Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-07
PEOPLE TO VOTE ON PHONE
Present Status Of Proposition for Another
Franchise in Omaha.
COUNCIL AND OLD COMPANY DISAGREE
Nebraska Cooperation Rejects oity's
Plan and General Conmittee
votes 20 submit Matter
to the People.

Chairman Sheldon of the telephones COM
mlttee submitted a written report to the
general council committee yesterday after
noon, stating that the Nebraska Telephone
company had refused to agree to certain
concessions demanded and that the COM
mittee recommended submitting 20 the
voters the question Of granting second
franchise to an independent company. The
report was Immediately adopted by the
general committee.
Mr.. Sheldon announced that another re-
port would be made next Monday dlscrim-
mating among the three applicants for the
franchise and recommending the accept
ance Of one of the propositions, together
with data that the committee has accumu-
lated. Zimman said the matter should be
decided by the general committee in the
presence OF representatives OF the appli-
cants and the other councilmen assented.
zimman also urged taking steps toward
immediate final action at next Tuesday
nights council meeting
Councilman Brucker said he thought ell
three propositions should be submitted to
the voters and let the latter decide which
one they preferred. zimman declared this
course would defeat any single one Of the
| franchises.
Report in Full.
| Following is the report of the telephone
| committee in full, which was adopted:
Your committee to whom was referred the
! resolution TO wait upon the Nebraska
! Telephone company and demand of them a
reduction in rates, interchange OF business
! with indendent telephone companies, and
free tolls TO South Omaha TO Omaha sub.
| scribers, have waited upon the Nebraska
final answer
The Nebraska Telephone company has
declined to grant Ia tbaf
herewith attached COMMUNICATION.
We would respectfully report to the com
/ mittee of the. whole. that your committee
deem that in order to carry out the pledges
of our platform and the desires of the
/ people Of Omaha. we are reporting to yor
In favor OF granting to an independent
telephone company franchise which shall
enable the people of Omaha to have con
users throughout the state. we are ais
in favor Of placing the telephone bushes,
In such position where there shall be com
regulate the telephone charges, and tina
in doing so we will confer a nenefit upor
the people OF. Omaha and of the state o.
Milwaukee capitalists who are interested
in the Albert Won Hoffman application To-
a franchise for an automatic registering
telephone system are to be given a hearing
by the council this afternoon about
o'clock.
Frank Murphy Request.
The committee, at the request of Mem
bers DeFrance, Perine and Rush of tn
Library board. agreed TO set aside as
. special fund the Frank Murphy bequest o
50, 6S5, which must be used for library pur
poses according to the terms of the will
The money is to be retained in a specs
fund, subject to drafts by the LIbrar
board on the approval Of the mayor an
council. This course is taken to proven
the, money from going into the librar
y fund. where the balance might run tn
} risk OF reverting 10 the sinking fund a
. the end OF the year and at the same tim
mskesthe legacy asdfabie for use. TIL
J will said It should be spent at the order
, or the mayor and council - - .-
1t was stated yesterday that the cit
narrowly escaped the legacy. as Mr. Mul
ply had another will drawn ready 20 sig
on his return from his last trip to Ne
York. AS he died in that city suddenl,
= the new will never was completed
The Library board has not yet form,
lated plans for spending the money.
is desired to build a. new wing on n
library and the amount may be retaine
e toward this end The board is now cor
sidering the matter OF replacing gas illun
a nation by electricity, both to secure bett,
= lighting and TO eradicate the presence ,
gas, which is said to be injurious to II
d books, according to Member DeFranc
II In this connection a proposition TO put
a complete lighting plant at an expense
n from 5000 to 5000 has been discusse
d and part of the Murphy bequest may
used toward this end
d