The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-12-14
H. c. SISTRUNK.
Clerk City Council.
The Mayors Veto of the Bell TeIe-
phone Ordinance.
adjourned

phone ordnance.
To the City Council of the City of |
Ocala.
Gentlemen:-I herewith return to
your honorable body, without my ap-
proval, an ordinance authorizing the |
Southern Bell Telephone and Tele-
graph company to use the public
streets and alleys of the city of Ocala |
for the purpose of placing poles and
electrical conductors thereon, passed |
November 20, 1906.
This ordinance did not come TO my
hands until the first inst, and / have
not mad the time to examine it in all
of it's particulars as l otherwise would
have done had l gotten it earlier.
! However, it seems to me to be OBJ
! jectionable:
! First. Because there is no proviS-
ion made whereby the city is to re-
ceive any compensation for the grant
been when cities were very liberal in
giving away their property in these
franchises, but latterly the people
have awakened to the fact that as a
general proposition they are worth
something, and should be a source
of revenue to the cities. A franchise
that is not worth paying for, at least
a reasonable sum, is scarcely worth
having from business point Of view.
Second. The fifth section of the or
diranCe provides that the city of
iOcala shall be connected by telephone
with the long distance lines OF the
Southern Bell and Telephone COM
Ipany reaching other points in Flor
ida. This clause is very indefinite
and might be compiled with by con-
at any point in Florida In addition.
whilst this clause might be sufficient
lstill it would be safer if it were pro-
vided that connection should be had
or transfers made, to lines extending
to points outside of Florida We have
now a long distance telephone in op-
Grafton in this city which reaches a
great many places in the state of
Florida, and possibly with some en-
enlargement will reach all that are
material.
Third. l am forced to the conclu-
sion-especially by reason of the fact
that there is so little business that
would come to a telephone company
transmitted beyond the state-that
the purpose of this company is TO es-
tablish a local telephone exchange in
q, the city of Ocala. 1t could, with great
! deal of force be contented,
that section six would obli-
< gate the city to grant them that
t privilege in the future. 1t says that
= are not to have the right to
t operate a local exchange except by
e and with the further consent of the
l city council of Ocala, Florida, to be
. hereafter obtained If this ordinance
is simply 10 give them the right 10
;. operate a long distance exchange, ii
: is unnecessary for them TO refer to
0 them hereafter obtaining any further
4 rights. We now have in this city a
= measurably good local telephone line,
;. whose rates appear 10 be satisfactory
4 to its patrons, and until it should be-
! come oppressive or derelict in the
4 discharge Of its duty l am opposed to
/. giving any other company a foothold
+ here that will probably eventuate in
!, driving out the local company, and
, establishing a foreign company that
will become oppressive and objec
n tionable to the people.
( Fourth. 1t would be better if some
e provision were made in the ordinance
; by which the rates Of charges should
+; be under the control of the city gov
:, eminent. The granting of franchises
r to public corporations, and leaving
lit entirely to them what they shall
d charge the people for their service
/ has been a very common thing. but
3 we have reached a point in our his
e toy when we discover that the PEG
1t PIE had better protect themselves be
n fore they grant such privileges.
Respectfully.
r RICHARD McCONATHY,
Mayor.
y C.;la, Fla, Dec. 4, 1890.