Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-24
THE TELEPHONE FIGHT.
Berkeley Citizens are Expecting
the Rates to be Increased.
"Wide Open Franchise" Of tho Bell Com
pany Causes Patrons to Fear an Ad-
vance Resignation and Promotion on
Norfolk and southern a Few Stray
Paragraphs.

Notwithstanding the few telephones
that the Southern Bell Telephone Com
pany has in this town. the citizens are
somewhat wrought up over the ad-
vance In rates the company has made
IN Norfolk and Portsmouth. Like in
Norfolk and Portsmouth, the Bell
company has a widc-open franchise in
Berkeley under which to do business
and can advance the rates at will, and
while no public announcement has
been made of their intention to do so
here. the people are only following in
their trend and waiting to batter down
the opposition i'll Norfolk and Ports
mouth. and then Berkeley will share in
the advanced rates. Nothing was said
or an advanced rate for phone service
until the company succeeded in Secur-
ing franchises to do business i'm all the
cities and towns of the State of any
Importance. Berkeley was the last
place. When an unlimited franchise
had been secured. except a minimum
rate, 1t announced its intention within
ten days afterwards to raise telephone
rates. There were several members of
the Council who fought the granting
of the charter With all their ability
and insisted that the company insert
maximum rate.
Mr.. Chipley. the superintendent
while advocating the granting of n
franchise. said that the company had
secured franchise clear of strings in
N'1is WY anu ioM u III the ana
made n threat 20 withdraw from the
territory unless he could secure a fran
chise free OF maximum rate.
RAILROAD CHANGES.
Mr. w. 7. Gordan has resigned his
position as yard master With the Nor
folk and Southern Railroad Company,
which position lie held for ten years,
and has accepted n like position with
the New York. Philadelphia and Nor
| folk 81 lrnuA to. &C
| strict business attention and stands
high in the estimation ;of the company
| with whom he has severed his rela-
tons. AS a result of the above change
the following changes have been re-
Gently made: Capt. w. c. Coffieid.
baggage master. has been made day
yard master to fill the vacancy of Mr..
Gordan; Capt. p. b. Luke. of the local
| freight Nos s and G. has been made
night yard master, and Mr.. w Il.
| Walker succeeds Captain Luke on the
| local freight Nos. and 6, and Mr.. ].
*. Nixon has been promoted to bag
gage master on the daily passenger.
a FEW STRAY ITEMS.
The president of the Utopian Social
Club requests the members to be pres
| ent at n meeting to he held Friday
| evening at 1880 o'clock at the home OF
| Master Robert Graves. corner of Berk-
| ley avenue and Second street.
The Berkeley Democratic Club will
meet Thursday night at Mr.. Thomas
| Carriers. on Liberty street.
| Mrs. Tarkerton. of Tyrrcl county.
| n. c., who on the receipt of the sad
news of the death of her daughter. Mrs.
George w Van Nostrand, started at
once, but on account of missing the
connection with the passenger train on
the Norfolk and Southern did not ar
rive here until yesterday.
| Steven Williams, colored. was fined
81 and costs by Mayor Keeling yester-
day morning for assaulting one of the