The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-06-22
VETOED
Mayor Berkey Says "Nil" TO
Franchise for New TEL
ephOne Company.

The city council last night enjoyed
one of its regular seances. Only one
member was abs ent-James Mabon,
who is out campaigning. The mayor
was on hand, having just recovered
from a severe spell of sickness.
Toe council and spectators were en-
tertained with the reading of NJ 4y or
Berkey's veto of the franchise granted
to the new telephone company last
Saturday night. II. veto aid not set
well on the feelings of some of the
mem bers, so it was moved that the
franchise be passed over the mayors
veto. This required two thirds vote.
One member being absent, it was
thought best to lay the matter over for
one week, which order was made.
An ordinance chatgirg the grade of
Vine street running north was passed.
1t orders the leveing of the street to
a gradu decline plane from the north
edge of Oklahoma avenue to the north
edge of College avenue.
An order was passed Notifying all
property owners to cut the weeds on
their property where the sane was
necessary and along the edges of side
walks.
NThe veto of the telephone franchise
is as follows;
Guthrie, Oklahoma, June q, 1900.
To the Honorable Council of the City of
Guthrie, Terr tory of Oklahoma.
Gentlemen:.-I herewith return without
my approval, Ordinance No. 445, entitled
"An Ordinance granting to the Guthrie
Telephone Company, its successors and
/ Iac ST fppe 10 r G bt to TO ms nj a in
telephone lihes in the City of Guthrie,
Logan County, Oklahoma Territory
1 have gi-cn the provisions of the ordi-
nance and the subject the fullest consid-
Grafton on account of it's Importance to
the city ard to the telephone subscribers
of the city. My objections to the ordi-
nance and reasons for returning it with
out my approval are as follows:
First. That the experience in other ci-
ties where lual systems have been used
shows that two systems rather than be-
ing a convcn,ehce are pronounced by sub
scribers a. nuisance and as causing an
! increase of expense to the business e,e-
ment of the community who are forced
to have as maly telephones as there are
systems.
Second. In the city of st. oseph, Mo,
the old company was furnishing service
at $55 a year for business telephones.
About four years ago the council Of that
city granted a franchise for dual tele-
phone system and fixed the maximum
rates to be charged by the new company
for busine3I Telephones at $40 Since then
| the two syste:ns have been in operation
The old company has neither lost sub
scrbers nor reduced rates but is still
charging the glme which it charged be-
fore the d Il system was constructed A
| large portl VI OF teleph zone subscribers in
that city, esJec ally business and profess
| sional men, Eeve been forced to pay for
double telephone service by taking a tel
ephone from toth companies. because it
was found that no one system had all the
subscribers he cost of telephone SER
vice TO mos. adf scribers in that city has
therefore becl increased from $50, the
rate charged ~ the old company, to 800,
the combined rate of both companies, and
this state of affairs has continued and ex-
lists in thai city to this day, as the re-
suit of the construction of the dual tele-
phone systep. In the city Of ST. Louis
there exists dual telephone system. The
charges of the old company before the
construction u the dual system were, and
ever since lave been, 800 for business
telephones The rate of the new company
is $50 for business telephones. Neither
company has reduced its rates. The old
, company has it is claimed, as many sub
scribers as it ever had, but an additional
burden has heen placed upon many of the
subscribers, especially the business men
by making it necessary for them to pat
ronize both companies at the combined
rate of $3.50 instead Of 300 the nrica thev
were paying before the construction OF
the dual system. 1t has been stated tC
me that good results were obtained in
Chicago by the construction of dual tel.
ephone system, but find from invest
cation that there is but one telephone
system in that city In the city OF Mil
waukee, where I am informed the rate.
are practically the same as in this city
a telephone frenchise was applied for anC
canvass made for subscribers, but tn,
scheme was abandoned In the city o.
Topeka a dual telephone system was con
structed, but after a hard struggle FOL
existence YVES sold out at receivers sale
l The same or similar conditions have re
r suited in other large cities from the con
! struction of a dual telephone system. IL
our neighboring cit yof Wichita as lat,
as May H. 1900 committee of the cit!
council having made a tour Of investi
cation to the places where the dual sys
tenn had been in operation was of tn
unanimous opinion that the dual system
was an expensive failure and recommend
ed that the proposed franchise be Unite,
2 TO but one system.
E Third. 1t was urged by the promoter
of this telephone franchise, in open coun
n