Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-20
BELL MONOPOLY.
Further interviews With Leading
Citizens on Telephone Rates.
Tho General Opinion Is That IT is limo for
tho Councils to Awaken to tho Danger
That Threatens Our citizens and Pro-
tee. the City from the Grasp of a Relent-
less Monopoly.

The Virginian-Pilot to-day publishes
further interviews with well-known
business men on the subject of local
telephone monopoly. General public
sentiment demands that the present
Councils shall right the wrong COM
mitted by former Councils in illegally
granting franchises to the Southern
Bell Telephone Company and the
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company. that. by their terms, directly
broke the accepted contract between
the city OF Norfolk and the Southern
states Telephone Company.
HON. JOHN WHITEHEAD.
Hon. John Whitehead member of the
Legislature. said: II favor treating
az corporations asking franchises
alke. L would allow no privileges to
one that are denied to another which
Is giving similar service"
MIR. r. w. SANTOS.
Mr. r. w. Santos, coal dealer. said:
Inc Councils ought to fix a maximum
rate. The provision in the ordinance
granting the franchise to the South
e t states Telephone Company seems
10 make 1t obligatory on the Councils
MIR. w. H. II. TRICE.
Mr.. w. II. H. Trice. real estate
speaking for the firm, says: I'VE viii
not not pay $50 for the phones we use.
Ihere are three OF them, and they have
been ordered out. We have refused to
sign the contracts. We think the
Nouiieiis shouio nX a maximum rate"
MIR. w. l.. BAKER.
Mr.. w. L. Baker. Collector of CITY
TaXes, said: Il think all telephone
companies should be treated alike
one company should not have any adj
vantage over another. There should
De maximum rate prescribed In fran
chise."
MIR. WILLIAM A. WRENN.
Mr.: William A. Wrenn. president OF
the Nottingham G Wrenn Company,
said there is ample authority in the
Councils should take such action as
VIII protect the citizens here from a
monopoly.
MIR. JAMES H. WATERS.
Mr.. James H. Waters. of Waters
q Martin. wholesale hardware. said
that there should be a maximum and
ninlmum rate for companies doing a
1elephone business here. The City
Councils. which grant the franchises.
should protect the citizens from extor-
tionate rates. When the agent was So
ilclting business for the new phone.
ne onered scale of rates. This firm
took the longest term at the lowest
rate which was $40 for nine years.
The City Councils have the power and
they should protect the people from the
corporations which have the tendency
10 put every man In the position Of an
agent doing business for them. He said
the Councils should either amend or
repeal the Bell franchise, so as to put
II on the same footing with the South
ern States.
MIR. ]. B. BLACKBURN.
MT. j. u. Blackburn, provision bro
ker. said the three telephone compa-
mes mere should be treated alike. No
restriction should be put on one which
is not put on the other. The Councils
should certainly require them to fix
equal rates, maximum and minimum.
at which they can do business.
j. w. GRANDY G. co.
j. W. Grandy & Co, wholesale notion
dealers, one of the members of the firm
Sald that all companies doing business
mere under franchises granted by the
city should. in his judgment be treated
alike. No restrictions should be nut ON
one company which are not put on the
others. He said the City Councils
should protect the citizens by recurring
the telephone companies to accept an
amendment to their franchise fixing
minimum and maximum rates. He he
lieves that the City Councils will do
this in order to treat the different COM
panies fairly by giving them equal pri-
vileges.
HoUGH-H ERBERT co.
a representative of the firm of
44eaei4-ffeHbert Co., wt1Utesate grocerg.
said he could not believe the Southern
Bell Telephone Company had been los
ing money. An expert accountant can
take any business and increase the cap
ital stock so as to show very small
percentage OF profits, or no profit. when
all the time it is making money.
Phones are necessary to our business
now and we use both of them. The
Councils should fix maximum and min
imum rates. AS there is no royalty
now. another company might come here
to do telephone business If the COM
panies here do not comply with the re-
quirements OF the charters.
CHARLES REDS SONS.
Messrs. Charles Reds Sons are cx-
porters OF slaves and grain. One of
the members of the firm said there is
no question in his mind that the CITY
Councils should fix n maximum rate
on which the telephone companies here
should do business. He could see no
reason for the great advance that had
taken place in the Southern Bells
with the matter was that the mer-
chants should agree not to use the
phone.
He referred to the promises OF the
company's agents when 1t first entered
this city. That was provided 500 sub
scribers could be got here the rate
would be s35. Soon after the company
came here. however. the rate was adj
vanced to $50. After reading the pro-
vision in the franchise allowing the
City Councils to amend or repeal the
charter, Mr.. Reid said the City Coun-
ellis had ample power TO protect the
citizens.
MIR. II. b. GOODRICH.
Mr. H. b. Goodrich. wholesale grocer.
says he has quit using the Bell Tele-
phone service. He believes the ma
jority OF merchants will quit. if The
rates are maintained as proposed tIe