The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-05-13
HUME AND LATTA
REPLYT DIR. PORTER.
Claim That He Made the lnitiatory Move To
Sell Citizens Telephone Company.
FRED LATTA MAKES BOLD STATEMENT
Says DR.. Porter Voluntarily Broached the
Question of Making a Trade With
Cumberland Company.

The Herald is in receipt of the fol
lowing communication from Mr.
Leland Hume, of Nashville. Assistant
General Manager of the Cumberland
Telephone & Telegraph Company:
Mr.. Hume's Card.
Nashville, Tenn, May 8, 1904.
ITO the Editor of the Columbia Daily
Herald,
Columbia, Tennessee.
Dear Sir
In your issue of the eth inst. yor
gave considerable prominence to 4
communication signed by DIR. o. j.
Porter. Manager of the Maury County
Citizens Telephone Company. The
history of the telephone controversy in
Maury County might be summarized
in the statement that the organization
of the Local Company utterly failed
in its announced object 1t has neither
been able to operate an exchange al
rates of $1.00 per month, nor has il
been able to reduce the Cumberland
Telephone and Telegraph Company to
a public long distance toll station.
Some seven years ago, those directly
interested in the management of the
Columbia Citizens Company ap-
preached the Hon. w. J. Webster, legal
representative of this Company, and
conferred with him with reference to
a consolidation or sale.
''Mr. Webster communicated with
the Company, at the instance of some
of the Directors of the Citizens Com
M RI
Conference in Columbia.
las soon as convenient, l visited
Columbia and spent a portion of day
in conference with Mr.. Webster, who
first learned what we would be willing
to do, and then had conference with
the Directors of the Citizens Company,
and after several conferences with
the Directors of the Citizens Company
and with the undersigned, represent
ing the Cumberland Company, a propo-
sition was formulated, which was sat
isfactory to the directors of the Citi-
zens Company, and the proper officer
of that Company called tor stock
holders meeting. A minority portion
of the directors opposed the proposed
plan, and at the meeting OF stock
succeeded in preventing trade which
would have been OF great benefit to the
citizens of Maury County, and which
was endorsed as being satisfactory
by majority of the Board of Direc
tors, embracing some OF the most sub
business men of Columbia. 1t
will, therefore. be seen that the Cum
berland Telephone & Telegraph Com
pany IN this case did not try to buy
the Citizens Company, but simply
to an invitation extended
to it through the Hon. W. J. Web
ster, man of high standing at the
Columbia bar.
I'm addition to this occasion, when
we were invited to consider the pur
chase of the property, Mr.. E. Fl.
Hatcher visited Nashville and made
earnest effort to interest President
Caldwell in trade for the property.
Banker X. G.. Church and Others,
officially or unotficially, we know not
which, approached us on the same
subject.
Says Porter Asked for Deal.
''Some few weeks ago, Mr.. Fred
4atta called me by telephone and stated
hat he had just parted with DR..
Porter, who told him that he would
ike to make trade that would result |
n the Cumberland Company taking
'harge of the telephone business in |
,faury County. l discouraged the !
dea, but at the repeated request of
Ir. Latta | saw DR.. Porter, after |
icing assured by Mr.. Latta that DR.. |
Porter was anxious to he accorded an |
interview, and in the beginning of the |
Mr.. Fred Latta being |
resent, DR.. oorter requested that for
easons good to him, the interview be
.ept secret. DR.. Porter at that time
Indicated his desire to do something, !
nut stated that ne hardly knew how to
o about it. | told him that | had
O suggestions to offer. and with the
that ne would confer
Nth some of the others interested in
he Company, the interview closed,
18th the statement on the part of DR..
orter that he would communicate with
lie in Il short time. After week or
wo, | received message from Dr..
orter, through Mr.. Litta, that he
,ould be in Nashville on certain day
" the purpose of continuing the
egotiations. DR.. Porter did not keep
is appointment, but | received mes
.ge from him, through Mr.. Latta, to
ne effect that he was unavoidably
etained.
These statements, which can be
disseminated in part by Mr.. Webster
nd in part by Mr.. Latta, should be
Efficient to vindicate the undersigned
,fore all those who are in the least
lterested in this telephone contro-
ersy. ''Yours truly,
LELAND HUME. !"
Mr.. Latta' Card. 8