The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-10-04
COPY OF PROPOSED
FRANCHISE SUBMITTED
Councilmen Take Exceptions to Ger
tain Claims Which Are Withdrawn
Will Reduce Price of Telephones
So That Two Instruments Can Be
Had at Less than Cost of One.


The Interstate Automatic Telephone
company has taken the first formal
step to gain an entrance into Hammond
and the Calumet region and for the
connection of this territory with all
parts of the company through an in
dependent tool system.
Messrs. A. j. HUFF president of the
company. E. IS. Wenes, jr vice presi-
dent and general manager and Lester
A. Hall, jr., construction superintend-
ent and J. L. Key. secretary of the COM
pany appeared before the board of pub
lie works this morning to formally ask
for an operating franchise in Hammond
copy of the franchise as the company
would have it passed, was presented
to councilmen at a recent meeting but
no action was taken until today when
the copy of the franchise was referred
to the city attorney for inspection.
Board Objects to Some CIauses.
AS a preliminary the board objected
to several clauses in the proposed fran
chise which the representatives
promptly withdrew. The board insist
ed that in case it would act favorably
on the matter that the company would
have to put up a sufficient bond of good
faith, that the line would be built and
operated by the Interstate Automatic
Telephone company and that all con-
struetion work in Hammond be com-
pIeted within a reasonable time.-about
a year Also that three minute con-
versation to Chicago shall cost no more
than 10 cents. and that all wires and
cables in the business district be lay
ed under ground as far north as the
river.
In presenting the matter to the board
of public works. Mr.. Huff the president
said:
I'VE are anxious to get into Ham
mond as soon as possible. The Indepen-
dent Toll company which will give us
connection with New York and the east
is as far completed as Chesterton COM
ing from the east. We intend to sup
ply the demand in the Calumet region
with local service and through Chi
cago we will be able to give long dis
tance connection to any part in the
country.
AS far as the Objectionable feature
of having two telephones is concerned
| that has been solved in other cities
and can be solved here. Our plan is to
| duplicate the number of telephones
now in use in Hammond, and until we
| have done that we do not intend tc
/ charge our patrons. Once we have
duplicated the number of instruments
we will begin to charge our rates for
automatic service, which is decidedly
lower than Hammond people are pay
ing now, and once competition is be-
gun rates in Hammond are bound tc
go down to such a point where two
| telephones can be maintained for less
than people now pay for one. Thai
has been the experience in Indianapolis
Louisville, st. Louis, Minneapolis, La
fayette and many more cities. anC
Hammond will be no exception to tbs
rule We will gladly furnish a bono
of good faith and are >nly anxiou.
to begin at once"
The Inter State Automatic Telephon.
company, according to Mr.. Hun, Il
about to file Incorporation papers a
Springfield. H., with a capitalization o
100000.
The Interstate Automatic Telephon,
company is an Independent concern
using the Independent Toll company
which is practically the Illinois Tunne
company for toll purposes throughou
| the country.