The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-21
TO RAISE THE WIRES.
House Movers Fight Telephone Com
panies-Pankey Franchise Passes.


In a stormy session of the judiciary
committee of the council held yester-
day afternoon W. G. Tandy and Frank
Snyder composing a firm of house
movers, threatened to fight for an
tending the time of the Independent
Telephone company's franchise comes
up at the May meeting of the council
The amendment they wish viii re-
quire all the wires of the telephone
company to be IS feet above ground
where the lines are carried on poles.
B. F. Pankey, president of the In
dependent Telephone company, OBJ
jectS to any further amendment be-
yond an extension of time on the
grounds that it will interfere with the
sale of his bonds. The reorganization
of the company contemplates a heavy
issue of bonds.
The interests Of both parties were
represented by their attorneys in addi-
ton to their own attendance on the
committee meeting At times the
cross fire Of conversation between the
attorneys and the men of the two op-
posing interests became so noisy that
the mem bers of the committee could
not deliberate.
I'VE will be at the council meeting
and we are going to be heard said
Frank Snyder holly.
"Of course you will. That's the
time to be heard" retorted Pankey.
Yes, sir, you can just bet we will,
said Snyder. This little exchange took
place after the committee decided it
could not act upon the amendment
proposed by Snyder and Tandy in
conjunction with the amendment of
the franchise frightening its term of
years. The latter had been presented
in the council and referred to the com
n1ttee in the regular way. the former
had been presented to the committee
directly by the men interested without
! having gone through the formalities
of presentation in council meeting.
Claiming that because of this latter
fact the request of Tandy and Snyder
was not formally and properly before
the committee for action Councilman
Sinns refused to consider it with the
amendment -ferreG to the committee.
I am not going to act on this said
Simms. This is the first time 1 heard
of it or saw it; it hasn't been referred
to this committee by the council and
am against any precedent which is go
ing to bring things into the committee
which have not been referred to 1t. If
we do this We would be showed under
with work, everybody would be running
in here"
DO you mean to say that the com
mittee can say nothing further than
/ yes or no. inquired VIM. Green.
Yes. sir that's Just what I mean -
replied Simms.
That's something new The commit
/ tee is to investigate and after investi-
/ eating, report to the council it's findings.
/ You will find this to be the work of the
committee. What use is there OF the
| committee If 1t can simply return yes
or no on a proposition" said Green.
well I am not going to act on this.
I don't think that this paper which
was brought in here without being be-
/ fore the council has any standing" re-
I cd
i Green held out. Il think that this re-
! quest which these men have made is
perfectly just. The wires should be
/ mt m 25 feet Anyone of us may have
to have house moved said he we
/ have always furnished man at ouI
/ own expense to raise the wires when
YOU wanted them raised, haven't we
Mr.. Tandy?" asked B. F. Pankey.
Yes, you have. Mr.. Pankey. But
we have no assurance that you will
/ continue to do so in the future and you
| have threatened several times to make
us pay for it," said Tandy
well. think they should make ths
i telephone company put their wires III
but I am in favor OF recommending this
franchise amended as it was referred t
us and let this other matter came VI
in a regular way in the council saic
The majority of the committee recon-
roended that the additional extension
of the franchise from 20 to 80 years b'
granted Councilman Green dissenting
4 The Afissouri-Kansas Telephone com
psnv is also preparing to ask for al
extension Of their franchise The pres
emit franchise expires in April Of 1s0
and they desire a further extension o
on years The same fight will be mad'
on them for a removal Of their wirei
to a height of Is feet above TIL
ground.
Heavy Losses in Foreign Insurance