El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-14

Gil granted another p a IRAN
chise to put up an electric light plant
and if the franchise was not granted
it would be because the council wanted
to protect a monopoly. He showed
that the petition handed in by the
Southwestern company was signed by
many people who were told that they
would have to tai two phones and
pay more for them and the fact that
competition would be had was not
mentioned. He said that Mrs. Brett
a made all arrangements to build
and had now been here for seven
months asking for a privilege to do
business in Ell Paso. He gave many
reasons why it should be granted for
some of the aldermen failed to hear
a word that was said.
w. H. Burgess appeared for the old
company and said that the new COM
pany proposed to complicate the tele-
phone service here and had no right to
do it. He said h Independent COM
| panies had failed every where con-
%solidated and he thought it would be
wrong to allow them to interfere with
the other company's business here.
Alderman Clifford took a han for
the new company and answered some
of the arguments of Mr.. Burgess.
Mrs. Brett was permitted to de-
I'll lCl Cliu oCA2 ina II
she did not build no n would be
hurt and if she did h would not
charge for the phones until she had
more subscribers han the old company
has. She vas plenty able to build and
all the money invested would be by
| local people and the plant would be a
local institution.
Alderman Grant wanted her to give
the city five per cent. of the gross
4---~- .-I rar g.. h4- nrfx-iIn1nc
Alderman Clifford asked if the old
company was payins the city anything,
and wanted to know wnat right the
city had to request pay for a thing
tina would be a benefit to the city.
The wrangle continued for nearly an
hour and the grant of the franchise
was finally defeated by a vote of five
to three. Alderman Badger, Clifford,
and Burton voted for the franchise
and Drummer. Stewart, McDuffie. Og-
den and Grant voted against it.
Will Keep Hands Of.
Jim Magoffin for the Carnival COM
mittee appeared before the board and
requested the city to give the Carnival
streets from San Francisco to st.
Louis including the Little plaza and
north on Oregon to the Southern Pa
cific tracks. They wanted this space
for attractions and wanted the city to
waive all rights to collect taxes and
licenses from the show that would oc-
cupy it. The mayor explained that
they could not pass an to
that effect but would instruct the chief
of police to keep his hands off and let
the Carnival have anything it want
ed. The board agreed.
Wants to Bid.
q. T. White for the old electric COM
pany asked for a privilegeof bidding on
the new contract to light the city. He
said hat since the new company
wanted a new contract and was not
satisfied with the old he demanded a
right to bid and asked the council to
prepare the specifications and he
would bid accordingly.
The petition of Charles B. Stevens to
have new San Francisco street aban-
doned was granted.
Tax Levy Fixed.
The finance committee reported on
the revision of the a levy for next
year. Their report, recommending the
following levy was adopted and an Or
| dinance passed to cover it:
Public schools, Az cents on the 500
valuation; general funds special fund
for the maintenance and improvement
of the streets. highways and sidewalks,
Is; sewer extension, 6k; to provide
sinking funds for the redemption of
the several issues of bonds as follows:
FL Paso city sewer 4; sewer extension
bonds. *; funded in ~debtedness, PA;
city hall and fire department, 3k; sup
plemented city hall 1; public school, is
sue of April /. 1890. 81; supplemental
city hall, series 3, 1; sewer extension
and improvements, series 8, 2; water
works compromise, 1; public schools.
series 8, September 13, 1900, 81. The
poll tax was stricken out.