Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-28
Davis sells paint.
DELAY IN TELEPHONE MATTER
Council Unable to Agree and Both
Ordinances Sem Back to Com
mIttee.

Thu city council last night, after discuss
ing the ordinances of the Interstate and
Council Bluffs Independent Telephone COM
panies, was unable to reach any conclusion
and the ordinances were again referred
back to the committee of the whole for
further investigation and consideration.
This action was mainly due to Attorney
FINLEY OF the Council Bluffs company sug-
costing several sections to be incorporated
in the ordinance submitted by his COM
pany. Aldermen Lougee and Mcdonald
stated they were of the opinion that these
amendments contained considerable food
for thought" and that nothing would be
lost by postponing action for another week.
On motion Of Lougee, seconded by Nc
Donald. both ordinances went to the COM
mittee Of the whole.
When the report of the committee OF the
whole recommending that the counc APP
prove the ordinance of the Interstate COM
pany and sumbit 1t to the vote of the peo-
pie was read Alderman Lougee suggested
several amendments. One changed the
form Of the section requiring the company
to deposit $4,000, to be forfeited to the city
in the event OF the company failing to in
and have in operation its plant within
the prescribed time. AS amended 1t pro-
NA0CE NhAN ~ company mai R1g W NhN
city 81. 900 within Ave days after the pass
age OF the ordinance and that the city
shall pay to the company a like amount
on the completion OF the installation of the
system within ten days after the council
shall pass a resolution authorizing such
payment.
Another amendment provided that II
shall take a three-fourths vote instead Of
a majority vote to grant the company the
privilege to assign any OF its rights under
the franchise. Another amendment pre-
scribes that the company must -hle its &C
ceptanee of the ordinance within ten days
OF the passage OF same instead of thirty
days, as before provided.
Attorney FINLEY, on behalf OF the Coun-
ell Bluffs Independent company, offered to
amend its ordinance so as to change the
term Of the franchise from thirty-ive to
twenty-five years. He also offered to give
the city 8 per cent yearly OF the company's
gross revenue and supply the city depart
ments with free telephones. or to give 2
per cent of its gross revenue and furnish
the schools with six free telephones and
all others as the council might direct for
the use OF the schools at a rate not TO ok
coed one-half the regular rate. Mr.. Tin
ley. however, refused on behalf Of the
company TO make a cash deposit to be for
feited in case the company failed to install
its plant within the two years. as provided
in the ordinance. He stated that the busi-
ness men back of the company were new
in the telephone business and being IN
aware whether they could successfully
carry out what they planned. in this re-
spect they would not risk any $1,000. He
claimed It was not a business proposition
IN ask than IN mako such a deDosit on
such conditions.
Attorney wadswOrth. for the Interstate
company. took advantage Of this to state
that his company intended business and
that Il was willing to deposit s25 900 as a
guaranty Of its good Intentions, provided
that the city would pay IL 5 per cent on
such deposit.
Mr.. wadsworth and Mr.. finley both ad-
dressed the eoune at length on the merits
Of their resneetive ordinances. President
Parmalee and othsr oneers o. the Platts-
mouth Telephone company were Interested
spectators AZ the session aRa President