New-York tribune., 1907-06-22
WARM PHONE FIGHT.
ATLANTIC co. OPPOSED
Board Of Estimate Refers Franchise
to Committee.

Rivals of the Atlantic Telephone Corn3a-z,
which IS seeking a franchise IN this CITY. an
peareo before the Eoard of Estimate and An
PeTuonnent yesterday and charged that the
Atahnc company was worse than the Bell COM
paA3- Last week the Board OF Estimate sitting
as d committee of the whole, decided to recon-
memo TO the board the granting of the franchise
on such terms as the Board of Estimate ehorld
determine. The board had for consideration
yesterday this report and the form Of contract
Drawn up by The bureau of franchises. Several
new applications for franchises reached the
board from the independent Telephana Com
pany, the Municipa! Subway Company and
others.
j Asp-nwan Hodge. as the representative of
the New York Electric Lines Company. an
peared 10 oppose the granting of the franchise
10 the Atlantic company Mr. Hodge said il
would be d worse monopoly than the present
company. He declared that the Atlantic COM
pany would not admit the out of town telephone
companies into the city Of New York thus pre-
venting long distance lines. He declared that
this was what the Atlantic company was doing
in Chicago.
Martin W- Littleton. on behalf of the Atlantic
company, replied with considerable heat that the
Atlantic company had no connection with the
Chicago company. except that il had sought to
secure a lease there, which was still in allegiance
He declared that the additional applica tions for
franchises were made at the last moment to de-
lay action and that the present opposition was
IN the interests Of the Bell Telephone Company
The Atlantic company. he said. not antag-
onistic 10 the independents
Borough President Ahearn wanted the form
OF contract acted upon Immediately, and had
q long statement read in criticism of the New
York Electric Lines Company. After discussion
President MCGOWAN moved that the matter be
referred TO q special committee composed of the
Corporation Counsel the Controller and the
gineer of the board who were directed TO report
back the Board OF Estimate. Borough Presi-
dent AheaTn wanted the borough presidents in
Guided the committee, but he voted
down
Nj Hodge got the floor two or three times
while the matter was under consideration once
he shouted:
The Atlantic Telephone Company has past
and if this city narTies her it will be ostracised
1Ir. Littleton declared that his company had
sought the franchise in good faith and no one
could point 10 a dishonest act IN its history
Afr Hodge stated that the automatic system
which the Atlantic company proposes to use is
still in litigation, and that il was in IN only
one hundred cities, while the manual system
prevails in six thousand cities,
D. 4 Reynolds treasurer Of the New York
Electric Lines Company. sent a communication
70 the Board Of Estimate. in which he said:
The Atlantic Telephone Company has not shown
its independence by. cooperating with the other
Independent telephone companies in this state
elsewhere. seeking New York City connection.
They have not single contract for telephone ser
vice in New York City that is enforcibe their So
wiring permits taken six years ago. They have
contract with outside independent companies in
surinE a single long distance conn Ston for New
York City
Under a similar franchise granite - so-caned
independent company controlled by re Automatic
Electric Company. which is now backing the At
lantc Telephone Company, by the city OF Chicago
five years ago. they have failed conform TO the
conditions Of the franchise, and the city OF chi
caso IS now endeavoring TO cancel the same
Notwithstanding the efforts Of the Independent
telephone companies surrounding Chicago. now
operating more than 10000 telephones. these peo-
DE have refused connection with the independents,
and retarded the growth Of the independent sys-
tens seeking Chicago connection more than all
other conditions combined.
The communication pointed out that the New
York Electric Lines Company has contracts
with independent telephone companies outside
Of New York insuring connection with more
than l75,0gO telephones, and that all Independent
companies within speaking distance Of New
York now operating more than 100000 tele-
phones viii be privileged 10 connect with the
long distance service upon equal terms.