Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-04
NEW PHONE PROJECT
Aldermen in Committee of Whole
Discuss Independent
Ordinance.
FARMERS TAKE PART IN DISCUSSION
But No Decision is Reached, Mat.
ter Going Over Till Next
Week.

The committee OF the city council
appointed to consider the ordinance
presented at the last meeting OF that
BODY by the Illinois Independent Tel
ephone company met at the council
chamber last evening together with
the aldermen in Committee of the
whole. w. D Thomas who is engi-
neering the affairs of the company
here was present as were also
mum Der OF representatives of country
lines centering at Milan and Taylor
Ridge.
| The first section of the prop Jsed
ordinance, that authorizing the in
auguration of an independent system
here when taken up, opeued the en-
tire question for discussion and
an hour aid half was devoted 10
an attempt 20 arrive at a genel n IN
der tanding of what has been done
and what is desired in the way of
| providing connection between the
three cities and the Country. The
visitors from the country were first
heard and G. H King bury and l.
Simon told of the past efforts of the
Retail Merchants association to
bring about an understan Ting be-
tween the farmers and the Central
Union company. Then the matter
passed to the council and some of the
aldermen stated their views on the
question.
Country Lines In a Fight.
As is generally known. the Central
Union company has offered country
lines connection with the cities Of
Rock Island and Moline for B cent
toll and some of the lines centerlng
at Andalu- is nave taken advantage of
the rate This has led to a bit er
controversy between the lines at
E1gington, which is connected
thro pgn Andalusia, and the remainder
of the lin, s in the soush part of the
county. Dr.. Peter Eckhart, of Fay
lor Ridge, devoted some time in ex-
planning the nature of this trouble
and the reason tsat the offer of the
Central Union company is distasteful
to the subscriber he represented.
His contention was that the previous
acts of the company have aroused the
prejudice of the country people,
through an evide It II TT on the part
of the former to take advantage of the
at present constituted the doctor de-
ciared no binding contract can be en-
tered into with more than one of the
country lines at a time This he
said had been done and the company
when connected with one of the lines
had laimed the right to send free
messages to any part of the farmer
system His objection to connection
3 q ho of fna Of <
that the country lines would be used
for commercial purposes between the
city and the outlying towns, while
the subscribers on the lines over
which the messages would be sent
would be compelled to give up the
use of their lines for the time without
recompense.
From Milan End.
n. L Framing, of Milan, also spoke !
concerning the results of a NEE ing !
held at Milan during the week at !
which Mr.. Thomas met the represen-
tatives of the lines Running into Mi /
Ian and made proposition for free /
connection between the system he 1
proposes to install in the city and the i
systems in the county that was very
satisfactory.
Then Aid. A. u. Anderson, who was
chairman of the meeting. called upon
the aldermen present for an express
sion, aud Aids. EcKhart, Westbay
and Gall were entirely in favor of the
granting of an independent franchise
The ordinance was then taken up aud
considered in sections and some
slight amendments offered The hour
grew late, however, before the matter
was settled to the satisfaction of the
mem bers and an ADJOURNMENT was
taken to meet again next Tuesday
evening for further consideration
This will carry the ordinance over
till the second meeting of the coun-
Gil.
Outlook for Ordinance
From the decidedly gingery manner
in which some of toe aldermen hand
led the proposition, or more marked {
still. the absolute silence of
q number OF Others, it is impossible
10 forecast what sort of reception the
new company will receive when it's
is put to vote. Toe fact
that Bills & Workman, who were here
before, have signilied an intention to
return and renew their offers, may
influence some of the aldermen who I
have been working for them in their
of applications from other
A new remedy for biliousness is
now on sale at all drug stores. 1t is
jailed Cham berlain's Somach and