Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-16
Davis sells paint.
SEEK TELEPHONE FRANCHISE
Independent Cooperation Has Ordi-
nance Ready to submit to
City Council.

Provided the citizens are willing that the
company should be given a franchise, Coun-
Gil Bluffs is to have an independent tele-
phone system. Articles of Incorporation Of
the Council Bluffs Independent Telephone
company were filed in the ONCE of the
county recorder yesterday. The incorpora-
tors are: H. II. Van Brunt, J. F. Wilcox,
e. H.. Walters, DR.. T. B. Lacey, B. O.. Bru-
ington and Emmett FINLEY. The capital
stock is placed at 500 900, divided into
1000 shares of 500 each, and the state
ment is made that all Of the stock has been
subscribed. The company. it is said, has
been in process Of organization for sew
eral weeks, but the greatest secrecy was
maintained until the articles Of incorpora-
ton were ready for filing, and the COM
pany prepared to go before the city with
its request for a franchise. Under the law
a special election will have to be held and
the proposition to grant a franchise to the
company submitted 70 the vote Of the peo-
ale.
The ordinance which the company will
submit to the city council sets out the
rates which it proposes to charge is as
follows: For business houses-One party
on special line, $36 yer year; two parties
on same line, $24 per year; three parties
on same line, 500 per year; four parties on
same line, SIS per year; for residences
one party line, s24 per year; two party
line, S18 per year; three party line, $l4 per
year; four party line, $12 per year. Tele-
phones using a grounded circuit and known
as ordinary telephones will be charged
for at the rate Of $24 per year for business
houses and SIS a year for residences. These
rates will be subject to regulation by the
city council once In nine years.
The franchise upon which the people Of
Council Bluffs will be called upon to vote
provides that the company shall place its
wires and cables in underground conduits
along the following streets: Broadway, be-
tween Glen avenue and Eighth street;
Pearl street from Broadway to its inter
section with Main street; Main street from
Broadway to It's intersection with Pearl
street.
Another condition of the proposed fran
chise is that 1t shall not be assigned, leased
or transferred to the Nebraska Telephone
company, and that there shall be no as
signment, lease or transfer until written
notice of the same shall have been filed
with the city clerk.
The company intends to connect with
other independent companies in this and
other states and II is said that It also
may apply lot = lTahcnlso u u OuSiuoos
In Omaha.
The ordinance submitted by the company
at the meeting Of the city council last night
calls for a thirty-hve year franchise and
some OF the aldermen expressed themselves
as being opposed to granting 1t for such a
long term Of years. Alderman Casper said
he saw no objection to a franchise for thirty
years, seeing that the Nebraska Telephone
company had been given a perpetual one.
Attorney FINLEY spoke on behalf Of the or
dinance and requested that 1t be considered
by the committee Of the whole at as early a
date as possible.
At the suggestion of Alderman Lougee
the ordinance was, on suspension Of the
rules passed to its second reading, and
then referred to the committee on the whole.
which will meet Thursday afternoon to
consider II.