The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-05-13

The chamber of commerce held a
special meeting yesterday afternoon at
$3.50 o'clock in its rooms in the Sea-
board Air Line building to consider the
question of approving the application of
the Southern Bell Telephone and Tele-
graph Company now PENDING before the
board of aldermen Tor the privilege of
running its wires under instead of over
the business streets of Wilmington.
The members in attendance at the
meeting were Messrs. Geo r. French.
W. b. Cooper, J. H. BcatwrIght, w. r.
Kenan, w. l.. DeRosset, J. c. Stevenson,
c. c. Covington, NJ. w. jacob, c. H.
Robinson, ]. A. Taylor, 1. II. Bear. T.
S. McManus, J. VanB. Metts, II. G.
Smallbones, F. w kerchner, Oscar
PearsalI, j. II. King, L. 3. Rogers,
Hugh MacRae. w. F. Oldham, G. j.
Clawson.
In the absence of president or vice
president, Mr.. Georg" r. French was
called to the chair
After the meeting hal been called to
order, no one was present to state the
purpose of the meeting, but Mr.. T. S.
McManus, manager of the Whining
ton exchange of the Southern Bell Tel
ephone and Telegraph Company, ar
rived soon afterwards.
Meanwhile, Mr.. J. A. Taylor, at the
request of Robert Ruark, Esq, at
torney for the Telephone Company of
America, presented and asked endorse
ment of an ordinance, GlSO pending be-
fore the board Of aldermen, granting to
that company the privilege of putting
I'm system in Wilmington. Along with
it goes the privilege of running it's wires
. overhead or underground, AID it pro-
videS for bond of $25, 900 TO indemnify
the city against loss from accident to
persons or property and guarantees the
restoration of such streets as are en-
tered upon.
Mr.. Hugh MacRae moved to refer the
matter to committee for considera-
tion ard rec COmmendation back to the
chamber.
Mr., NJ. W. Jacob stated that the meet
ing had heen called for the specific pur-
pose Of considering the application of
the Southern Bell Telephone and Tel
egraph Company, and he insisted on
taking up the matter.
The matter introduced by Mr.. Taylor
was then laid aside, and the meeting
heard Manager McM&nus, OF the Bell
Company.
Mr.. McManus stated that last October
ne was approached by the mayor and
at least two aldermen who informed
him that the board OF aldermen was go
ing to take action forcing all corpora
tionS and individuals owning overhead
wires to run them underground. He in
formed them that his company contem-
plated the building of a long distance
M int Irr1fr ton md
as then contemplated might hamper the
approval of the enterprise by the COM
pany. They consequently agreed to
hold the matter up until sufficient time
elapsed for his company to consider the
plan to build it's long distant line. He
advised them not to agltate the matter
OF forcing all wires under ground until
after his company made its estimates
for a long distant line to Wilmington.
They complied with his request and In
January the general superintendent OF
construction of his company came to
Wilmington ana went before this cham
Der and explained that the Southern
Bell Company had decided TO build a
line from Raleigh TO Wilmington by
way of Goldsboro. Mr. McIanus went
on to say that his company, anticipat-
ing sooner or later that the board of al
dermen would force all wires under
ground, decided to ask for the privilege
ol QOiIiS 81, DIS II was SSoIIS W UlS eA-
pense in putting in plant here. Since
February 3rd, he said, the company'C
application had been before the board
Of aldermen, but for one reason ana an
oother the application had never been
acted upon. The consequence was that
his company has never been able to
make its estimate and settle upon the
cost to which they would he put by
building long distance line into our
city, as they did not know whether
they would have to run overhead or un-
der ground wires. He, therefore, came
before the chamber To request this body
to give the company the advantage of
Its approval of it's pStition and recon-
mend its adoption by the board of al
dermen. He said all Ills company want
ed was to put its wires un0er ground,
but the board of aldermen having had
trouble with another company about
tearing up the streets. the board hesi-
tated to grant the privilege asked for
and would like to nave this chamber to
share the responsibility with them. He
said the application had been approved
by majority of the committee on ordi-
nances of the board Of aldermen as it
now exists and he was satisfied that the
board would have passed the ordinance
at its meeting of last Monday night,
but he thought best to first get the en-
dorsement of the chamber of commerce
and then the ordinance could be adopt
ed at a meeting of the board of alder-
men to be held next Monday night.
Col. DeRosset moved that this mat
ter as we'll as the one introduced by
Mr.. ]. A. Taylor be referred to a COM
mittee.
Mr.. .McManus said his company want
ed action taken now, as while they
were rebuilding the exchange here and
constructing its long distance line, they
wanted to get in readiness to put its
wires under ground. He saio this meant
that from three-fourths TO seven
eighths of the overhead wires would
disappear and be that much to the ad-
vantage OF the city. He then offered
a resolution endorsing the ordinance
g. cvE AaEE