Rock Island Argus., 1901-11-05
FRANCHISE is VOTED
Council Passes Illinois Indepen-
dent Telephone Ordi-
nance II to 1.
CHANGE SINCE PREVIOUS MEETING
Transfer of Crescent Bridge and
Railroad to be Investigated
Other Matters.

The ordinance granting a franchise
to construct an exchange to the Illi-
nois Independent Telephone com
pany was passed by the city council
At it's regular monthly meeting last
night by a vote of II to Aids.
Willens. Westbay, Snyder. Eckhart,
Hause. Willis, Robbins. White, Gall,
Anderson and Soderstrom being in
The affirmative and Aid. Kennedy
alone dissenting. Aids. Andrews and
MSeller being absent.
Even in the face of the fact that a
week ago the council was equally di-
.ided in its support of the two indie
pendent ordinances. those of the
Union Electric Telegraph and Tele-
phone company and the Illinois indie
pendent Telephone company. the flop
If four of the aldermen-Snyder
Robbins. House and Willis from the
electric to the Illinois did not appear
o occasion any surprise among those
II touch with the situation. as il was
Nnown for two days. il is claimed.
hat they were to throw their sup
bort To the Illinois ordinance. Both
andrews and MoeIler favored the
Bills d Workman. or Union Electric
application, but il was said they
knew that their presence at the
meeting would not avail anything for
their measure and they decided to
remain away.
Considered Twice.
At the preceding session of the
council. il viii DE recalled, the Illi-
nois ordinance was ordered consider
ed, but was not put upon its passage.
as those fathering il knew it could
not carry then. as the aldermen were
evenly divided. and as one of the
councilmen in favor of the Union
Electric ordinance was absent. there
fore majority vote of the members
elect was not possible.
Last night. after routine matters
had been disposed of. Aid. Anderson
called mp the Illinois ordinance for
consideration. His motion received
a vote of II to the aldermen vot-
ing in the order given above. BY the
same vote the ordinance was adopted.
Col. W. :. Thomas, aAd Col. +. l..
Bills. promoters respectively for the
Illinois and Union Electric com
panieS. were present. but there was
no discussion of the action either on
their part or on the part of the mem
bers of the council. 1t seemed to be
generally understood in advance how
the question was to be determined.
As tn Building Operations.
Col. Thomas met each alderman
personally after the meeting had
ended and thanked him. 1--WE have
our ordinance" said Col. Thomas.
''and now it is up to the board of di-
rectors of the Illinois Independent
Telephone company. l hope to he
able to begin building operations in
Rock Island just as soon as the
weather permits" from which il is
inferred that the company expects
to start on its plant in the spring. oc-
cupying the remainder of the winter
season, If necessary. in getting
franchises in Davenport and Moline
Asked as to- the legality of the
councils action last night, City At
torney Scott held that it was per-
fectly regular, as the ordinance had
received the votes of a majority of
the members elect. The two absent
ees could not affect the matter, as
more than majority was present
There is no doubt that the concen-
sus of opinion was in favor of the or
dinance of Bills & Wortham. if an
independent exchange was to be had,
not only because these gentlemen
had been on the ground first. but had
spent their time and money here. and !
took pains to show the public what |
they held to be the advantages of in |
A
which they have built in nearby |
towns since being here two years |
ago. This is not said in spirit of /
unfriendIiness to Col. Thomas or his |
project. IL is only felt that ON ac-
count of their persistent fight here |
Bills q Wortham were logically en-
titled to the franchise. However. |
Mayor Knox from the first has sup |
ported the Thomas ordinance.
Quick Results.
When Col. Thomas left recently |
for Il visit to his home in the east. |
all sorts of stories. political and 9th |
erwise. were set in circulation, but |
il was hardly to- be believed that his |
return to the city Saturday night |
would have been attended by such /
results.
As for the Central Union service |
here. no one can offer any defense
of it. The company has failed 60 give
the service anticipated and therefore
drove many to- the idea that n compet-
ing exchange was the only solution
Whether this is the correct view or
not, and whether two systems will
prove. even under such circumstan-
ces. better than one, remains to be
'.We propose to give the people of
Rock Island the best telephone sys-
TEN obtainable," said Col. Thomas