The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1902-12-18
ONLY FOR RESIDENTS
Council Committee Refuses to Give
Franchise for Telephone Line to
Non Residents.
TO TEST VALIDITY OF LAW
Ordinance Providing for Sewer District is
Questioned by Aldermen and New Sys-
tenn May be Established

If an independent telephone system
is to be constructed in Kenosha. it
must be constructed by residents of
the city, as the special committee con-
sisting of members of the Common
ICounci1, reported Monday evening to
the Council that they would be opposed
to granting any telephone franchise
rights to non-residents.
This report was brought to the Coun-
Gil as a report on the franchise ordi-
nance recently presented to the City
Council by c. A. Sterling, of La
Crosse, and the franchise and all fur
ther discussion of it will be laid on the
table. The committee made a careful
Investigation of the matter and it was
discovered that there was almost
unanimous sentiment III favor of the
construction of an independent line in
| Kenosha, but the committee are of the
opinion that the construction of such a
line should be left to the capitalists of
Kenosha and grants of so much favor
should not be given to outsiders.
With this disposal of the ordinance
now before the Council the way is left
clear for the company recently organ
lied among the Kenosha people to seek
a franchise and it would probably be
| granted with little discussion. The
new company has not as yet made any
| move to secure franchise and mem
bers of the corporation have stated that
the company was not ready to seek
franchise rights at the present time.
It is probable, however, that in the
near future the company will appear
before the Council with definite plan
for the building of an independent tel
ephone exchange in the city.
The validity of the ordinance on
which the present sewer system is laid
out has been called into que&-ton by
certain of the aldermen as well as by
many of the citizens of the city, who
are forced to live without the benefits
of a sewer on account of the narrow
confines of the present system. In
order to get line on this matter the
City Attorney was instructed to look
into the matter and prepare for the
Council written legal opinion as to
the measures to be adopted to increase
the present sewer districts and pro-
vide accommodations for residents who
are now unable TO secure them.
! The contract for the paving of
Church street was awarded to John O..
Jones, of Racine, and the work will be
started in the early spring.
The resignation of H. H. Timme as
Chief of Police was presented to the
Council and accepted, and Fred Rel
mold, the appointee of the Mayor, was
con firmed by unanimous vote.
The communication of the Kenos ha
! Electric Railway company, in which
the city was asked to share the expense
of repairing the North approach was
received and referred to the committee
on Streets and Alleys, with the City
Engineer and City Attorney added. If
possible to get away from this work
the city will insist that the entire ex-
pense of it be borne by the railway
company.
The North Main street paying,
which was completed a week ago, was
accepted by the Council. and bonds
and cash certificates to the amount Of
$9,8 77.39 were issued to the contractors.
It is interesting to know that but one
of the twenty property owners on the
street, allowed a bond to be issued for
the payment of the paving.
/ The old question of the Middle street
sewer was brought up and the City At
torney was ordered to draw up an
opinion as to the ability of the city to
collect for this sewer. The city is now
restrained from levying taxes for the
payment of the sewer by an injunction
issued in the Circuit Court and all eff
forts to have the injunction set aside
4 have so far beeE of no effect.
i No other business of Importance was
transacted by the Council and after
the allowance of the usual number of
bills the Council adjourned.