The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1900-02-22
The Virginia Telephone ana
Telegraph Company.

poses to build and operate telephone
lines into every County in the State.
The corporators are some OF the most
reputable business men in Virginia,
Col. John B. Purcell, r. 5. Bosher.
Is. w. Travers, Hon. J. Taylor Ely
son and Judge George L. Christian,
OF Richmond; Judge John d. Horse
ley, of Lynchburg, and r. Z. Byrd
of Winchester. The bill provides
that the Company "maY construct
and acquire, by lease, purchase or
otherwise, and maintain and operate
telephone and telegraph lines. or
either, with all necessary fixtures and
appliances, in, under and along the
streets, alleys, highways, public
works and parks, and through across
or under the waters of this State, IN
any city, town or county, in the State
of Virginia, subject only to the fol-
lowing conditions-namely; That
the ordinary use of such streets, high
ways, works and waters be not there
by obstructed, and that the said
Company shall be subject to reason
able regulations by the corporate
authorities Of any city or town as to
the use of streets and alleys, and In
respect to the location and proper
maintenance of such lines OF tele-
phone or telegraph within the limits
of such city or town.
1t is further proposed that IN the
event the Company and any city or
town disagree as to what are reason
able rules and regulations, that
petition may be filed in the City
Court, or the court having jurlsdlc-
ton over\the town, to determine the
question with right of appeal to
either party.
These provisions in the bill are
opposed by the city Of Richmond
and a number of other cities and
towns in the State, which claim that
the cities and towns in the State
should have the absolute power to
determine.
First, whether the company will
be permitted to enter the city or
town upon any conditions, and
Second, to prescribe sach condi-
tons, rules and regulations as they
please, without any power vested
anywhere to change or alter such
terms, no matter how unjust, un-
reasonable and prohibitive.
1t seems to us that this position is
untenable in any light we may view
| it, and that such action will be put
ting the breaks on the progress OF
public improvements, rather than
facilitating its march. The long
distance telephone is a boon to any
community, often saving valuable
time and great expense.
Tennessee, South Carolina, Ohio,
Kansas, Arkansas, Texas. and q
number of other States, have adopt
ed in their code of general laws the
privileges sought by the charter Of
this Company, and Virginia should
have a general statute of the same
character.
We need only look across our
border into Tennessee to see the
great advantages which our neigh
Dor is having under her liberal laws.
Every important city and town is
rapidly being connected by long
distance phones with the great South
and Southwest. A connection can
now be made as far Southwest as
Galveston, Texas, and they are in
communication with all the great
cities of the South Mississippi
Valley.
The cities of Virginia are not the
State of Virginia, and have no more
right to arrogate to themselves the
absolute right to control their high
ways than the counties have to con
troll theirs. The State is supreme
and she is trustee for all her people.
} The greatest good to the greatest
number is the the principle which
should prevail. The whole State
will be greatly benefited by the con-
struction of the lines proposed by
this Company, and it appeals will
great force to the people of the rura
and remote districts. There is NJ
doubt about the good faith of TIM
corporators, besides being men of thu
highest character whom Virginian'