Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-31
TELEPHONE RATES.
Business Men Continue to Urge
Action by the Councils.

chiscs of the Bell and American Com
panies-alerchants Oppose Unjust Dis
elimination.
On further interviews with orr ,oca,
business men the Virginian- Pilot con-
tinues to find that the business men of
Norfolk are almost to a unit in favor
OF the Councils fixing minimum and
MAXIMUM local rates in the franchises
oil me Sell and American Companies.
Figures that seem generally acceptable
are n minimum of s25 and n maximum
rate of SSS per annum Well-known
business men speak as follows on the
subject:
RUSSELL & SIMCOE.
MI Julian Russell speaking for the
Hrrh Oh russell & Simcoe dry goods
merchants. said that the firm should be
SET Gown as agreeing TO the statements
OF the other merchants and citizens on
the subject of the telephone franchises.
| we are like everybody else in thinking
that the Bell Company ought not to put
an eNtortionate rate on the people. We
approve the stand the Virginian- Pilot
| mas taken. Mr.. Russell believes that
the City Councils would do we'll 10 put
| Il maximum rate on the Bell Telephone
| Company.
LEVY BROTHERS.
One of the members of the dry goods
merchants. speaking for the firm said
they have no idea how the City Coun-
ellis can avoid putting the two COM
panies on equal terms. The companies
should have the same maximum rates
| for the same service. That is both
business-like and fair. He believes,
too, that there should be but one phone
service, and that should be an improved
one.
MIR. W. ]. SIMMONS.
Mr.. w. ]. Simmons. hat and fur deal
| er, says there should be maximum and
should be treated alike. He can't see.
he says, how the City Councils can fail
to amend the charter of the Bell Tele-
phone Company.
MIR. CLAUDE w. NORTHERN.
Mr.. Claude w. Northern, clothier.
says the City Councils should put a
maximum and minimum rate on the
Bell Telephone Company. He said 1t
pleases him TO see the Virrinian- Pilot
take up these questions and to show
the nerve to fight the battles of the
people against the corporation 1t is
the newspaper for the people. He be-
lieves the citizens should quit using the
Bell phone.
TOWNSEND & JOYNES.
Townsend & Joynes. real estate
agents. declare that they will quit
using the Bell telephone at the in
creased rate. They can't see how the
City Councils can hesitate to impose
the same maximum rate on the Bell
that they put on the Southern States
phone company. The Bell Company
does not deserve any sympathy, be-
the Southern States came here in COM
petition.
MIR. Z. e. GUY.
Mr. L. e. Guy. plumber. says the
City Councils are our City Fathers. and
they should take care of their children.
He said it is natural for the citizens TO
look to their representatives for pro-
lection from corporations having fran
chises. He believes that the City Coun-
ellis ought TO treat the telephone COM
panies equally, and that there should
be a like maximum rate placed by the
City Councils in the local franchises of
all of the telephone companies doing
business in this city.
MIR. ]. NJ. MARSHALL.
Mr.. j. NJ. Marshall real estate
broker. has served on the Finance
Committee for six years, hence he is
familiar with the telephone franchises.
He believes that all telephone fran
chises ought to be alike. The COM
panes ought TO have equal rights and
equal restrictions imposed on them. If
the Bell Company had showed that 1t
was losing money the citizens would
bly, have been willing to meet II
with n reasonable increase of rate. but
everybody knows how easy 1t Is for n
company to increase its capital to show
a less percentage of profit. or even a
loss. The company has not shown that
1t makes any loss here. Mr.. Marshall
believes that there should be n maxi
mum rate put on the Bell Telephone
| Company.
MIR. ISAAC NORTH.
| Mr.. Isaac Moritz, tobacco dealer, said
| he followed the discussion when the
| telephone franchise was granted. and
| he thinks that both phones should
have the same rates. The City Coun-
| ellis should not have given one com
| pany more privileges than 1t gave to
| another. lie is in favor of fixing
| maximum rate for the Bell phone COM
pany. and he believes the merchants
should quit using that phone IL the
rates are not reduced.
MIR. JOHN F. NJ. TROTTER.
Mr.. John f. NJ. Trotter druggist, said
one phone company should not have
! any better rate than the other has If
the Bell phone be generally taken out
| there will be no Use for 1t. IT will be
more convenient to have but one
phone. because there Is often great
annoyance from two phones MIR. Trot
| ten believes that there should be q
maximum and minimum rate in the
| franchises.
Grading at SewaIl's Point.