthony Carroll asked that Judge
'toddard's motion be not granted. The
committee retired and after being out "
ew minutes on its return Chairman
oewell stated that the committee had
Iecided to continue until 1915. 1t was
hem 9:40
Thomas G. Bennett, president of the
Winchester Repeating Arms company,
vas called by Judge Stoddard as Wit
less. He stated that he had used the
southern New England service since 1t
lad been started. The cost per year
vas $500 or $500. So far as he knew
he service compared very favorably
With that in other states. Mr.. Alling
sked him as to what he thought Of
aving gancther company locate here. He
ald That there We're tall poles belonging
o his friend Mr.. Tyler looking very
yeak and ready to fall on each side of
is house. He said that the telephone
oles at first had little bird houses on
hem, but that the trappings had
rown so that they had now become
ummer cottages, and he hoped no
lore companies would be allowed to
rect summer cottages about tha streets.
Te said: You all know what happens
1hen two grasping corporations get to