The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-13
Mayor 0'ConneII Has Entered In
to No Agreement Whereby the
City Gets Free Telephones
from the Company
SEVERAL OFFERS
HAVE BEEN MADE
The Chief Executive Could Not
Subscribe to All Conditions
Laid Down by the Company
and Has Made No Move to AC-
Cept ANY Offer

The city of Worcester has no con-
tract for free telephones with the New
England Telephone & Telegraph Co.,
although incidents in connection with
granting locations at the last meeting
of the City Council might lead one I'M
acquainted with exact conditions to in
fer that something of the sort existed.
The New England Telephone & Tel
egraph Co. has submitted several prop
ositions under which free telephones
will be allowed the city. but Mayor
O'Connell has accepted none of the Of
fers made thus far. Copies of the most
recent offers were distributed to mem
bers of the Board of Aldermen last
night, but the offer included has not
been accepted, and it is understood
that a considerably modified draft of
the following proposals will be made in
the near future.
The orders granting locations in sew
eral streets adopted Monday night COW
cred in reality a great number of loca-
tons petitioned for early in the year
and granted by the aldermen, but new
er accepted by the company because
of certain conditions in the franchise
orders
Several months ago the city tried to
contract which provided for a certain
number of telephones at a rental Of $40
each, and as the city fathers supposed
an additional number at SIS per year.
1t was then that the matter of free
telephones, under certain conditions,
came up. The company has made sew
eral offers, but the manner in which
they were offered has led Mayor O'Con-
nell to decline them.
a.
he had not received the order adopted
by the board Monday night, and he did
not care to say what he would do with
it so far as his approval is concerned.
Two letters recently received by the
mayor in which the proposal of the
is Set forth follow.
Hon. Philip ]. O'Connell, Mayor Of
City of Worcester, Worcester,
Mass:
Dear Sir-In accordance with your
request that this company send
you in writing an exact statement
of its proposition to you with ref
erence to a reimbursement of the
rates to be paid by the city of
Worcester for telephone service, I
herewith submit the following:
In consideration of the sum Of
one dollar per year to be paid by
the city to the New England Tele-
phone & Telegraph Company of
Massachusetts, therefor. it is agreed
by the company that it will furnish
to the city telephone connection and
service as follows: One set of tele-
phone instruments and local ex-
change service in connection there
with, for each 1000 of population
of said city, as evidenced by the
last and each succeeding United
SDf ~ At
said city, until said population shall
amount to 10000, and an addi-
tfonal set of telephone instruments
for each 5000 of population in ex-
cess of 100000 up TO 300 900. and one
additional set of telephone instru-
ments for each 10000 of population
in excess of 800, 1000; such service
to continue so long as the company
snail receive from the proper
municipal officers upon it's applica-
ton therefor, such locations for
poles and conduits for the main
tenance of its wires, as the proper
conduct and extension of its bust
ness may from time to time re-
quire, and such permits, orders and
approVals as may be necessary for
entering upon and completing the
work. Locations" as above re-
ferred to, are understood to be
locations duly granted under au-
thority of the statutes of the COM
monwealth, now or hereafter in
force, without terms, restrictions
or conditions, other than those con-
tanned in the forms of orders for
underground and pole locations, re-
spectively, herewith enclosed. ex-
cept such as may be authorized by
statutes hereafter in force
The service herein agreed to be
furnished is limited to telephone
stations within the city limits and
within two miles from the com
pany's central office For stations
outside said limits special arrange
ments must be made in each in
stance.
If, however, there shall here
after be imposed upon said COM
pany, under authority of law. any
fee. license or tax as compensa-
ton for the granting of such loca-
tons or the occupation of any of
the streets Of said city, then and in
such case this contract shall come
to an end.
If you wish to have the telephone
service for the city furnished on
the foregoing basis, please so ad-
wise, letting me know where you
wish the additional telephone in
stalled.
am, very truly yours,
JASPER N. KELLER,