The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-07-12

In operation, yet II is to be hoped.
now that the franchise is granted that
the city at large may not have cause
to regret, after the new wires get into
practical operation, the judgment of
the present administration.
1t would perhaps require several
years of practical operation to demon
strate the true benefit or the true dis.
advantage of double telephone sys-
TEN. For this reason The News be-
lieved that exhaustive research into
the situation in cities where two
lines had been operating for several
years, before the franchise was grant
ed, in order to get genuine facts from
a disinterested and competent source,
would be no more than fair to the
people of Norfolk who must abide by
the judgment of its eight councilmen.
And while such an investigation was
perhaps not made as extensively as
could have been done, the people Of
Norfolk will hope, for the sake of the
welfare Of the city as whole, that
the best thing for Norfolk's good has
been done.
There were strong arguments both
for and against the granting OF the
second telephone franchise. There
can be no question but that the dou-
BILE service will involve additional ex-
pense and additional annoyance to the
people of Norfolk. Whether the ben
efits accompanying the double service
would Offset and overbalance those OBJ
jections, was the question put up to
the city council. And there can be
no denying that it was a question Of
no slight moment, entailing no slight
responsibility for all time upon the
men who settled it by their votes.
On the one hand it was argued, and
not without reason, that the installa-
ton of a second telephone system
would involve two telephone bills for
every business house at least. two tel
Jingle and two instruments to confuse.
1t was further argued that the estab-
lishment Of new $4,000 phone sys.
TEN would simply mean that the peo-
pie of Norfolk, sooner or later, would
be compelled to dig down into their
pockets and pay that $4,000. A Sec
ond telephone service is not going to
be installed for fun, and it must be
conceded that the public will not only
pay the cost, but pay also a dividend
upon the original capital invested. So
much for the objections.
In reply to the arguments against
two systems and favoring a single
telephone system, were chiefly the ar
guments that the independent tele-
phone company would bring Norfolk
in the northwest; that closer contact
would mean commercial expansion for
Norfolk; that Norfolk's prestige as a
business center would be intensified
that toll line rates throughout this
section would be reduced that tele-
phone service over the new system
would be cheaper than over the pres
ent system; that many more tele-
phones would be installed throughout
the city and county, resulting in more
extensive and therefore more valua-
BILE service; that the new system
would be home" industry, to an ex-
tent, leaving quantity Of it's expense
money in Norfolk for supplies. etc.
| The strongest arguments in favor OF
the new system were the facts that
Norfolk would be brought into closer
touch with people out through this
territory, that more extensive tele-
phone service would result and that
toll rates would be reduced.
There was nothing easy in the task
of weighing over the various points
for and against the double service
Unless new benefits could be realized
it would be easily unwise to grant 6
franchise to second company which
would mean additional expense ant
additional inconvenience. But these
benefits, and striking ones, were fore
casted by those interested in the new
system. And it was to thoroughly ties
I the comparative worth of the benefit!
or the disadvantages of the double
system, as demonstrated after severa
years of practical working, that TIT
News believed the city council ought
in fairness to the whole people of Nor
! folk, to make a complete investigation
} in other cities which have alread
gone through the experience and know
from practical operations whereo
) they speak. The view of one man Il
: another city, or a dozen men, woul
} not be sufficient upon which to bias
| an action of so much Importance, TO
= good or bad, to the people of this city