Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-25

IHe company Is IlOt pciHlitlcu "
make any charge for telephone rentals
until at least 800 instruments are act
ually connected up and furnished to
bona fide subscribers. The company
is also to increase the system to meet
the demand Of the subscribers, but
there is no reference to having l.OOV
phones in operation within two years
time.
The rates are specified at $2,50 for
business 'phones, 50 for office phones.
and $3.50 for residence phones, sub
ject to the establishment Of uniform
rates by the city council of all tele-
phone services within the city on and
after April IS, 1920. the date of the
expiration of the present Marshall Tel
ephone Company franchise.
THE company is obliged to file with
in thirty days a written acceptance
with the city clerk of the various pro-
visions of the ordinance, which shail
be waiver on the part of the company
to any objections to the ordinance.
The franchise Is declared forfeited
should the company default in the OBJ
servance or performance of any of the
agreements or obligations of the ordin-
period of three months, exclusive of
unavoidable delay, after written notice
to the city.
The franchise will come up before
the people at the general election IN
November, instead of at special cleo
ton This is done because the matter
has been so long delayed that but two
weeks time could be gained by holding
a special election, which would cost
the company about $500.
Will Regulate other Company.
Upon finishing the reading of the
ordinance Devine moved its adoption
as substitute, and Gregory seconded
the adoption. Devine announced that
an ordinance was in contemplation
that would regulate the Marshall Tel
ephone Company's business, to go into
force Immediately upon the expiration
of the present franchise in 1920.
Mayor Sticks for Amount Spent
Mayor Ingledue announced that he
was not against granting FRANCHISE
to the Farmers and Merchants nor
was he opposed particularly to the
substitute offered, but he did think
that the company should specify some
amount that it was going to spend.
"Mr. Martin has told this council that
he was going to put in a 100000 plant;
that he was going to erect $4,000
building, and all such stuff Now when
we get down to business what ! want
to know is how much there really is IN
this bag Of wind, and what Will we
have when we let the air out or ~.
What good will 1t do MarshalltoWn IL
we get little dinky telephone eX-
change In here operating 300 phones?
The merchants will then be obliged to
nut in an additional telephone, and
we should not levy an unnecessary
expense on the people I can see no
reason why the company should not
saw how much money it is going to
spend"
People Make the Choice.
Councilman Devine replied that the
people are the ones who finally vote
on this franchise, and they will decide
whether or not they want to pay for
two phones instead Of one. What we
want to do said Devine, as city
council, is to give the people a good
ordinance and to guard their rights
in the ordinance, as to the streets anu
alleys and public property"
Martin Addresses Council.
T.. H. Martin, who is representing
the Independents on the local field, was
asked to speak, especially in reference
to the amount of money the company
was intending to invest. Mr.. Martin
said that his people were seeking TO
enter MarshalltoWn on fair, square
and equitable basis, and all that they
wanted was a square deal. our en-
gineer's plats show something OF What
our plant will cost us, but we don
propose to have any one tell us now
to run our business, or now much
money we are to spend. Our estimates
already show an investment OF over
5000. 900. Now, If this city wants us
to come in here and build a telephone
company, say so. If it wants to get
along with the present system. say so.
This ordinance, offered as substitute .e
will be acceptable to us. altho l VIII
venture to say that it would be many
long Gay before you would be apie
to get another lot Of telephone men to
come in and accept 1T. l did OBJECT
however, to accepting OF an ordnance
covering from twelve to fifteen sheets
Of foolscap paper. where the other TEL
low I'M competition has an ordinance
governing it of less than $50 words
Farmers Want New Company.
Counci1men Devine and Gregory both
spoke of the sentiment of the farmers
in favor Of new company, and SAID
that many prominent farmers OF the
county had told them that if the city
didn't let another company in they
would come into town and demand an
ordinance and erect telephone eX-
change Of their own. The councilmen
both ventured the opinion that the
farmers would not have to haggle over
a franchise, as had been the lot OF the
Farmers and Merchants company
Martin Makes Proposition.
Mr.. Martin finally made PROPOSE
ton to this effect: That the Farmers
and Merchants Telephone Company
would enter into contract with the
city to spend in its Marshalltown plant
$4,000 by Dec. 81, 1909. Mr.. Martin
said that the franchise had now been
DELAYED SO long that it would be I'M
possible to do anything this fall, for
winter would overtake them BEFORE
they could get fairly under way. II
this promise of spending so much mon
ey were the only bone of contention,
Mr.. Martin said he was willing to sub
scribe to cos--sct, but not an ordin-
ance. The contract would be legal. but
specification in an ordinance would
not.
Today MI. Martin said that had not