Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-08-21
ruErEIEpuoNE QUESTION.


Following the card published by MT
G. H. O'Leary in the last issue OF The
ENQUIRER, protesting against the grant
ing Of a proposed franchise to the
Piedmont Telephone company, meet
ing of the telephone subscribers was
held in the court house Wednesday at
noon to consider the matter further.
There were forty or fifty people at
the meeting, which was organized by
the selection Of Mr.. ]. S. Brice as
chairman and Mr.. +. P. Mccain as
secretary.
Mayor John R. Hart took the floor
on a question Of personal privilege, and
made a statement Of his connection
with the matter. He disclaimed any
secrecy in the deliberations Of the town
council, and said that If Mr.. OLeary
had come to him he could have gotten
all the information he desired without
going into the newspaper. The sub
stance of his remarks will be compre-
hended in the card he publishes In
another column.
Mr.. OLeary in reply said that when
he had gotten information Of what was
going on through a member Of the
council, he first asked that member to
secure for him the privilege OF going
before the council. Not getting sat
isfactory assurance on this zine, he
asked that other citizens be allowed 10
appear with him. Then he made an
effort to secure copies Of the pend
ing proposition for publication. He had
been told that he could get them; but
there was delay, and as the only means
he could think Of to get the matter to
the people before final action could be
taken by the council, he had gone to
the newspaper.
Mr.. J. M. Starr Of the town council,
made a statement confirming what
both Mayor Hart and Mr.. O'I>eary had
said, and explaining that he had left
copy of one Of the proposed con-
tracts in Mr.. O'Learys office during
Mr.. O'Learys absence and had, because
the council had need Of 1t in the mean
time, withdrawn 1t before Mr.. O'Leary
had had an opportunity to see it.
There was a good deal of discussion
Of the whole matter pro and con, Mr..
w. B. McCaw and others, opposing the
proposed action Of the town council,
and Messrs. John r. Hart, mayor of
-, T
and w. B. Moore, a stockholder In the
Piedmont Telephone company, defend
ing the proposed action Of the council
as the wisest thing to be done under
the circumstances. 1t was freely con-
ceded in the discussion that there were
no Interior purposes on the part OF
anybody. Some of the expressions
were in favor of the granting Of a
franchise at the proposed advance
rates, provided the subscribers could be
assured Of better service than they are
getting, and others were opposed to
the granting Of any franchise what
ever on the ground they could not see
why the telephone company could not
improve it's service as well without a
franchise as with one. 1t was also
urged that it would be unwise to give
the telephone company any kind Of a
franchise that was to have a life Of
twenty five years.
At no time was there any definite
proposition before the meeting, and
~ Of ha
the adoption of a resolution providing
for the appointment Of a committee Of
three to select a committee Of seven to
represent the telephone subscribers In
a conference with the town council on
a basis of settlement and that the joint
action of the council and committee
should be referred back to the meeting
Of citizens for further consideration.
The duty of selecting the committee Of
seven was delegated to Messrs. S. NJ.
McNeel w. B. McCaw and w. D.
Glenn.
The principal features Of the propo-
sition pending before the town council
and under consideration Of the meeting
are l. The contract is to hold for
twenty five years, unless 1t be revok
ed because Of inefficient service, pro-
vision being made for such revocation
by arbitration. 2. The system Is to
be put in first-class condition in ac-
cordance with specifications set forth.
The scale of rates as agreed upon by
the council until three hundred sta
tions are included in the Yorkville eX-
change is to be as follows: Special
line business stations, $3.50 a month;
duplex line business stations, $2.25;
party line business stations $500 a
month"; special line residence stations,
$3.50 month; duplex line residence
stations, $1.25 month; party line res
dence stations, $1.00 a month. When
$50 stations are connected, these rates
are to be increased to SO, $2.75, $3.50,
$500, $1.75, and $3.50 respectively. At
these prices, privileges extend to the
town Of Yorkville, farmers lines con-
nected with the Yorkville exchange,
and subscribers at Hickory Grove,
Sharon, Glover and TirZah. The priv
ilege to Rock Hill and Fort Mill is to
be discontinued except by special toll.
The present franchise under which
the company is doing business eX-
pires in May, 1909 There was mo-
ton that the franchise matter be kept
in statu quo until the expiration Of
the present contract This motion fail
ed Of adoption.
There has been considerable discus
sion of the whole matter on the streets
OF YOrkville during the past few days; |
but as yet the majority sentiment does
not seem to have developed into a
clear cut conviction as to the best So
luton Of the problem.