Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-09
TELEPHONE PLAN NOT DEAD
Western Iowa Company Will Submit Ques-
tion at Special Election.
PETITION is NOW BEING PREPARED
Proposition 20 Go Before the Voters
Identical with the One Recently
Turned Down by CITY
Council.
PETITION IS NOW BEING PREPARED

The Western Iowa Independent Tele-
phone, Telegraph and Terminal company
will submit to the voters of Council Bluffs
at a special election an ordinance granting
1t franchise for an independent telephone
system in the city. This was decided upon
by the company, In view of the action of
the board of directors of the Commercial
club in adopting a resolution calling on the
city council to pass an ordinance granting
such franchise to some company.
When the city council at Its meeting last
Monday night turned down the ordinance
In favor of the Western Iowa company
which had been recommended by the COM
mittee of the whole, officers of the COM
pany stated It would not take the ordi-
nance before the people at a special cleo
tion, but conditions have changed since
! then. 1t is now stated that the Western
Iowa company, organized by DR.. Macrae,
T d. Metcalf and their associates, and
the Council Bluffs Independent Telephone
compsny, of which Attorney Emmet Tin.ey
and H. II. Van Brunt were the leading
promoters, have pooled issues and in the
event OF a franchise being secured will
consolidate.
1t Is now known that the amendments
lacked onto the ordinance which was finally
turned down by the city council last Mon
O0y night were Drawn up IN the ONCE or
Attorney Tinley at the suggestion of a GER
tain alderman and officers of the Western
Iowa company. The resolution adopted by
the Commercial club directors Wednesday
night was prepared and introduced by At
torney Tinley.
Just Like One Turned Down.
The ordinance which the citizens OF Coun-
Gil Bluffs will be asked to vote upon, 1t is
a ,,.IM ~
mended by the committee of the whole OF
the city council. with possibly a few
changes. In order to get such a proposi-
tion before the voters at a special election
the promoters are required to secure a
petition signed by twenty-five bona fide
property owners in each ward requesting
the mayor to call such special election.
on the presentation of such a petition
and a showing made that the names at
tached thereto are those of bona hde own
ers of property in the several wards as
represented, the mayor has no alternative
but TO issue the call for an election, pro-
| vided the individual or corporation asking
1t deposit with the city clerk a sum suffi-
Client to cover the expenses.
This petition is now being circulated by
Alderman e. H. Lougee and Thomas D.
Metcalf vice president of the Western
! Iowa company. and It was said last even
: ing that they had practically secured the
requisite number of signers During the
afternoon Mayor Morgan was waited on by
J Messrs. Lougee and Metcalf and requested
! to issue call for a special meeting of the
city council for this evening to consider a
| resolution calling on the mayor to order
special election for the purpose OF giving
the citizens an opportunity to vote on the
question OF another telephone system in
| the city.
Matters in District Court.
Judge Wheeler of the district court yes
terday excused the trial jury until Mon
| day, May IS, when the Mackinson- Frazier
breach of promise suit will be taken up.
This suit promises to be interesting, as
counsel for plaintiff have declared their
intention Of offering In evidence a large
number OF letters written by the defendant
! to the plaintiff during their alleged court
ship and engagement.
These law cases were assigned yesterday
for the week beginning Monday, May 49,:
Hutchinson against Boren. Amy against
Amy. State against Murphy. State against
Hall State against Brown State against
Fabey State against Achatz, State against
Scaggs, State against Kahler. State against
| Ingram.
This morning Judge Wheeler will make
an assignment Of equity causes for next
week.
A motion by the defense for a new trial
In the demurrage suit of Z. A. wickham
against the Rock Island Railroad COM
pany was filed yesterday.
In the suits brought by Saunders &
Stuart and Stone s. Tinley against F. NJ.
Cunningham, the tax ferret, and Pottawat-
tamie county, to attach moneys alleged to
be due Cunningham by the county, petit
tions OF intervention were filed yesterday
by c, w. Wellman. Wellman claims that
Cunningham assigned to him all his rights
and interest in the tax ferret contract with
the county and that the claims OF the plain
tin attorneys for legal services cannot be
adjudged as liens against the money due
him by the county.
In compliance with the request. Mayor
Morgan last evening issued a call for a
special meeting of the city council for this
J evening at 1880 o'clock.