The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-19

poratiOn without the consent of the
city council duly granted"
In conclusion the committee recon-
mends that if the amended application
is made to conform to the suggestions
embodied in it's report that the same
be favorably considered by the coun-
| Gil.
Wants Competitive Bids.
Another Richmond appeared in the
form of the Rocky Mountain Bell Tel
ephone company, which submitted a
communication to the council for it's
consideration.
This company, also, is prepared to
pay for the right of operating its
system, but unlike the other does not
care to state at this time what it is
willing to give. 1t prefers to do busi-
ness on a competitive basis.
In their letter the Bell folks ask
that the council APPOINT day on which
it will be prepared to receive bids
for a franchise, and suggests March
16 as a good date. Recital is made
of the history of the franchise under
which the company is at present oper-
ating, and which expires October 3,
1909, the same date as that of the
Montana & Wyoming company ex-
pires.
The company admits that new
franchise will be valuable and makes
this admission as the basis for it's
request that competition be invited,
saying the city should derive some
benefit from it, for without something
in the way Of compensation it would
be deprived of revenue to which it
is entitled and the company receiv-
ing the franchise would have monop-
oily, as the sentiment of the people OF
the city at this time appears adverse
to the granting of more than one
charter 1t is further stated that it
the company should be denied char
ter it would suffer considerably in the
depreciation of it's property, and as a
matter of right asks the council to
give it chance to say what it con-
siders a charter worth and the amount
it is willing to pay for one.
Both Are Referred.
A motion prevailed that the coun-
Gil fix March 16 as the date on which
to receive bids for franchise. Sub
sequent1y another was passed refer
ring the communication of the Bell
company and the amended anplica-
tion of the Montana & Wyoming COM
pany to the ordinance committee.
Declines the Money.
The committee of the Florence Crit
tenden Circle addressed the council
in note in which declination was
made of the money recently voted
that organization by the council. The
ladies state that their request was for
a fund to be set aside by the council,
in such an amount as might be deem
ed advisable, for the purpose OF as
sisting the circle to carry on it's work.
This was not done, but instead the
council voted to allow them 10 per
cent of the monthly fines collected.
from prostitutes.
In their communication the ladies
say that as "Christian women work
ing for the uplifting of the fallen they
feel it not to be right to accept money
from the source they are trying to
help"
On motion of Alderman Bennighoff
the resolution by which the appropria
tion was made was rescinded.
Miscellaneous.
A petition was received from the
trustees of the Baptist church ask
ing permission to turn the water from
the baptistry of the church onto the
lot occupied by their building. They
said that the society was not at pres.
ent financially able to assume the
cost of making sewer connections and
as the water was clean they thought
no harm would follow were it's dis
posal permitted as asked. The mat
ter was referred to the sewer COM
mittee.
An adverse report was made by
the fire, water and light committee
on the petition of T. N. Howell to
be permitted to use galvanized iron
for flues, instead Of the brick required
by the ordinance. The committee rec
PEELED to comply with the provisions
of the ordinance. The report was