New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-11
FOR TELEPHONE Reform
Repu6kcan Club Committee Makes
Drastic Reports.

The committee city affairs Of the Republioan
tIup declared at meeting last night Its oppos.-
uon TO the acceptance OF tho offer by the New
York Telephone Company to pay the city ,soooo 900
for a twenty-ive-year franchise without competi-
ton The committee also accepted a minority re-
port OF its subcommittee in favor of granting
franchise to a new company that plans to operate
an automatic system in competition with the New
York company.
There was a third report, in which It was ad-
vised that there be inserted in the public utilities
Dill clause TO provide for the supervision of tee-
phone companies All these REPORTS will he stIb-
mitted May 20 the club as a body for action.
Should they be adopted, as several members de-
ciared was probable. the club will take up a
paign of phone reform
The main report signed by the full sub-com-
mttee of three. of which James Anderson Halves
was chairman IT declared that New York is in
the hands of telephone monopoy-the Bell organ
ization, controlling both the New York Telephone
Company and the New York and New Jersey com
pany. 1t doubted whether the New York COM
pany has, or ever had, a valid franchise said
however,, that the company to be attacked legally
is the Empire Subway Company, Limited, the COM
pany which controls, by permit from the city.
the subway conduits through which telephone wires
are laid. The report said this company is owned
by the others
1t declared that the present application for a
franchise for the New York Telephone Company
contains Joker in the clause that provides
nual payment 10 the city. for the franchise shall
continue so long other telephone system
is established in the city and 10 other telephone
franchises granted"
Another member of the ub-committee, Perley
Morse. advocated in his report the granting of a
franchise a company that shall auto
matte system.
Lindon Bates jr.. made a report in which he said
that. while the possibility of competition should be
sedulously kept possible weapon against a mo-
nopoly. double services technically prac-
tically inadvisable and detrimental" He advised
that the public service bills should be amended
as 10 give the proposed commission authority over
the telephone companies He admitted that the
present system of charging calls now in the hands
OF the companies Is very liable TO error and sug-
gested that the use OF meters would be the proper
remedy.
The meeting last night was to have been gen
eraI discussion of the by members of the c,h
and by representatives the New York Telenhone
Company. and of the Atlantic Telephone Com
pany' which has applied 70 the Board of Esti-
mate for franchise to install automatic tele-
phones in competition with the established com,
pany. Ex-Judge William A. Cohen counsel for the
New York Telephone Company had promised n
attend with an engineer and to explain his atti-
tude Instead he sent rather tart letter IN which
he regretted his inability to come. He wrote that
the committee wrong in declaring the com
pany had no valid franchise. and added: II had
not thought the committee of the Republican club
was TO turn itself into self-constitued court OF
law"
., The Atlantic Telephone Company however was
no. 80 wan street came, accompanied by his
counsei, Martin w LittletCn. former Borough
t president t Of BROOKLYN Mr. Ltteton made
speech, IN which he derided the telephone com
,pany's assertion that il is a natural monopoly
ne said that II the Atlantic company Is admitted
IL VIII bring the telephone into thousands Of homes
ana business places and that the assertion that
eSeFyDody VIII need two phone connections is
absurd. He said 10000 subscribers TO independent
automatic companies are within talking distance
OF Ne" YORK, but are unable connect with the
city because IT is in the grasp of the Bell companies
there ong aS 6 6h9f in Or New YSFk today
Of the business houses and Is per cent of the res
licences He said that New York City is the lac
stronghold OF the Bell company's system, and that
baltimore Boston and other cities have already
granted franchises to automatic companies
HIS company. Mr.. Littleton pointed out has
onered fiat unlimited rate for subscribers and
has promised free service to the borough offices
for which the New York company collects
$4,000 annually.
In CONCLUSION, referring to the monopoly of the
Empire Company he said that the streets of the
island from one end to the other have been rpped
open In the last year for the laying Of new ducts
He said that more than two-thirds OF them were
unused in spite OF the fact that the New York
Telephone Company denies having any room 10
lease.