The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-21
THE COUNCIL MEETING.
A BUSINESS Meeting of the City Council
Opera House Leased-Bell Telephone
Question Acted on-Alderman Well
in Harness.

The regular meeting of the city coun-
Gil was held Wednesday afternoon at
4 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.
Mr.. Wells took the oath of Office on
Wednesday morning, and this was his
first service in public capacity.
OPERA HOUSE LEASED.
Besides the usual routine business to
come before the city fathers, the consid-
Grafton of the bids for the lease of the
opera house for a term of three years
was taken up. There were three bids,
but that of Messrs D. F. Pifer, P. J..
Voss, and J. w. Earhardt, being the
highest, they were granted the lease.
These young men, we understand. con-
template forming what is to be known
as the Newberry 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.. F. c. Fraser, representing the
Bell Company, was in the city to appear
before the council if necessary in the in
terest of his company, and in 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:
81. To install system with metallic
circuit and long distance transmitters.
50. 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.
-. To provide one cross arm ON each
pole for fire alarm service.
IS. TO abide by rates fixed by council,
viz $3.50 per business phone per month
and 81 90 per residence phone per month
for FIVE years.
IS. To charge no more for service IN
Newberry than in any city of like size in
which this company does business.
81. Not to charge lower rate thar any
competing company for similar service.
IS. To permit the city council to con-
denim any material not considered first
class in every respect or in any way dan
gerous.
80. 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
favor of the coming of my company to the
city, but the town council insists on i'm
posing restrictions that are prohibitory.
1--WE are not able to foresee the fnture
and hence cannot agree to fixed rates for
an indefnate future time.
"All of this 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.
eve ask, in 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 ale Objectionable to
my company, certainlysknew the fallacy
of such franchise. They have recently
bought property and entered into compe-
tition with the Bell people under fran
chises not imposing the restrictions that
are placed on US 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.
"The construction gang is making good
time on this line and will soon be at
Newberry.
1T is source of deep regret that we
are forced to build around your city,
under the prejent status, but we are still
hopeful that the council will admit u.s."
TO VISIT NEWBERRY.