The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-21
THE COUNCIL MEETING,
a business Meeting nf tho city Council
Opera House I.rasod-Bell ~, lonbono
9uestion Acted on Alderman Wsll
In IinfnpRs

" "u'ihess Me"ting of tho city Council
| opora House L"asod-Bcll telephone
! 9ueation Acted on Alderman Wsll
| In HarnrHs
The regular meeting Of the city coun-
Gil was held Wednesday afternoon at
| i o. 'clock.
Several questions of interest were to
come before the meeting. and the meet
| ing was delayed from Tuesday night
| until Wednesday afternoon, in order
that the newly elected alderman from
Ward Que might be sworn in and be
present at the meeting.
MIR. Wells took the oath of Office on
Wednesday morning, and this was his
ilrst service in a public capacity.
OPERA IIoUsE I.EAsED.
Besides the usual routine business to
| come before the city fathers, the consid-
| Grafton of the bids for the lease Of tre
opera house for term Of three years
| was taken up. There were three bids,
but that of M,ssrs. ID. i. Pifer, p. J.
Voss, and J. w. Isarhardt, being the
highest, they were granted the lease.
These young men. we understand, con-
template forming what is to be known
rs the Ncwbcrry Amusement Company,
and intend to bring to Newberry the very
best attractions that it is possible to get
South.
THE TELEPHONE QUESTION.
The council in the telephone matter
stood to the former ordinance passed
granting the Bell Company a franchise
with the same restrictions under which
the local company is working with this
change, that the franchise be granted
for thirty years instead Of twenty, with
the understanding that the local COM
pany's franchise be extended thirty
years, if they so desired it,
Mr.. Il. c. Fraser, representing the
Bell Company. was i'll the city to appear
before the council if necessary in the i'll
terest Of his company, and i'll an inter
view with him yesterday he said:
''Your council has agreed to place term
Of franchise for thirty instead Of twenty
years, but made no disposition Of the rate
question.
"The proposition of the Bell Telephone
Company which has been rejected by
council was:
Ct. TO install system with metallic
circuit and long distance transmitters.
". To set all poles under the super
vision of the street committee or city Off
cials.
''3. TO give free service to the branches
of the city government,
"a, To provide one cross arm OH each
pole for fire alarm service.
IS. TO abide by rates fixed by council,
viz IS. SO per business phone per month
and f. 90 per residence phone per month
for five years.
''6. To charge no more for service in
Newberry thai i'll any city Of like size in
which this company does business.
~. Not to charge lower rate thar any
competing company for similar service.
"S. TO permit the city council to con,
demn any material not considered first
class i'll every respect or i'll any way dan.
gerous.
'9. TO accept franchise Of thirty
years duration instead Of twenty years as
| offered.
"My company has made every hon-
orable effort to effect compromise Of the
differences existing.
"The people of the city are heartily in
fau n( tla Of f<f l,o
city, but the town council insists OH I'M
posing restrictions that are prollibitory.
1--WE are not able to foresee the future
and hence cannot agree to fixed rates for
| All indcGnate future time.
"All ofthis ground has been carefully
gone over and it is not necessary for me
to review the reasons why the action OF
council is not considered fair to my com
pany.
1--WE ask, i'll fine, nothing that we are
not willing for any competing company
to have. Mr.. Floyd and associates,
though operating under franchise with
| the restrictions that ae Objectionable to
my company, certainlysknew the falacy
bought property and entered into compe-
tition with the Bell people under fran
| chises not imposing the restrictions that
| are placed OH lis here.
"Surely the town council of Newberry
is not more fearful than these gentlemen
| themselves.
"a fair and equitable plan of settling
the matter think is the removal Of re-
strictions placed upou Messrs Floyd and
associates and placing us upon the same
| footing here as elsewhere.
"Thc construction gang is making good
time on this line and will soon be at
Newberry.
ut is source of deep regret that we
are forced to build around your city,
under the present status, but we are still
hopeful that the council will admit u.s.
| TO VISIT NEWBERRY.