The evening times., 1900-02-14

oUt 10 the Bell people"
Nr. Webb said the company had / go
contracts with which 10 begin business as
soon IS the bill is passed. OF these con
tracts 62j were nom with the Bell Com
pany- The company had -34 additional
contracts for residence telephone service.
Mr. Mudd wanted 70 Know IL The COM
n3ny could raise the money Necessary 10
construct the plant He noticed. be said.
the names OF gentlemen IN the list, di-
rectOrS. who were named as directors IN
another company. and he would like an
explanation. Nr- Webb stated that il wss
impossible % finance a company until a
charter had been obtained But he would
put up a bond OF $4,000 as 4 guarantee
that the company would be in operation
within fourteen months after authority
was given to construct lines.
Former Representative Hemphiu Of
South Carolina, representing the Telephone
SunbscribcIs' Association or this city. said
he had been trying 10 compel the Chesa-
peake and Potomac Telephone Company to
obey the law passed by Congress reducing
| the cost OF telephone service. The assO-
/ citation. he said. had taken evidsuce In
many cities and it had been demonstrated
! that $50 per year was q fair return for tele-
l phone service He called attention TO the
/ fact that the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company had never received q char
| ter from Congress TO do business in this
/ city. The association. he said. endorsed
/ the bill before the committee. He wanted
| an amendment put IN the bill that would
I prevent the company from ever selling out
| % any other local company AIr Hempniu
said he was satisfied that company like
the one proposed would find ready sub
scribers who cannot AFFORD 10 pay the high
rate charged by the Chesapeake and PotO-
mac Company. He was confident the new
company would receive all the business ft
could handle
In reply TO n question from Mr.. Babeock
Mr.. Hemphin said the new company was
not hampered by the want Of a first class
instrument. and that a frst-class service
could be rendered. Mr.. Hemphill said be
desired TO sec speedy action taken on the
bill.
Mr.. Babcock said he aIways favored one
/ telephone company and one gas company,
I etc, but it seemed that the court had re-
Gently decided that Congress could not
control nor regulate the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company. and the
( committee was ready TO consider any prop
ositiOn that would tend to meet the de-
mand OF the people. But IL seemed to
him. he said, that the charter from New
Jersey gave the new company a black eve
at the start. The bill before the commit
tee, he said, did not seem 10 meet the case.
( whenever the company Was ready with
properly drawn bill the committee would
| then give il consideration. He wanted 10
understood that he was opposed 10 any
measure that would not give Congress
authority over the company, and II the
company should sell out 10 the Bell o. any
other telephone company IL could be only
1 done with the understanding that the pur-
/ chasing company must conduct the blsi-
| ness in accordance with the charter grant
/ ed by Congress.
o. C. Staples made brief talk ia favor
Of an independent telephone company
On motion Of Mr.. Lsttimer. the repre-
sentative Of the telephone company was
| requested to draw up a new bill to meet
the objections raised this morning and to
present it 10 the committee next Wednes-
| day.