The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-06-26
ANOTHER TELEPHONE COMPANY?
The Southern Bell Telephone and TEL
egraph Company Ask the Privilege
of Doing Business in henderson,
The Petition Denied by Unanimous
Vote of the Town Commissioners.

|
sioners Monday night and asked for
the adoption of an ordinadce permit
ting his company to do business in
| Henderson. 1t was not an exclusive
| franchise he wished but the privilege
| of being allowed to come here with
| his service il there shall be found a
| demand for such service. But in the
| opinion Of the Board of Commission
ers, as expressed in their action, the
service supplied by the Henderson
Telephone Company is sufficient and
the petition was unanimously tabled.
The Bell people want to fill the gap
between Raleigh and Norfolk and
Richmond with their long distance
service and the most direct way of
doing this is via Henderson. And de-
string to cater to the local business
as well they want to put in their sys-
tenn here. To accomplish this pur-
| pose was the object of Mr.. Kings
| business in Henderson. The Com
missioners accorded him hearing
| Monday night when the Bell Compa-
ny's proposition was presented by
| Mr.. King who spoke substantially as
follows. After thanking the Mayor
| and Board of Commissioners for the
courtesy extended in permitting him
| to address them in support of the or
dinance offered to allow the Southern
| Bell Telephone and Telegraph Com
prnv to do business in Henderson,
| Mr.. King said:
1t would be a reflection on your
intelligence for me to say anything
on the value and Importance of tel
sphone service. That has got to be
an essential in all progressive com
munities and we'll regulated bust
ness.
Il will, however. make a f0w re-
| marks on the extensive territory COW
cred by the Southern Bell Telephone
Co. and the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company, something peo-
pie who are in closer touch with tele-
phone service than you are not in
| formed on.
These companies have lines be-
| ginning at Norfolk and Richmond
| running to Washington where they
connect with vast system covering
almost the entire East and West. If
| a long distance station was located
| in your city any citizen could get in
quick telephone communication with
| parties in Baltimore, Philadelphia,
| New York, Boston, Hartford and
many smaller points in the Eastern
section of our country. The same
| can be said of the West Quick com
munications could be had with Pitts
| burg, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincin-
natl, St. Louis, Chicago, st. Paul,
| Milwaukee and many smaller points
| in that section.
| 1.-The same conditions exist to the
South of US. At Raleigh the company
| has system Of wires which reaches
every point of importance in this
State and in South Carolina, while
| communication could be had with Sa
vannah, Ga, jacksonville and Tampa,
| Florida, and intermediate points;
| also Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgom
| cry, Mobile, New Orleans, Memphis.
Nashville, Chattanooga and many
smaller places in that section. | do
| not suppose for an instant, Mr..
Mayor, that you or any member of
the Board would deny but what such
a service would be of vast benefit to
this community.
Now there is link between Raj
eigh and Norfolk and Richmond which
is undeveloped and l am authorized
by the Gen'l Manager Of the Southern
Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co. to
say that should the company receive
proper encouragement this link will
be built.
when l say proper encourage
ment | no not mean that the company
wants bonus or any money consid-
Grafton. The only thing we ask is
permission to erect poles, run wires
and establish an Office in your city.
The only additional thing we would
ask is the good will of the public,
which we would merit by courteous
treatment and service which is UNI
excelled.
Gas to establishing local business
at this point that would be entirely
problematical. Should the public de-
mand it the company certainl Y would
furnish this service, and what the
public demands would certainly be
for the public good. If the Bell Tel
ephone Co. should do local business
here and the local company should
cut prices the public would be the
beneficiary If the Bell Company
should furnish a better service than
the local company the public would
be the BENEFICIARY. If our coming
would be an incentive for the local
company to furnish better service
the public would be the BENEFICIARY.
ia Ike it for granted, gentlemen. you
are here to legislate for the public
good.
..Why not Henderson have compe-
tition in telephone service? Nearly
every city in this State has such com
petition.
From whom comes any opposition
to such competition? 1t is usually
the stockholders in a local company
the very people who cry the loud,
: est for competition when they want
to enter field already covered BY
.. the Bell Telephone Company.
! You, Mr.. Mayor, and gentlemen
of the Board, ! take it, are not here
, to look after private investments Q
individuals, but to pass laws for the
: good of the whole people.
The progress Of cities is not gen
orally retarded by issuing franchises
5 but by refusing them.
There is one other point | woul(
mention and | will take my seat: w
have offered you an ordinance which
: we think we are entitled TO haV'
t passed. We. however, do not com
10 you in any dictatorial spirit, an'
saw this or nothing.'
: I'VE have offered you an ordinanc
II which gives the company no eXclu
g sive franchise. we are willing to NEE
| any competition,
: I'VE have offered you ar ordinance
which makes the construction OF gu