Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-07
Washington Company to Be Granted
a Charter.
CHEAP RATES PROVIDED FOR
To Be Called Upon the Next Dis
triot Day.
TEXT OF THE MEAS SUR E

The House District committee today au-
thOrized a favorable report on the bill Oh.
r. 9O4O 10 authorize the Washington Teie-
phone Company to operate a telephone plant
and exchanges in this city. The bill was
amended to authorize the Issuance of cap
ital stock to the amount of s150.DO. and
requiring 10 per cent to be paid in at time
of subscription. Chairman Babcock will
call up the bill in the House next District
day.
Text of the Measure.
The bill in full is as follows:
That Samuel Ross, Thomas W. Smith,
Frank B. Noyes Edgar P. Berry and Rich
ard A Johnson of the District of Column
bia and Henry A. Parr. Thomas j. Hay
ward, James Bond, George r. Webb, j.
Bernard Scott and Harry w. Webb of the
city of Baltimore. state of Maryland, their
associates and successors, be. and they are
hereby. created a BODY corporate under the
name of the Washington Telephone Com
pany, and by that name shall have perpet-
ual succession and shah be able to sue and
be sued, plead and be impleaded, defend
and be defended in all the courts of law
and equity within the United States, and
may have and use a common seal.
Sec. 2. That the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia are hereby authorized and
directed to permit the Washington TeIe-
phone Comoany to install, maintain and
operate a telephone plant and exchanges.
and the necessary service connected there
with. in the city of Washington and in the
District of Columbia under such rules reg
ula tions and restrictions as now are may
hereafter be made relating to telephone
companies in the said city or District; and
they shall permit said company to lay all
necessary underground conduits and ducts
in said city to carry its wires. and to string
wires on poles in the alleys of said city and
in the District of Columbia. subject to the
same regulations all restrictions now
apply, may hereafter be prescribed for
telephone cOmpa MES in the city of Wash
ington and District of Columbia: Provided.
That the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia may require all conduitS laid un-
der the authority of this act to be laid un-
der such conditions and regulations they
may prescribe; and they shall be so
planned and constructed as to form a part
of general subway system which may
hereafter be constructed and the plans for
which the said Commissioners are author
lied to prepare. Any corporation having
underground ducts in the District of Column
bia not in may lease them to any other
corporation or individual in said District
required by law or desiring to put its wires
under ground.
Rates to BE Charged.
Sec. 3. That the rates to be charged by
the said Washington Telephone Company
shall not exceed S36 per year for the of
telephone in private residence. nor $4s
per year for the of telephone for
business purposes in the city of Washing
ton; that said company shall Install and
use telephones of a good quality and on
metallic circuits only in the city of Wash
ington.
Sec a. That 1t shall be lawful for the
Washington Telephone Company to acquire
by purchase, rental. or otherwise, any con-
duit or conduits, duct or ducts. now laid
or that may hereafter be laid in the city
of Washington or in the District of Co
lumbia-
Sec. ). That said corporation shall file
with the Commissioners of the District Of
Columbia within sixty days from the ap-
proval Of this act its plans for system
of subways, conduits and ducts, with nee
essary manholes, and shall have a tee-
phone exchange. with not less than 1900
telephones In actual operation, within four
teen months from the approval by said
Commissioners of its system of subways. as
above specified. ALI extensions and addi-
uons made to the said suhways. conduits
and ducts shall be subject to the approval
of the Commissioners of the District of Co.
lumbia.
Within fifteen days after said Washing
ton Telephone Company has organized by
the election of its officers, 1t shall enter into
bond to the District of Columbia in the sum
Of 100000, with surety or sureties to be ap-
proved by the Commissioners Of the Dis
trlct Of Columbia, conditioned upon the
faithful performance of all the provisions
and requirements of this act; and upon
failure of said company to comply with
said provisions and requirements, the said
sum Of 100000 shall be and become due
and payable as Hqudated damages, and
upon the failure of said corporation to fur
nish said bond within the time herein
specified, the rights and franchises hereby
granted shall cease and determine The
plans in this section required to he SUBJ
mitted to the Commissioners Of the Dis
trict of Columbia shall be acted upon by
said Commissioners at the earliest practi-
cable date after their submission. In order
to enable said company to carry out speedi-
ly the provisions of this act.
hot cai1 ton ic l,a~a
by authorized and empowered to acquire
by purchase or lease Such property, build
ing. or buildings shall be necessary for
the successful operation of its telephone
system and exchanges.
Subscription of Stock.
Sec. Z. That within fifteen days from the
approval Of this act the incorporators
named herein, or a majority Of them shall
meet in the city of Washington and notify
the Commissioners of the District of Co
lunbia In writing of the acceptance of this
charter, and shall within fifteen days after
said meeting open in said city its books for
subscription to the capital stock of said
company. Of which notice shall be given
both to time and place in at least three
papers published in the city of Washington
and each subscriber shall at the time of
subscription pay In cash 10 per centum of
the amount subscribed by him, otherwise
his subscription shall be null and void.
When the books of subscription to the cap
ital stock of said company are closed, the
incorporators herein named or a majority
of them, shall call meeting of the stock
holders, to be held in the city of Washing
ton. of which public notice both as to time
and place shall be given for three days in
three newspapers published in the city of
Washington, at which meeting a board of
eleven directors shall be chosen and such
other business be transacted as may be
deemed proper. At all meetings of the
stockholders each stockholder shall be en-
titled to one vote for each share of stock
held by him, and he may vote In person or
by proxy.
Sec. 8. That the government and direc-
ton Of the affairs of said corporation shall
be invested in board Of eleven directors.
every member of which shall be q stock
holder of record, and each shall hold his
office for year and until his successor
is elected and qualified. Said directors a
majority OF whom shall be quorum shall
annually elect one of their number to be
president of the company, and they shall
also elect vice president secretary and
treasurer. and such other officers as they
may deem proper In the case Of a vacancy
in the board of directors. the vacancy shall 4
be filled by the remaining directors.
Sec. 8. That the stockholders shall have
the power to make such bylaws as they
deem expedient for the proper conduct OF