Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-06-29
SA6iN ON HIS METTLE.

The City Council Committee on Gas.
OIL and Electric Light met recently and
for two hours was the central point
about which revolved u lively wrangle,
In which two corporations fought to
Impress on the members the belief that
the opposition was seeking to deceive
| Them.
The question of granting q franchise
to the United Telephone. Telegraph
and Electric Company was up for dis.
cussion. and by the invitation Of the
committee the Chicago Telephone Com.
pany had been invited to send repre-
scntatives to hear the arguments of the
men who wanted to capture Part of the
business.
President Snbln, Attorney A. ID.
Wheeler and Chief Electrician Hibbard
responded to the invitation. William +.
Block. President of the opposition com.
pany; =. L. Sheerin of Indianapolis. and
Others represented the petitioners. 1t
was fully expected that the Chicago
Telephone Company would offer the
city very liberal compensation AMI
agree to still further reduction In
rates In order to keep the other concern
out of the local field, but nothing of the
kind was suggested. On the contrary.
Mr. Sabln. In his opening statement,
declared that no opposition, however
formidable. would cause his company
to reduce rates 81, but he laid stress on
the fact that substantial reductions
were going on ull the time without out
side pressure.
I'VE will continue to make these re-
ductiOns." he added, las speedily as
the business warrants 1t and we can do
so without injury to ourselves or our
customers. But we will never cut
figures through fear OF what any other
company may DO"
President Block. who has the active
support of William Hale Thompson. n
member of the committee. began the
discussion by producing u letter from
Il business man of Philadelphia declar-
Ing that the double system IN that city
had greatly benefited the mercantile
community ana that two telephones In
IN office did not cost very much more or
cause much more trouble than one.
He quoted figures to show that where
the independent line had secured fran.
cliises In cities the rates had been in
Variably cut ana better service pro-
vided.
lie was interrupted several times In
the course of his statement. President
Snbin fatty contradicting his figures In
more than one instance.
Mr.. Block admitted that his statistics
were not official. In many of the cities
mentioned the population was very
small nnd opposition telephones were
not actually In operation. lie went ON
to say that In ninety towns of Ohio the
Bell Telephone Company had been
beaten out by the opposition, hut the
authenticity of the figures was vigor-
ously denied
Attorney Wheeler asked If the indie
pendent companies had ever ap.
preached the Chicago Telephone Com.
pany for an arrangement by which
their lines might he used. ana said 1t
was Il falschoOd to state that such n
privilege had been refused when il had
never been asked. Mr.. Hubbard pointed
out that his company ut present had
several arrangements with independent
companies by which their lines We're
being used continually. President Sa-
bin spoke briefly, but with considerable
emphasis. He said: I'VE are not here
To discuss methods that prevail in Kan
kakee or to offer every telephone sub |
scrlber brown stone front. My eX-