Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-09-22
FRANCHISE OR NO FRANCHISE.

FnANSTIlSc Sn wv
The Bell Telephone company has re-
nuested the town council Of Yorkville
to grant franchise for the construc-
ton of a telephone system in the town.
That is not the plain wording OF the
application; but It, Is the plain mean
ing of it, and the council has the mat
ter under serious consideration.
The desire Of the Bell people is set
forth in the wording Of proposed or
dinance that they have submitted to
the council for adoption. The ordinance
is very cleverly worded. It begins by
giving the Bell people the right to es-
tablish one of more phones in the town
of Yorkville. Then 1t goes on to pre-
scribe how the telephone poles are to
be erected along the streets, the kind
Of poles and the penalties for which
the company will be liable in case OF
harm to individuals or damage to prop
erty. 1t sets forth that the company
shall be under obligations to put CROSS
arms on the poles to be used in string
ing wires for the free use Of the po-
lice and fire department, etc.
The representative Of the Bell peo-
pie has explained to Mayor Willis that
1t is the purpose Of the company to
only put in single long distance phone
at present; but later on, If the town
seems to require complete system, It
will be duly Installed. But all Of this
is an old story, and those who are ia.
miliar with the methods Of the Bell
people are not disposed to commit
themselves with too much precipita-!
ton.
That it is the we'll defined policy Of
the Bell Telephone people to monopo-
lie the telephone business as far as
possible throughout the whole country
has been apparent for several years,
and their success in carrying out this
policy is evidenced in the situation In
all the towns where they have been
long enough to fully develop their
plans.
The usual method In case like
Yorkville, where there Is already tel
| GDNOHe SySlSIIl Ill OpCidtioA, 10 ~ @
| tack the problem gently at first For
instance, as in the case Of the proposed
charter they have submitted, they ask
| for permission to put In "one or more
phones" This permission secured,
they proceed to erect their poles, and
with everything in shape they select
different patrons Of the existing sys-
TEN and put in phones for them for six
months or year free OF charge: The
| Ie l11,oxr onrnn1afaH with
| a very generous and agreeable UNDER
standing to the effect that II the phone
proves unsatisfactory 1t may be taken
| out at any time. BY the end OF the
year all the patrons Of the existing sys-
| tenn are provided with phones OF the
Bell system, and because the service Is
so satisfactory and so gratuitious, these
patrons neglect to make contracts with
the old system for the next year. AS
the result the old system has to drop
out Of business, and about that time
the Bell people announce schedule
| Of charges that Is well calculated to
reimburse them for all former losses
and at the same time provide for
heavy dividends in the future.
This is not all. The story has 1t that
while the Bell people are careful to
give the most admirable service dur
ing the process Of running out compe-
tition, just so soon as competition Is ef-
fectually disposed of, they grow indif-
ferent. They know that their patrons
can no longer help themselves, and they
are not especially concerned about
complaints.
Under the circumstances, therefore,
the problem with which the town Is
confronted Is perplexing one. It
would hardly be wise to take the posi-
tion that the Bell system is without
certain advantages. It's wires form g
network over the whole country and
the building Of line to Yorkville will
put this town on speaking terms with
almost every other town in the Union.
There Is no doubt Of the ability OF this
company to give almost perfect service,
and there Is hardly less doubt that its
interests will COMPEL 1t to do so; but
still the people Of Yorkville, and the
country surrounding, may put 1t down
as dead certainty that when the Bell
people get a monopoly, they will have
to pay three times and maybe five
times as much as they are now paying.
Notwithstanding these things, 1t
would hardly be wise to say that the
Bell people shall not come in under
any circumstances whatever. Rather
than grant the terms they have sub
mitted to the town council, 1t would
undoubtedly be better to tell them that
they are not needed. But perhaps, it Is
possible to draw up a contract that
will amply protect the people Of York
VILE and Of the country surrounding,
and it Is to be hoped that this will be
done.