The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1907-06-27
Have Waited for Franchise.

not"
Have Waited for Franchise.
"Well, why haven't you built that
system before this" asked Alder
man Shaughnessy?
Because we have been waiting for
franchise" answered Mr.. Num-.
The city failed two years ago" re-
marked Mayor Miller "to give your
company a franchise. Why didn't
you go ahead then and build the
system you are going to build any
howe"
Because" remarked Mr. Num-
eve have always hoped that the city
would grant us a franchise which
Justifies us and treasures us in put
ting in the big investments that the
proposed system would require"
Moreover" corrected Manager
Gooch, that telephone business two
years ago was never settled and we
never could get settlement. We
have tried TO get definite expression
on that subject but we never could"
Your proposition" returned AL
derman Shaughnessy was acted up
on by the council at that time and
turned down"
City's Right 20 Make Bargain.
THE city has right to ask for
other propositions" said Mr.. Taylor,
taking the floor again. don't
want to injure you. want to help
you, I gave you a proposition that
your ordinance committee considered
the most favorable for the citizen
ship of this city. 1t is the common
experience in many places that a city
does better with two systems than
they did with one. But | am not
going into a discussion Of the two
system side of the question now but
Amarillo ought to have at least one
81 will join with you in building
this town. | don't want to take any
mans property away from him. I'll
pay for your system dollar for dol
lar, Mr.. Num-, but | can't let you
figure its value by its earnings. I'll
let you take Mr., Mobiles from this
board and I'll take Mr.. Miller and
let them choose a third and then
I'll accept their reckoning OF the
system, orsf will let any committee
fairly appointed do that work and
accept the result. Then on that ba-
sis I'll join with you in building the
system and both here and over the
Panhandle If you wish It,"
Present Company Bought Plant.
II was not treated in that way
and could not accept such a con-
ditlon," responded Mr. Num- WheE
Mr.. Gooch and myself came here,
the telephone system was in a very
run down condition, in far worse
than It is today We want
ed a franchise just as Mr.. Taylor
wants one But the mayor and al
demen uniformly informed us that
they would not grant a franchise for
another system and that If we want
ed a system we would have to buy
out the one already here. We did |
that but we did It at the owners
figures, not at ours"
But I don't assume that am
going to set the price I am going to
BUY at" broke in Mr. Taylor. 81
have made proposition and have
been tugged at by this council till
he franchise was in shape that suit
ID them"
as there any difference between
he franchise we are offering the
.ity," asked Mr.. Gooch, land the
me which Davenport g. Co. have
filtered, except In the matter of five
rec phones for city offices and the
Use Of tho company's poles for
ire alarm service"
Franchise Was Borrowed.
an all Fairness" answered the
Davenport man, 81 must call your
ttention to the fact that even after
ur various propositions had been
to the council and after