The age-herald., 1900-03-30
HEARD ARGUMENT
 FOR AND AGAINST
Judiciary Committee Takes Up
 Telephone Question.
HELD ITS FIRST SESSION
Declined an Invitation To Visit Cities Where Two Companies Are in Opp eration at Expense of Bell Go.
 Adjourned Until Monday

The judiciary committee of the city coun- cil met in the mayors office yesterday at D. m., for the purpose of hearing a dis cussion in relation to the petition of s. B. Claypool and associates for a franchise for a new telephone company. Alderman Kerr, as acting chairman, called the committee to order Other members in attendance were: Aldermen McNally, Graham and Thatch. Alderman J. J. Altman, chairman of the committee, being interested with MT. Claypool and associates, had been excused from committee service, but was present as counsel. B. M. Allen was present as attorney for the Southern Bell Telephone company; T. l.. Ingram, special agent ot the Bell company; T. l.. Woodruff, local manager of the same company; s. B. Clay pool and Mayor Drennen were also pres ent, but the last three took no part in the discussion.
 The reading of the petition now before the council, in which 1t Is proposed to equip a plant and furnish business houses with phones at $3 per month, and residence at $1 50, was the first business before the meet ing. Colonel Altman said the ordinance was crude It might need some additions or changes. It doubtless needed perfecting. He expected it to be put in such shape as would give the citizens the fullest proba- fion. He said that he did not think that Birmingham was going to submit to the existing telephone monopoly.
 MT. Allen then took the floor He be- gan by saying that he was present as the representative of the Bell Telephone com pany. which had valuable franchises in this city. The term monopoly, when used extensively, said MT. Allen, is where people get less for their money than they would under competition. Unless a rival com- pany were ito succeed In annihilating the Bell company entirely, the result would be that the people would pay more for their telephone service than they do now. He pointed to the fact that the Bell com- pany had large Investments here-long-dis tance lines, su5u.toan lines, as well as city lines; and with these investments it was not reasonable to suppose that the com- pany would be driven out of the field. Birmingham has now he claimed, req sonaiby good service.
 EoubIe Expense
 with a new company we would have to pay for two phones" said MT. Allen "Every business man would be bound to take both. You are here, MT. Chairman to consider what is best for the people If there is any complaint against the com- pany now operating, then there is cause for legislation. But the question now is, do the people want two companies? h. stead of a new company bringing better service, it would simply mean more serv- ice and greater expense" The speaker said further that a rival corpora ton would be just as heartless, just as soulless as the Bell company. This was not ques- ton to draw out pathetic talk. It must be looked at in a strictly iousiness-like way. 'iHome company" sounded mighty we'll, but there was nothing in 1t.
 Mir. Allen told of the experience of other cities having two telephone systems. Where two existed there was always complaint un- til one bought the other out It was very natural, said MT. Allen, to talk about mo- nopoly, but this was, perhaps, the one util- ity which might be called a natural monop- oily. If a franchise should be granted to a rival company, phone service would cost tine business man instead of $48 per year, $S4 per year. The majority would take both. They would be bound to do 1t. Mir. Allen called attention to the fact that the Bell company had 400 subscribers, while the other company was to start out with only 800. He spoke of the bother that would re- suit from two 'phones-two bells ringing at the same time, etc. He suggested that 1t might be well for the committee to visit cities where two telephone systems were in use, and see for itself how badly the competition worked. He asked with em- phasis "Is it reasonable or desirable for Birmingham to have two systems?" This he said, was what the committee must de- termine.
 "If" said MT. Allen In conclusion, "you should run the Bell out of business you cer- tainly would be no better off than you are now. But the Bell is not going to be run out"
 MT. Ingram Spoke
 MT. Allen was followed by MT. Ingram of the Bell company: "We do not feel any hesitancy in telling you about the work ing of telephones in other cities," began MT. Ingram "We are not here as philan- tnr0DlSLS. NSA the stockholders. A competitor in the field would mean more money with no better service. In some cities, after the rival companies had the experience of others be- fore them, they have gone ahead, and when they were finally forced to acknowledge their mistake, we had the satisfaction of saying We told you so.'"
 MT. Ingram then went on to name south ern cities where competition had proved a failure. He said that in Augusta two sys- tems were tried, but subscribers soon had enough of that sort of business. In Atlan- ta the business men were already sore over their contracts with the rival company. In Marietta the Bell company held Its own against a local company. His company had lost all but twenty of it's subscribers, but it held on and the other company quit.