Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-19
AMEND TELEPHONE CHARTER
City Council Puts in Four Hours Wrestling
with the Franchise Ordinance.
MAKE IT MORE BINDING ON THE COMPANY
Territory in which wires GO Under
Ground Increased and Many Pro-
visions Altered 90 Make
Them More Definite.

After wrestling with the ordinance Of
the Council Bluffs Independent Telephone
company for four hours yesterday after
noon in committee OF the whole. the al
derme practically decided on the form in
which they are willing IL shall be sub
mitted to the people to be voted on at a
special election. So many changes were
made in the measure as originally intro
duced that a new ordinance will have to
be drafted and 1t is not unlikely that this
may yet be amended when it comes before
the city council proper for its approval.
As the ordinance now stands It pro-
vides for a franchise for thirty-hve years
and IL is understood that several of the
aldermen are opposed to granting IL for
over twenty-five or thirty years at the
most.
One OF the most important changes was
in regard to the territory in which the
wires are to be placed in underground con-
Quits. The original ordinance provided that
the wires should be placed In underground
ccnduits on Broadway between Glen ave
nue. and Eighth street. on Pearl street to its
intersection with Main street and on Main
street from Broadway to its intersection
with Pearl street. The committee decided
tfat the territory for underground conduits
on Broadway should extend from First
street to Tenth street and on Main street
from Broadway to Ninth avenue.
The original ordinance gave the CITY the
right to regulate the rates charged bv the
company once in every nine years. This
section was amended so as to give the citv
council the right to impose such ~restric-
lions and regulations, including the regu-
latins Of the company's rentals and tolls.
as shall be Just. equitable and reasonable.
WhanaVaF IL anuu A. an 10 .
The proposition Of the COMPANY as con-
tanned in the ordinance to give the citv
the use Of ten telephones free OF charge
was amended by the company agreeing to
furnish all telephones that the CITY council
may order for the use OF its officers az
required for the business OF the city.
City Must Approve Transfer.
In the original ordinance II was stipu-
lated that no assignment, lease or transfer
Of the franchise should be valid until writ
ten notice thereof should have been filed
with the city clerk. This stipulation was
made more binding by a provision to the
effect that any assignment or lease or
transfer Of the franchise must be approved
by the city council.
The ordinance as introduced contained no
provision for the commencement of the
work or the installation and operation Of
the telephone system within a given date.
After a prolonged discussion and conference
between the representatives Of the COM
pany Attorney FINLEY consented 20 a clause
requiring that the system be installed and
in operation within two years from the date
of the taking Of effect OF the ordinance.
Previous to taking up the ordinance Sec
ton by section the committee adopted the
following resolution: .
Resolved, By the ommitte of the whole
of the city council of the city of Council
Bluffs, that we favor the installation of an
Independent telephone system in Council
Bluffs and the granting of a franchise to
any Independent telephone company that
Will install such system upon such terms
as are Just and fair. and that will protect
the rights and interests of the city and our
citizens.
Alderman Casper took occasion to brand
the statement that he was a stakeholder in
the new company as a falsehood and pro-
ceeded to relate how, when he was a menu
Der OF a former council, he had the oppor-
tunity Of obtaining $500 for his vote on a
certain measure which would have, had Il
passed, given the citizens of Council Bluffs
cheaper gas than they are now getting.