Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-31

SCSSlOA VI OOunOll 4dct A4SAt, oS III
the telephone ordinances were prac-
tically the only business considered.
Friends of the National ordinance
hoped to rush it through, and 1T was
the programme to defeat the other two
ordinances in the Second Branch.
The latter scheme went through, but
the First Branch referred the National
ordinance to the City Solicitor. There
was a bog lobby, composed mostly of
attorneys and gentlemen interested in
the pending measures.
The special meeting of Council. call
ed for the consideration of general
business" convened promptly at 8
o'clock. Mr.. Healy took the chair until
the arrival of President Maxwell. Mr..
Healy then moved to take the Home
and Citizens telephone ordinances from
the table, where they had been placed
by a vote of the body at the meeting
Tuesday night. The motion was
adopted. Clerk O'Brien read the or
dinance of the Home Company for the
second time. No amendments were
offered.
Mr.. Chew moved to grant the priv
ilege of the floor to the attorney for
the company. Mr.. Korn objected, on
the ground that the same courtesy had
not beer extended to the National COM
pany. The roll call for final action
on the ordinance resulted as follows:
Ayes-Mr. Beckett.
Noes-Messrs. Burke, Chew, Cald-
well, Fox, Healy, Kalbitzer, K%indelber-
ger, Korn, Kurtz, Long, Marschner,
Maurer, Radcliffe, Ritter, Watson,
Weisgerber, Ziegler, Mr.. Presidents.
Mr.. Maxwell explained that he voted
no because the ordinance had never
been before the City Solicitor. He an
nounced that the ordinance was re-
jected. and the Clerk read the ordin-
ance of the Citizens company. 1t met
with the same fate as the Home ordin-
ance, but received more votes, Messrs.
Beckett, Kalbitzer, Korn and Long
voting in the affirmative. The vote
was 4 ayes, Is noes.
This concluded the telephone legis-
lation in the Second Branch.
In the First Branch the ordinances
Of the Home and Citizens companies
came up as new business, and took
the usual course. After being read by
The Clerk, they were referred to the
Committee on Ordinances.
Mr.. Chew asked if the National tele-
phone ordinance did not properly come
up as unfinished business. The Chair
replied that he knew Of no rule MAX
ing such a provision. Mr.. Chew asked
that it be read. The Clerk started to
read the ordinance, and Mr.. Baird
wanted to know if it were the first or
second reading of the ordinance, Mayor
Sweeney replying that it was the first
reaGing.
Mr.. Chew took the floor and said he
knew OF no rule to prevent the second
| lCduiuS VI IIO oiib hO III
sued that the city could not profit by
delay. Er. Strobel offered the follow
ing:
Whereas, There are now before this
body two other applications for the
right to erect and maintain an indie
pendent telephone system; therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the National Tele-
phone Company's ordinance be referred
to the City Solicitor for report at the
next meeting, to enable the ordinances
of the Citizens Telephone Company and
the Home Telephone Company to be
advanced to the same status as the
National Telephone Company's ordin-
ance, now before this body.
Mr.. Chew charged that the purpose
of the resolution was to delay action,
inasmuch as the City Solicitor is in the
midst of a campaign and cannot report
at the next meeting. Mr.. Waterhouse
retorted that the City Solicitor is
employed for that purpose. and if he
cannot attend to his business he
should resign and permit the election
of somebody else.
MI. Chew offered the following reso-
luton, and called for an aye and no
vote:
Resolved, That we favor a Compel
ing telephone system to the Bell Tele-
phone Company, and pledge ourselves
to grant a franchise to some company
that will guarantee lower rates and
better or equal privileges to our citi-
zens.
The resolution was adopted by an
unanimous vote, Mr.. Gartley being ex-
cused from voting, and Mr.. Chew ex-
! claiming: 81 thought So"
Mr.. Chew moved to reconsider the
vote by which the Strobel resolution
was adopted. Mr.. Warehouse stated
that his object in referring the ordin-
ance to the Solicitor was to enable
him to transmit his amendments
which were rejected by the Ordinance
| Committee when offered by him. Mr..
Strobel made the point of order that