The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-03-07
FIVE TELEPHONE bills
The Old Company May Effeetnally
Block Hostile Legislation.
Recent Concessions to Subscribers
Discussed by Members Of the Dis
Mudd Says That IL Rates Be Adjust
ed Streets VIII Not re Torn Up.

The announcement made by the Chesa-
peske and Potomac Telephone Company in
the advertising columns Of the local news
papers that lit is no longer necessary sor
the small user and the man Of moderate
means to pay the maximum rate" and
that there is to be inaugurated a "tele-
phone service at rates within the reach
Of all. has created considerable comment
at the Capitol.
Several members Of the Committee on
the District OF Columbia Of the House OF
Representatives said to a reporter FOR The
Times that they have not had the time to
give due consideration to the recent pro-
prosaI Of the telephone company. but that
II the concession made to subscribers is
reasonable. it may result in blocking all
hostile legislation. II vas the opinion Of
those with whom The Times man spoke,
that II the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company would agree to furnish as
good service. and fcr the same money, as
is enjoyed by telephone subscribers in
ether cities l. world escape competition.
Representative sIudd Of Maryland said
THAI if the old company would give a
guarantee TO serve subscribers at rates
which disinteres1ed persons might deem
equitable. he could see nc reason why the
city streets should be torn UD at the in
stance OF a new company.
There is a disposition in some quarters
at the Capitol 10 punish the corporation
for its defiance of the will Of Congress. as
expressed in the Get which was declared
by Justice Barnard 10 be unconstitutional
farhr of bfrrr-
the members Of the District Com
M.ttees Of the Senate and House is that II
rates fer telephone Service De lowered 20 a
reasonable Level as compared with other
cities the present company may avoid
competition, but that otherwise &c must
submit 20 the competition OF some new
company which Congress viii invest with
the right TO carry on business in the Dis
urict-
Five bills 10 incorporate telephone COM
paaies have been introduced in the House
during this session. None Of these has
been reported. though hearings have been
held By The District Committee OF The
House. and q subcommittee OF thai COM
Uirtee is ready 10 make a report 10 the
. fUl committee on that TO incorporate the
; Washington Telephone and Telegraph
CuuDsEy. The first Of these bills was in
/ tI1lG-sd by Representative Mudd on De
CeG1ber : 10 incorporate the Columbia
| Telephone Company. That bill provides:
THAT John ID. L1nKhorne. Orrin G..
Staples John A. Baker. Tallmatge A.
Lambert. r. Gushing Daniel J. f KeelyD.
{ W G.. MaEEamau, W s. Knox, J. A Blum
don. Thomas ArIaaJ. OF The District Of Co
| lum1ia and their associates. successors.
/ and assigns, be. and they are hereby ere
ated a body corporate under the name Of
/ the Columbia Telephone Company, and by
I thet name shall have perpetual succession.
l AL shall be able 80 sue and be sued. plead
I and be implicated defend AID be defended.
/ in all courts CT law and equity within the
. United States. and may make and have
] common seal.
/ Section Of tie bill provides that the
( saIl corporation sE~-l commence the con-
[ structiCn q the underground electrical
. telephone system hereby authorized 10 ba
. constructed within three months after the
adoption Of the plan by the Commission
ers Of the District Of Columbia. and com
rlete the main system within twenty-four
. months thereafter; and IL the said work
. snail not be SO commenced and completed
within the time prescribed as aforesaid
. the privileges and powers here granted
shall be fO-feiyable
Section provides that IT. shall be IN
lawful for the Columbia Telephone Com
+ papy 30 charge al any time more than $50
{ per annum fer its regular service In any
/ business establishment and $50 for any
residence in the city Of Washington
Section l3 sets fort that the company is
. authorized 90 issue 'iJs capital stock TO
. an amount not 20 exceed the estimated
tcsI OF the construction and equipment OF
the electrical telephone system in shares
Of $50 each and TO issue bonds not to ex-
. coed the cost OF construction and equip
uent OF the same, such stock and bonds
Z not TO exceed in the aggregate more than
the actual cost Of construction and equip
ment Of The telephone system"
The second bill was introduced on De
cember s. by Nj. Wachtcr 10 permit the
Washington Telephone ard Telegraph
Company TO INSTALL maintain. and opar-
ate a telephone and telegraph plant and
exchanges in the District Of Columbia. 30
j. is provided that the rates 10 be charged
by This company shall not az any time be
more than $50 per year for residence tele-
phones nor more than S+S per year FOR
business telephones in the city Of Wash
ingtOn."
Under section Of the bill lit shall be
lawful for the company 10 acquire. by pur-
chase rental. or otherwise. the use Of any
conduit or ducts now laid or hereafter TO
be laid under any Of the streets. avenues.
or alleys Of the city Of Washington or any
( of the roadways Of the District Of Column
bia'
The third bill was introduced by Mr..
Mudd Thy reQuesD on February = TO in
I corporate the Washington Telephone Com
pany.' The incorpOratOrs named are Sam
uel Ross Thomas W. Smith. Frank p.
. NOyes. Edgar p. Berry. and Richard A.
7 Johnson, Of the District of Columbia and
Henry \. Parr, Thomas ]. Hayward.
James Bend. George R. Webb l. Bernard
Scott and Harry ". Webb of Baltimore.
/ This bill is similar 20 the second bill
though 10 is more explicit as 20 manner OF
Organization and installation Of plant.
The fourth bill was introduced by M
Mudd by request on February 81 Ito in
corporate the Columbia Telephone Com
/ pany.' TIE iuCOrpOrators named are John
D. Lanehorne. Orrin c.. Staples, John W,
Thompson. b. II. Warner. Henry F. Wood
/ ard Dr. John SwOpe. Arthur A. Birney,
George A. Hamilton, Thomas Anderson,
: John Cammack, John 4. Baker TaIlmad-s
I 4 Lambert T. Cushing Daniel. J. r. Kec-
/ lyu, W. G.. WaEgaman, W. :. Knox J. A.
I BlundCn. Robert u. Weaver. George ".
Cissel. Conway ". Lyme and Thomas Ar
, mat of the District of Columbia. This
I bill is similar TO the first bill, but en-
bodies certain suggestions made by the
members Of the District Committee in the
course Of the several hearings
The hfth bill was introduced by Repre-
sentative Pearre of Maryland on February
2S Ito incorporate the Washington Tele-
phone Company" The bill is practically
the same as the others seeking to incor-
porate this company, though 50 modified
as presumably to agree with suggestions
made by the committee during the hear
ings.