El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-16
The New Phone Wins A.
ter a Hard
Fight
CONDITIONS IMPOSED
The Vote Which Was Four To
Four At First Became Un-
animous, The Mayor
Turning The Scale

The city council met in adjourned
session pursuant to agreement at 10
O'Clock this morning. The eight mem
bers and Mayor Magoffin all responded
to the rollcall. The telephone fran
chise WAS the question for settlement
and representatives of both the old and
new companies were present. By re-
quest of Mr.. Whitmore the clerk again
road the report of the ordinance COM
mittee submitted last night.
MORE ABOUT PHONES.
When the reading of the report was
com pleted Alderman McDuffee moved
to adopt it. Here Alderman Stewart,
one of the signsrs of the report. arose
and suggested that he would like to
he sr from the old com pany on the mat
ter of rates, etc., before action was
taken.
NO MORE TALK WANTED.
Mr.. Whitmore took is sue with this.
There was no ben eft to be had from
further discussion s1d for his part he
did not want to hear from either the
old or new company any more. With
all due respect to the committee he
begged to differ from them and was in
favor of granting the franchise.
Mr.. Badger concurred in the views
of Mr.. Whitmore saying there was
nothing to be said on the subject. He
was not interested in eithsr company.
but he was for competition, and while
hn mt tUn
telephones there was no way 10 have
competition without two phones. 1t
was only by competition that reduced
rates bad ever been secured in any line.
Mr.. Clifford expressed his concur
renee in these views and was in favor
of granting the franchise.
REPORT REJECTED.
A vote was then taken on Alderman
McDuffie's motion to adopt the report
of the committee and on roll call re-
suited in tie vote, Messrs. Brunner,
MoDuffie, Ogden, aud Stewart voting
aye, and Messrs. Badger, Burton,
Clifford and Whitmore voting no. This
settled it, as Mayor Magoffi 5 position
was well known and he promptly voted
in the negative.
FRANCHISE GRANTED
Alderman Badger then submit ed
the following resolution: THAT the
petition be granted and the city attor-
ney prepare the necessary ordinance
covering the same, the right to use the
two inside pins on the top arms of poles
for the purpose of placing wires of the
fire alarm system being reserved by
the city.
THAT the sale aor consolidation of
said franchise with any person. per-
sons or corporation before said system
is completed be prohibited, and If the
company shall at any time during the
term OF this franchise transfer its
rights to any other telephone company
that may be now or hereafter operating
in the city of Ell Paso, or make any con-
solidation with any such company the
company acquiring such rights or the
consolidated company shall be subject
to the terms and considerations of this
ordinance and shall operate its lines
under this line.
"All the rights, liabilities and obliga-
tlops herein granted or imposed upon
said company shall apply TO and be
operative in favor of or against
pany.
THAT the city may at anytime after
8 years, should they deem it necessary
or the people demand it, require sll
wires to be placed under ground"
CITY'S EIGHT YEAR OPTION
Alderman WhitmOre offered an
amendment providing that the new
company be required to have its system
IN operation in six months or forfeit it's
and also tn at the city shall
nave an option of purchase after eight
years.
UNANIMOUS VOTE
This amendment WAS adopted and on
. roll call the resolution was passed by
/ unanimous vote: the four friends of
'he old company, seeing that there was
nothing to be gained by opposing it,
'witched off and went on record as vot-
ng aye.
The council then adjourned.