Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-13
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Another Iudepsudsnt Telephone Ordinance
IL Sent to Its Rest.
JUDGE BAKER ARGUES FOR SUBMISSION
Matter Presented to Council, but Vote
~ TO In Favor of killing
the Bin Before IL IL
started.

For the third time within a few months
an ordinance asking the privilege OF sub
mitting the question of second telephone
franchise to popular vote was denied by
the city council last night This time the
ordinance came In a somewhat different
FORM the names of local men being omitted
and those of Joseph II. Helm and o. c.
Snider of Kansas City being substituted as
associates with r. (. Parmele and T. IL.
| Pollock of Plattsmouth. The alienation
made no difference.
There were two votes In favor of referring
the ordinance to committee and seven
against itBack Comstock. Dyball Evans.
Hunt, oBrien and Schroeder opposing the
measure and Zimman and Hoye favoring II.
All this. too, In the face of an oration by
benjamin S. Baker in which he presented
the proposition and expounded the duties
of the councilmen. He was applauded by
a group of auditors. but in less than ten
| seconds after he had finished the ordinance
was reposng on the marble slab
Councilman Evans. in a profane moment.
expressed the sentiment OF himself and his
colleagues when he said: You can't coerce
any of us by talking about election day,
or what you will do then. You can take
your ordinance and carry it through cleo
| tion day and be damned with IL"
Judge Bakers Promise.
On the other hand Judge Bakers most
| synthetic remark was: This ordinance is
not presented for pastime, If you lay 1t
| on the table 1t will be resurrected as many
! times between now and election day as It
| is possible. and on election day again. 1t
comes here backed by wealth honor and
everything to carry out just what it says
( it will do and we are going to present
! IL TO the people of Omaha for their de-
| cision."
! To which the councilman from the Sixth
ward spoke his mind about coercion Coun-
! Gilman O'Brien too crossed swords with
/ the jurist several times and the verbal
blades flashed merrily. II was no easy mat
| ter for the Judge to speak. As soon as the
ordinance, introduced by Councilman Hoye.
was read Councilman Huntington moved TO
/ lay IL on the table. Hoye requested per-
! mission for Judge Baker TO talk on the
! subject and Evans and others objected, but
! President Zimnlan by main force sue
ceeded in giving the Judge a chance
Conditions of the Ordinance.
| The ordinance itself is similar 10 the
ones that have gone before it and have
! suffered the same fate. 1t calls for a
! flfty-year grant, promises the most i'm;
proved apparatus, l per cent royalty 10
1 the city on the 6rst five years earnings
| and per cent for the remainder; provides
| for an underground district and facilities
/. in ducts and pole lines for the m, and
! police alarm wires;r gives twelve tele-
phones free 10 the city: offers 10 charge
,w,sH Fx1l,-
installed and then up TO 5000 not TO ex-
ceed s5i yearly for business phones and
$50 for residence; tSo-party lines, $3S and
s24. and four-party line residence, SIS;
over 5000 81 a year is 10 be charged for
each additional 1000 phones with max
imum of s72 and $4S. a cash bond OF
$4,000 is to be put up to guarantee the
completion of 1OOOO capacity plant within
two years. II is agreed that system he
established in South Omaha and intercity
service provided without additional charges
The franchise may be sold to other cor
porations than those now doing business
In the city or competing and may be used
to float bond issues and other obligations
The seekers agree to pay the cost of a
special election at which the question is tc
be submitted and will deposit 5000 to cover
these costs
Judge Bakers. Argument.
Judge Baker in prosecuting his argument
said:
| want to say there are not many mer
in the United States that stand higher as
financiers, nor many that have a higher
rating nor many that stand so high a:
men than Mr.. Joseph II. Helm OF Kansas
City. Next to him and equal in all bu
finance is Mr.. o. c. Snider of the same
place. These men, with Mr. Parmele ant
AH MI .B. etc tOh 0G NM
citizens of the state, come TO Omaha ask
ing this council nothing. They are moi
asking you to give them a right or
that you recognize the rights of the peo
pie OF this city to say whether or moi
they want to grant i,nn 1rnnShSe SsS 70 6rG GGp
pose TO invest In this city not less thar
l,5OO,CO0 and probably 100000
! Usually propositions involving such q
local Investment are hailed with deligh
BY public bodies and the newspapers. Th'
charter contemplates that you shall giv'
nor this investment shall be made. Mr.
Helm told me a few hours ago that If !
were within. his financial powers he woult
have this telephone system complete within
nine months after the franchise wa
granted. He proposes TO put as man!
the streets will hold.
Judge Boxer explained the terms OF tn
ordinance, mentioning the fact that ;
clause provides the books and account
shall be open at all times to inspection 70
taxing purposes. He continued:
II YOU are afraid this ordinance will h
, favored by a majority OF the people vol
have no right to stand in its way. II yo'
are opposed 10 two telephone systems In tn
city ii is your duty and your privilege 4
vote against Il, but you have no right {
! saw I shall not have an opportunity to yot
for il. The people of this city alone hav
that right and the right TO decide II is
matter for the people and not for the coun
/ | ell When you say TO the people, w
know more than you do there Is day o
reckoning coming.
O'Brien on the Matter.
. | Councilman O'Brien, breaking in. afte
the passage with Evans, said: II hay
asked YOU to tell me who is going TO pa
for this big investment and you hav
eyaded my question. IL is the people Of th
city who will pay for II In the end. Thes
people you represent have no money to pu
, | in here without expectations Of prom
omaha will pay the freight. We have on
telephone system here now and do no
propose to double the tax of the people b
adding another one"
4 7 k.,,. not raouAatad NnI a.. he fnr n