Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-08
STILL STANDS PAT
Telephone Company Wants Con-
tract Tested in the
Courts.
SUGGESTS FRIENDLY SUIT
City Council Demands That II Be
Placed on Same Basis as Union
Electric Company.

Whether the city council and the
Central Union Telephone company will
get together on a new contract or
whether the status of the old one will
have TO be decided in the courts is yet
a matter of conjecture A special
meeting of the city council was held
last evening, but about the only result
was each side making clearer to the
other what terms would be made. The
company seems DESTROYS of going to
court: the city prefers to settle by
new contract, but probably would go
TO court if its terms are not met.
Suggests Friendly suit.
Upon this occasion w. b. Mann, the
attorney for the corporation, was ac-
companied by President Brown and
William McEniry, who has charge of
the legal affairs of the company To-
cally. After a conference they decid-
ed that the best way OUT or the contro-
versy was through the state courts,
and in view of this fact, Mr.. Mann
addressed a communication TO the
council upon tho subject. He suggest
ed that inaSmuch as the differences
between the city and the company are
on a matter of law, the court was the
proper place for Il decision. Ii was
further suggested that the mayor AMI
city attorney confer with the attor
neyS of the company and agree upon
a plan of procedure. While this may
be done later. the council will first eX-
haust all efforts To reach satisfactory |
arrangement outside of court. and the |
communication was referred to the or |
dinance committee.
Take Up Ordinance.
The ordinance committee reported TO |
the council an ordinance similar to the |
one under which the Union Electric |
company is operating. 1t was after
seeing this ordinance that Mr. Mann |
submitted his communication.
I'VE simply cannot agree to the
terms of this ordinance said Mr..
Mann. The ordinance submitted by
me the other evening covers the I'M
foreground question. involving an eX
penditure of many thousands of dol
lars, but we can not agree TO the tax
nor the prices fixed for telephones"
1t was suggested by the aldermen
that the ordinance be taken up sec
lion by section. and this was agreed TO
by the representatives of the COM
Dany 1t was time TO adjourn before
half of the ordinance had been consid-
cred and another meeting will be held
this evening for the purpose of con.
GLIDING the work
Vital Points Not Reached.
The vital points in the proposed en-
namely. the tax and the price
Of telephones. had not been reached
when the council adjourned There
we're some differences on minor points
n the sections considered but these
were passed temporarily and if an
agreement can be reached on the mat
ers in which there is such a difference
Of opinion, they will go back to these
md settlement will undoubtedly be
made. If no agreement is reached on
he vital issues, the whole matter will
be thrown into the courts
or settlement
Visitors Present.
Present at this meeting of the coun-
Ill were Mayor Lehman, Aids. Fahey, :
)illehunt. and Peake, and F. Litterer, I
of waterworks of Deca-
ur. All of these were heard before
adjournment