The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-22
GENERAL MEAlNY 9
49,
GIVES HIS SIDE.
He Makes Explanation Of the Tele-
phone Bill.
rs MANY QUESTIONS
says Their Request Of the Lcsisla-
turc IS Fair and Reasonable
TO Do n Legitimate
Business.
= (Communicated.)

4
Following is the speech of General
Mcany, president OF the American Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company. before
the Senate Committee on General Laws
yesterday in regard to the bill to grant
q charter to the Virginia Telephone and
Telegraph Company.
General Meany said:
Mr. Chairman and gentlemen OF the com
n7it,ee: -
At your courtesy, and at the request
Of some OF the incorporators OF the Viz
S1nia Telephone and Telegraph COM
Dsay. 1 have the honor to present my
self before this committee to suggest
some reasons that appear to me to be
practical ones, why this measure no"
before you should pass.
/ think II might be we'll 20 say 10 me
committee that / represent the Amerl-
can Telephone and Telegraph Company
of Virginia, corporation that forms
a mart Of what Is known as the Long
Distance Telephone System mis- cor
poration was organized under me laws
OF the State Of Virginia, under "hal Is
known as l understand, court char-
ter with the intention OF exteiulns ehe
dong distance lines through this State.
The company was organized about 'lNe
years ago and entered the State OF var
,-1nia with the intention Of extending us
service throughout THE State we nave
been unable 10 do so owing TO 1he ide.
that your existing law. general Staluie.
docs not provide for contingencies ui,L'
have arisen during our line Oh T'arcii.
a1,out FIVE years ago this company I'M
dortoo,, TO build a long distance teie-
rbone line from Washington. in me
district of Columbia, where at connects
at that point with the Lond Distance
system throughout the United STATES
through to New Orleans, Louisiana oS
the way Df Alexandria, FREDERICKSBURG
Richmond, Petersburg, ana from Ie.eis-
burg TO Suffolk and Nor1olk. ana from
Petersburg via IynchburS SCUM pa
t,cally following the route of the South
az. railway system We applied to the
Common councils of the various CUES.
.s,rourh which we desired to pass, LOT
consent under the law. Application was
made to the city of Alekanurla MS.
The CITY Council Of that city passed an
ordinance containing 4 great "iahs
strictions that we had not oeeh SUI; SUI
iected to elsewhere we We're WINE
to act in accordance with lhe liot!'' .,,
of The ordinance, but the Mayor OF me
div vetoed it. and We were unable 10
h.ye the ordinance passed over INC
Nr,ror,s veto. The next point we reach
Cd was Fredericksburg. Ihat CITY pass
Cd an ordinance granting consent anu
ortar ,bc company had built its lines
over the, system of highways le.'oihS "
Fredericksburg, and We're with ..,t,,e,,t
- tho city. the City Council, wiuhou'
notice TO us. or without he-'' 49,
n.,,,a the ordinance IN TOTO
p ut1ifllNONDiS ATTITuoE.
The next city that we wished 10 ent.,
wa. the city of Richmond. For nearly
three years we have endeaNoreo " use -
! streets of the city OF Rlchmonu, 10 Sc
consent from the city OF Richmonu d,
4be law provides Tor. ] had personal
char1,e of our efforts In the city'o Of Rich-
mond and threfore / speak form my own
,,noyledEe The Street Committee OIL the
V-it,, council of Richmond after several
months Of endeayor on our part. passed,
or, rather, recommended Tor passage, an
ordinance. That ordinance contained
practically every restriction that coiiu
ne suggested. ard every regulation that
nossf,lv could be suggested % has been
suggested. at am time In all the conf
l,ined cities that we have passed through.
That ordinance, as I say. WAS reported
tavorably by the Street Committee by
vote of eight out of twelve. me matter
came up for hearing before the CITY
Council. Some gentlemen. claiming 10
represent the interests Of the city OF
eli and objected TO this company being
granted consent. fearful that II would
destroy a home investment. The matter
came 10 vote, and the ordinance was oe-
feated, and only one member OF the street
Committee. out OF the eight who voted
for 1t in the committee, voted in favor or
it's pas sage. IT received two votes IN the
Council. We kept on our way. however,
thinking that the views of the City Coun-
Gil OF the city of Richmond might change.
The next place we encountered was SUI
folk. There we were refused consent
some suggestions being made that we
might cause trouble and annoyance to
a local institution there. We then pro-
ceeded further on our march to Norfolk,
and after two years OF hard work We
succeeded in having an ordinance passed.
authorizing US TO use the streets of the
city Of Norfolk. its terms very onerous
and burdrnsome.
ANOTHER LINE
This Is brief history of the first line
built by US in the State of Virginia. This
history IS not paralleled by our endeavors
10 extend the Long Distance Telephone
system throughout the United States.
.Albout eighteen wonths ago we started
10 build another line from Petersburg to
continue on to New Orleans; and be-
tween Petersburg and New ORLEANS. La.
we met with but two refuSals 70 grant
consent upon reasonable terms. one the
city OF Lynct3urg. and the other the city
Greensboro, n. c. The city of Green's
fboro, N C, had a local Institution there.
that the people felt might be affected
by reason of this company entering the
city; but am glad TO say that a few
months ago the Council reconSidered
their action and granted consent to en-
ter the city OF Greensboro. and NE are
there nov. want TO say in This relation
ship. that the general law Of North Caro-
tina Is practically the same that the law
we now ask Is in this Virginia charter
notwithstanding this, ander the general
Jaw I'VE had tight OF entry into tina.
city We did not en:er that city under
the general law. Blu; applied to the city
Tor consent, providing reasonable regu-
1ations South Carolina last year passed
q general act that Is Very much more
liberal in its terms than the charter OF the
Virginia Company. We have not entered
q city in South Carolina without applying
For consent, and submitting ourselves to
reasonable regulations. This Is briefly
the history of our attemp: to build or
create a comprehensive telephone system
throughout the State of Virginia The
Eact that we do not ask for a Change IN
your existing law is because your exist
0y,fy To- <1fAoc ,Hot