Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-12-04

the streets by said company. then ant
in such case this contract shall come t,
an end.
1t is understood that locations a.
above referred to are to be locations
duly granted under and i'm conformit,
with the statutes of the State as nov
or hereafter in force, without terms. re.
strictions or conditions other than those
expressly authorized by said statutes
except provisions requiring the fur.
nishing of the company 20 the CITY OF
one gain for the accommodation of tel
ephone and signal wires belonging to
the city and used exclusively for NUM-
c1pal purposes, at the top OF each of
its poles now or hereafter erected i'm
said city, and one duct for the accom-
mediation Of wires as above DESIGNATED
in its conduit constructed in said city.
1t is also understood that the service
herein agreed to be furnished is limit
ed to telephone stations within two
miles of the cOmpany's central office in
said city, and along the route of it's
existing pole lines and condiuts, and
ana for stations within the city other
than as above limited the city shall
at the company's regular rates. Sta
lions outside the city limits shall not be
considered as included under the provi-
sionS of this contract and it is under
stood that telephone service for the city
other than that furnished under the
terms of this contract is to be paid for
at The Companys regular rates to its
subscribers and customers.
The acceptance Of the contract was
strongly opposed by Councilman
Maher of Ward 3. Mr.. Maher spoke
at some length on the matter, giving
the reasons for his objection to it's &C
ceptance. and that his argument was
endorsed by a majority of the members
present i'm the lower board, was evil
denced by the fact that when the mat
ter was brought to vote it was the de-
cision of the board that it non concur
with the action of the aldermen in re-
ferring the matter to the finance COM
mittee 1t was also voted to indefinitely
postpone further action on the matter.
When the matter went back to the
upper branch, that body voted to in
sist on its former action, and call for
Il committee of conference, the APP
pointments by the mayor being Alder
men keenc, Ayers and Boothby. The
members of the committee, on the part
Of the councilmen were MessrS.
Church, Merrill and Maher. The COM
mittee at once went into session. and
finally reached an agreement that the
matter should be referred to the COM
mittee on finance, with instructions to
report at the next regular meeting of
the city council.
While the telephone matter was be-
ing dSsected by the lower board, the
Edwards matter was also being pick
ed to pieces by the aldermen, and
Jared even worse than did the former,
for while the telephone contract is in
line for appearance and possible ac-
ceptance at the next. meeting of the
council, the fate Of the latter is at
present attended ~byrta great deal of
uncertainty, and whether or not it will
ever be accepted is a problem which
none feel qualified at present to at
tempt a solution.
The matter was brought to the at
tCntion of the board by an order which
was introduced by Aldermen Keene of
Ward 6, which provided that in pur-
suance of the vote of the legally quail
flied voters of Augusta, at a meeting
duly called, and held on Nov. q. 1905,
the mayor be duly directed on be-
half of the city. to execute and de-
liver a contract with and to the Ed
wards Manufacturing Co, the text of
the same being as heretofore publish
H.
used at the meeting of Nov. 27.
The presentation of the order was
followed by a motion of Alderman
Skehan of Ward Z. that the matter be
indefinitely postponed. which motion
was seconded by Alderman Church
of Ward s. The vote to give the or
der passage was doubted. and upon
the vote being called, the passage was
defeated by vote of to ,. Aldermen
Skehan, Church and Cyr voting
against the passage of the order. and
Aldermen Harrington and keene in
favor of it. Aldermen BoOthby and
Ayers did not vote, and upon being in
formed by the mayor that they would
be required to vote, unless excused.
Alderman Boothby explained his posi-
ton by stating that he was not sure
about the legality of the meeting which
had been held by the citizens.
The question Of legality arose from
the fact that the presiding officer had
not been chosen by ballot, and also
because no record of the meeting had
been returned by the secretary there
Of This was followed by some dis
cussion. and when a final vote on the
matter was taken, the result was to
l, against a passage. the only one
voting in favor being Alderman Keene.
Another feature in the case, and one
which served to increase the cOmpi-
cations which had already invested it,
was the announcement by Joseph Will
hanson, who was present at the meet
ing. that he appeared for certain par
ties who would contest any contract
that should be made with the Edwards
Co, based on the result of the meet
ing of Nov 81, and that he should act
when the proper time came.
And thus the matter stands. From
the action of the aldermen, Saturday
evening, it would seem that the hope
of an amicable settlement of the mat