The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-13
NEW PHONE LINE
Council Grants Franchise to
New Company,
ASK FOR NEW PARK
Franchise Given to Messenger
Companies.

At the council meeting last night all
were present except Mclean, Parkhurst
and Volk. Some very important ordin
ances were passed, among them three
franchises. The most important was the
franchise granting to the Oklahoma and
Kansas Telephone company to build and
operate a long distance line and exchange.
Mr.. w. I. Essson of Pond Creek, the at
torney for lle telephone company, made
a short tajE to the council and explained
Just what they intended TO do. He said
that the Oklahoma and Kansas Teie-
phone company was incorporated under
the law of Oklahoma and that their capi-
tai stock was 5000 He added: Our
company in connection with the Arkansas
Valley company, with whom we have con-
nectiJns, have a long distance phone in
almost every town Of any Importance in
both -sae territories, and represent an in
vestrf, sest Of $4,000. All the towns reached
by eitsser Of the companies is in Wichi-
ta's jobbing territory, and We feel that 1t
is an ~5solute necessity to have direct
comedians with the wholesale houses Of
this city. We ask for no subsidy, and all
we want is a franchise and right CT way
for our lines. We have already secured
the right Of way from the Oklahoma line
70 the city limits Of Wichita Our bust
ness win be strictly long distance and We
VIII not interfere with the local company
IN any way. We VIII have long distance
phones in all the wholesale houses ana
the exchange will be for the purpose Of
giving them Oklahoma connections.
There viii be but one other station, and
that is in the court house at Wellington
The ordinance granting the franchise
was the ntaken Up. Councilman Luling
offered an amendment to tax the com
pany one dollar per year for every pole
they set UP in the city limits.
Mr.. WATSON asked permission 10 address
the council again. He stated that If such
q tax was imposed on them it would pro
h6bit their coming here. He cited for
instance that If they should put in q
phone at Dold's it would take between 70 /
and 50 poles. and that to retain this one |
line would cost them just that number 1
Of dollars yearly. He then pointed out (
what a great thing this line would be /
for Wichita He said: 1T is getting to /
be a commercial necessity for this city
and for the buyers in Oklahoma I be-
lieve such a policy is very shortsigllted,
and If this amendment is passed I can
assure you that We cannot build our
dine"
Altogether Mr.. WATSON made a very
good speech and the result Of it was that
the amendment died for want Of a sec
ond, while the rest OF the franchise pass
ed without dissenting vote Mr.. Lu-
ling said he did not believe that his mo-
ton was understood by the rest Of the
council 1T was offered" he said. Sin
view OF the fact that our streets and
alleys are becoming choked with poles
and wires" and that by this amendment
he intended to make it an object for the
Few company to string their wires on
poles already erected. The franchise was
granted for a period Of five years with
the usual regulations in regard to the
granting of the right Of way and the
rules to be observed in wiring.
OF the remaining franchises, one was to
the Wichita Messenger company and the
other othe American District Telegraph
company Of Topeka. Both were fer the
and maintenance Of n mes
'enger service and call system. Both
are to charge Is cents for ev-
BY message sent for when the time con-
sumed does not exceed thirty minutes
and cents for each additional ten min
ltes and cents for each answer deliv-
cred. Calls for police and fire alarms
are to be free, as are also official mes
ages delivered to the mayor and to the
members Of the council
The monthly pay roll was allowed and
several regular reports were placed on
lie. City Engineer Jackson reported that
he Maple street bridge was in need Of
'cpairs and several small matters were
'eferred 10 him 10 investigate
a petition asking that four acres Of
and at she corner Of Eleventh street and
cleveland avenue be bought by the city ,
nd converted into a park was presented. 7
This petition was signed by many of the :
veil known people Of the Fourth ward
nd was accompanied by an offer signed J
~ Charles Smyth as guardian for Ear r
lest and Dean Burleigh. by which he ,
proposed 20 sell the four acres for $5o0.
HE petition was referred 70 the commit
ee on improvements.