The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-18
Telephone Company Has City
Government Restrained.
CASE TO De HEARD JULY ~.
City Enjofned Temporarily From
Franchise-CounciI rs Committee
of Whole, However, Recommc ends
Ordinance Declaring Charter For-
feited be Drawn Up-Have Tits.

strike. have now been transferred TO the
federal court
Yesterday temporary restraining order
was granted by Judge Hanford. on appli-
cation Of A. e. Sands and G. u. Hopkins,
two officials Of the company. enJoining
the city government from taking any ac-
ton toward the revocation OF its fran
chise until July q. when, It is expected,
the right OF tho council to proceed in the
matter will be determined by the court.
The order was served on the councilmen
yesterday evening. shortly before they
met in committee Of the whole. As II was
the opinion Of all that the restraining or
der was against any final action being
taken. resolution was passed. recon-
mending the council 20 instruct the cor
poration counsel 10 draw up an ordinance
revoking The company's franchise res
olution was also passed, recommending
that the city clerk enter into correspond
ence with not less than ten cities belong
Ing to the same class as Seattle with a
view 20 bringing a competing company
here. When the meeting was called to
order the chamber presented an unusual
sight inside the railing sat a long row
Of pretty operators, while around the en-
frances were a large number OF mer-
chants, lawyers and business men. The
spectators inclosuro was also crowded.
The meeting was not without its amusing
features. the most notable OF which was
tilt between James and Byers.
Company Not Represented.
The company was not represented, ana
James y, Goldsmith opened the discussion
with concise statement on behalf OF the
business mon and merchants who want
the franchise revoked. Miss Terry, one OF
the operators, then gave the unions side
OF tbs trouble, answering the questions of
several OF the councilmen. The state
menta brought out were similar to those
already published In the papers.
Fred Rice Rowell followed with the
reading Of affidavitR from n dozen lead
Ing merchants and manufacturers certi-
Tying 20 tho inefriciency Of the telephone
service, which, In their opinion. was due
10 an undorpajd and overworked force
pf operators. They asked that the al
legged svii he remedied at once az the
business interests OF the city were suffer-
Josiah Collins then spoke, declaring
that tho action OF the company in get-
ling out the Injunction was In line with
us alleged policy OF delaying tho matter
as much as possible. He said he was as
strongly opposed 10 the tyranny OF labor
as e capital and was not present to
that In the present trouble the council
should protect the operators.
After an explanation by President Rine-
mart that the committee OF the whole was
not. able 20 pass an ordinance, James
took the floor and said he was oppoS,5
20 unions as they existed today The
said. was confession IL weakness The
aniuaNits from the business men, he de-
.iiared. carried weight with the council
lie then asked that the Injunction be
read. After this had been done. he wen,
on TO say there WAS no alternative for the
council put % postpone action on the
rAhchiso until the matter was settled In
court "
Byers was Immediately on his feet with
the declaration that the council as a com
mittee OF the whole could take nrelimi-
nary steps toward the revocation of tho
franchise. Thus, he said. the matter
doetd 20 arranged NO that 4 the courts
decision was In favor OF the city gov.
eminent the ordinance would be ready
Tor passage.
,corpo,,stlon counse, ,Humrsrev, in re-
Ply 70 Murphy. said that In his opinion
the Injunction did not restrain tba corn-
mitteo or the whole,
A Sarcastic Exchange.
James followed IN a sarcastic speeeh.
saying bycys was trying 10 make a MI
tie cheap capital" out of Tho mater IA
one, he said, would he qnicked 10 take
action than himself when the council Was
b{ers replied TO the attack. apologixlnx
70 the chairman for wHging warfare over
ne head lilo objected to tho word
.in withdraw the word cheap then,
said James.
The ssntleman has referred to our
disputes In the past" continued Byers
An | ever wanted 10 do Was to Teach
hlm htGs common sense / have not
NANNAnHEAI
Win patience 20 attain my object. ] DO.
AeVa mat all ~ uS, even nay opponent
wants 70 30 What Is rIghi lie should
rs Use ais sNperignee n the council TO lead
would NOT want 20 lead the gentle
man who has just spoken" said James
nor would l want TO follow YOU" re-
torted Byere, Quickly.
James then made the motion yncom-
mnndiar the chamber 70 Instruct the cor
p"fAuon counsel 20 draw up an ordinance
dceiaFing tho telephone c0mpauy's IRAN
Shise forfeited IL was carried and ths
corporation counsel was also ordered 10
dgtgud tho city IN the Injunction ease
Unehart then took the floor and said
that competition was necessary 20 insure
Whether tho proposed ordiuancc was car
ma OF rot, sad read tho resolution or
IHftNk the city cierk to eudeavor 10
mate strong argument GA behalf % me
resolution. and moved that u De- recon-
nr.asd to ten coaucN The morton car
Navin followed. stating that be had
been pretty quiet during thr evening and
would pow uke @ speak. He aid 40 bed
trlcphans company On u.e hsxinulaS. and
insitpsted that the present tronole was
a1e 10 private ownership ~ "a public util-
lstnsA.rt sail Pc wished to comuerd
the courage - lamea. Nho hAd visited
sss ' egessiS 'P Sa , a9 ~'isoa
ias =, ,''' '''
essae ~ TIE re.c giris' fot AIRY raar -e-
nAr&S l r.aN have utaHn when kept wait.
fus faa Ienw ana va hieh We-. .e+e.tt,,,..
~ sFteweE 20 Rtwiar remarks renAc hy
ne Sp~rnt0fs' susas. sirts. VIC cau now
rAs Ia,eeiiov e'os.-a rita erme,reo,ar
oeseEve'1>Hs r. tfltetNa aat thr ro--
cFssh'ea atktd Y Che ,'t, les, N th,
thn sssurri ~. 1,,, s-~ r,s s,.g ..,,