Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-29
PHONE LEGISLATION
Bell Companies Opposing Bill
to Require Plats of Tele-
phone Lines
BRINGS ON SHARP CONFLICT
Managers of the Mutual and Independ-
emit Lines In Iowa Approve the
Measure on the Ground That It Is
as Necessary to Them as to the Off
cials-No Expense Involved.
,eciaI to Times-Republlcan

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, March Legislation
affecting the telephone business has
been notable for its absence this ses-
sion of the general assembly, even as 1t
was two wears ago Just now there
appears to be some occasion for ac-
tivity on the part OF lobby. Some
pending legislation appears to affect
the different companies differently, and
war is being made on at least one bill
for which there is "A strong demand.
The county auditors Of Iowa prepared
a bill at their association meeting last
winter and it was urged before the leg
islature, the purpose of which was to
require the telephone and telegraph
companies to file with the county audi.
tors plats showing their lines in the
several taxing districts and the mile
age in each district. The county audi
tors find that while there is abundant
law for assessing telegraph and tele-
phone companies there is really no
on the books. Witt. plats showing
mileage in the taxing districts the rest
would be easy. This bill was deemed
by the legislators as involving too
much expense, because 1t meant a sur
vey of every wire iii the state, save
those along railroad Lines. So another
bill has been prepared which requires
merely the marking on plats to be fur
nished of the telephone lines, showing
the exact location OF the wires-some-
thing which can be done without ex-
pense to the companies. The managers
of mutual and independent telephone
lines In the state approve the bill and
say 1t is all right, that 1t involves no
expense and is something just as nee
essary for the companies as for the Of
f1cials. But the Bell companies have
sent their lobby here to fight the meas
ure The first attack has been on the
ground that the time is too short for
the work to be doIle, as 1t must be
done before Aug. ] next. But the
whole bill is being opposed strongly,
and the claim is made that in the sem
ate at least the committee was put up
so as not to cause unnecessary annoy
ance to the lobby and that there is no
danger of the bill ever getting thru the
senate
The situation has brought on sharp
conflict between the Iowa Telephone
people and the independent lines. and
they are comparing notes. The indie
pendent people are pointing to the as
sessment and declaring that it comes
with poor grace from the Iowa COM
pany to fight such n bill in view OF its
low assessment. The Iowa, with its
copper wires and superior equipment,
is assessed on 6,3li miles total of
$2S7.292. The total telephone assess
ment is 1885 miles and the sum ST.
235,795. The independent people point
to discrepancy ard that the Iowa
company is given % per cent of the to-
tai assessment while it has A per cent
OF the mileage.
County auditors all over the state
are taking an active interest in the
pending bill which they declare Is the
only way they will be able to get the
facts before them necessary to prop
erly applying the taxes. One county
auditor says that unless something Is
done he will not make any attempt to
collect telephone taxes in his county.
The bill affecting the telephone bust
ness which has just been introduced,
and which is causing some annoyance
to the telephone people. for the neces-
sity to which they will be put to have
the hin killed is as follows:
..F,very person Ig,rtnerShin nr COR