Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-19

Charges of Insfncerity Are Made
Against Each and Denied by All
Each Applicant Endeavoring to
Make the. Most Attractive Oner to
Councfl-Representatfves of Com
panies Talk lor Publication.
A great deal of public interest is
being manifested in the four-cornered
battle for a telephone franchise, which
is being waged in the City Council.
Already the representatives and par
ties interested in the respective COM
panies are making charges of %insincer-
ity against the others, and fatty deny
ing the same charge when directed to-
ward them. The applicants dwell
with more or less earnestness and elo-
quence upon strong features Of their
respective offers. and will probably
consume as much time In speech
making as the committee on ordi
nances and the Councilmen will de
vote to them. OF course each CON-
pany has the very best offer, and all
are more advantageous than the Bell
if the statements of company repre-
~sentatives are to be accepted.
The stellar feature, If 1t may be 30
termed, of the Home Telephone and
Construction Company's franchise, Is
the offer Of 1000 cash to the city for
a franchise. There has been a great
deal of clamor about giving awav
franchises" said a representative of
the company to a Register reporter,
land we propose to spend $1,000 and
no more. This sum might build a new
workhouse for the city. or help out
some municipal improvement. There
are between 1000 and 5000 independ-
ent phones in operation in this State.
Parkersburg has 500 and Sistersville,
Wellsburg, Grafton, Fairmont and 9TH
or cities have Independent companies,
with which Wheeling would be con-
nected, and a cheaper service given.
The Home Company will provide all
long distance telephones at $36 a year.
Long distance phones now cost SIS
and upwards.
1--WE offer to be governed by the
| same conditions with regard to under
ground conduits. as the Bell COM
pany. We don't want a franchise fol-
speculation, but propose to build and
operate an Independent system, and
we can furnish a bond If necessary
John A. Howard, attorney for the
National Company, is out of the city
and therefore could not be seen. The
provisions of this company's ordinance
are generally understood, as they have
been given publicity through the Reg
lister. The company agrees to con-
struct it's underground conduits within
a year, and to have the service in op-
Grafton within two years, furnishing
telephones at the maximum price o.
$40 a year for business houses, and $50
for residences.
The representative of the Federal
which is known elsewhere as the Tel
ephone Telegraph Cable Company o.
America, is Capt. A. A. FranZheim
who said to a reporter: "The Fedora
company was organized to fight the
Bell monopoly, and is doing 81
throughout the country, furnishing {
cheaper and the very best service.
Whitney, Gould, Depew and others
are Interested in it. The company nov
owns plants worth 500, 900, 900 in the
aggregate. We came to Council will
a bona fde business proposition, art
agree to furnish a bond of $4,000 tt
carry out the provisions Of the ordi
nance. The system is to be completed
and in operation within one year, an(
by that time the company would be il
position to give long distance commu
nication with all parts of the United
States. The Federal agrees to use I'm.
derground conduits where they arr
now used by the Bell. and to carry
| the city's wires through the conduits
free of charge. The cost of telephones
is not to exceed $40 a year to bust
ness houses, and $25 a year to resi-
dences."
The Wheeling Telephone Compans
| is purely local, it's principal stockhold-
ers being Lawrence Schenk, VIM. c.
Ebberts, F. C. Arbenz. J.. L. Stroeh-
line, j. M. Thomas, and Henry Schmul-
bach. Our offer is bona fide." said
q representative of the company, land
l think Council will certainly regard
it as the most attractive, inasmuch as
the maximum price for phones, as
fixed by the ordinance is lower than
any other offered, namely: $50 pei
annum to business houses. and $40 tO