Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-08
Aldermen Have Two Independent
Telephone Ordinances Up for
Consideration.
BILLS & woRTHAMs APPLICATION
Andrews Complains of City Hall
Treatment.-Other Coun-
Gil Matters.


now in the hands of the aldermen
for their consideration. One is from
the Illinois Independent Telephone
company, whose representatives have
been here some weeks, and the other
from the Union Electric Telephone
and Telegraph company, other wise
Bills & Workman, whose application
was read to the council at its monthly
meeting last night. There was no
comment on the ordinance. 1t was
simply referred TO the ordinance and
special telephone com mittees. rne
ordinance of the Illinois company has
for two weeks been in the hands of
the latter committee. which is to
have an adjourned session tonight,
when both ordinances will be digest
ed. The meeting of the special COM
mittee is nothing less than committee
of the whole of the council, as all the
aldermen seem to be taking great in
terest in the telephone subject and
never miss an opportunity TO learn
something new pertaining to it.
+. l. Bills, promoter of the Uni
Electric Telephone and Telegraph
company; Col. w. S. Thomas, repre-
sensing the Illinois Independent Tele-
phone company. and w B. Roberts,
local manager for the Central Union,
were at the council meeting, but none
had anything to say on the floor. 1t
is expected the speech-making will
be done before the committee. which
is expected to submit recommends
tions to the council
Provisions of New Ordinance.
The ordinance of the Union Elec-
trio Telephone and Telegraph COM
pany is practically the same as the
oue offered by ths company two
years ago. 1t provides for the laying
of wires in the fire limits in under
ground conduits. such poles as are
necessary for distribution purposes
to be placed in alleys and back of
property lines. The city has the
right to place and string on the poles
of the company the fire alarm and
police wires of the CITY. The rates
stipulated are $50 and SIS per year
for full metallic long distance tele-
phones for business houses and resi-
dences respectively. these charges to
include unlimited service to all points
in Rock Island county aud Davenport
that may be connected by the lines
of the company. There is to be no
rentals collected until the company
shall have connected up aud in oper-
alton at least go bona tide subscrib-
ers in the city of Rock Island. Tween
ty telephones are given the city free.
and in case additional instruments
are desired for use in the public
school buildings or offices, the right
is reserved to secure the use of the
same at rental of $1S per anuum
The company further agrees that
after the passage aud during the life
of the ordinance on the first day of
April of each year it will make q
sworn statement of the gross receipts
from rentals received by it from it's
local exchange, and will pay into the
city treasury per cent of the same.
Ii is further provided that in case the
company shall enter into any arrange
ment with or sell out to any existing
telephone company doing business in
the city the ordinance shall become
null and void.
Andrews Turned Down.
Aid. Andrews appears to have been
receiving the frosty stare of late
around the city hall. At least one
would be led to believe that such lie
the case by the sarcastic passages be-
tween the alderman and the mayor
during the session. Andrews, so the
story gees, wanted a sidewalk filled
down in his ward. The mayor was
consulted, but said he would not ap-
prove the work for the reason that
the fill was meant primarily for a low
lot instead of a sidewalk The job
was done, anyway. The bill for $40
was presented and the mayor refused
to let it go through. So last night
Aid. Andrews offered resolution in
effect that the city clerk be instructed
to honor any alderman's order for
payment for work out of the side
walk. fund until the fund was eX-
hausted, providing the order was
sanctioned by both aldermen in the
same ward. This invited rather en-
animated discussion, during which
the difficulty responsible for the
offering of the resolution developed.
The mayor explained himself and
Aid. Andrews proceeded TO show that
he was on the square and did not see
why any alderman should be discrim-
mated against by the mayor and
clerk. He denied that any of the dirt
hauled by Joe Hendrix, whose bill
was rejected by the mayor, had been
used for lot filling, resenting what he
took as an in'imation by the mayor
that the work had been done for re-
lative of the alderman's. Finally the
city attorney was brought into the
and held that the legisla- |
ton attempted by Aid. Andrews was
decidedly at variance with the GUS
toms that had ruled the operations OF
the city's financial department. The
mayor thereupon ruled the resolution