The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-10-14

The question of a franchise for
the Dawson Telephone Company was
before the city council Tuesday
night, and was the cause of lively
session of that body.
A franchise for the new company
was opposed by the Congratulations
Telephone Company, which was rep
resented before the council by At
torney NJ. J. Yeomans and DR.. ]. G..
Dean, the president of the latter COM
pany. The new company was repre-
sented by Attorneys H. A Wilkin-
son, NJ c. Edwards and A. M
Raines.
Mr.. Yeomans spoke in opposition
to the franchise being granted and
stated that another telephone sys-
tenn would be a double expense to
the business men and people of Daw-
son, and that, besides, two systems
could not live in a town of this size.
The result, he commended, would be
that one or the other OF them would
finally go under, and the owner of
the present system, which had been
made one of the best in the state at
a cost of $4,000, greatly injured in
the value of the property. He read
a list of other towns where the tele-
phone charges are the same as those
that prevail in Dawson, in order to
show that the rates here are not
excessive.
Messrs. Edwards, Raines and Will
kinson all spoke in favor of fran
chise for the Dawson Telephone
Company. 1t was stated by them
that any merchant of Dawson has
just as much right to oppose another
store being opened here, or a lawyer
to object to another attorney locat-.
ing in Dawson, as did the owner of
the present telephone system to OBJ
ject to another telephone company.
1t was charged that the recent in
crease in telephone rates was con-
trary to an agreement entered into
by citizens of Dawson and the Geor-
gia-Alabama Telephone Company
three or four years ago, and the fact
that in some other towns the same
rates for telephone service prevail
as here is not evidence that these
rates are not excessive, as there is
an organization of the owners of the
independent telephone systems in the
state for promoting their own inter-
ests, and of which the owner of the
Dawson exchange Is the president
The old company was also attacked
ON the ground of being a monopoly,
and the fact that it requires of it's
patrons payment In advance for it's
services was asserted as evidence
of it.
A Motion to Postpone.
When the arguments had been
concluded and the question came up
for action Alderman Hollingsworth
made motion to postpone the whole
matter for thirty days. This motion
was seconded by Alderman McLain,
and the vote resulted in it's being
lost by two to four-Aldermen Hol-
nngsworth and McLain voting for 1t
and Aldermen McNulty, LOwrey,
Hamilton and Shields against it.
Alderman Lowrey then made a
motion that the franchise be granted,
which was adopted, Aldermen Low
reg, McNulty. Shields and Hamilton
voting for it. Aldermen McLain
and Hollngsworth did not vote.
The consideration for which the
franchise was granted IS that tho
Dawson Telephone Company shall
furnish free telephone service to the
city of Dawson for its several de-
partments. 1t is also stipulated in
the franchise that the rates charged
by the company shall be $3.50 per
month for residence and $3.50 per
month for business phones.
Full Text of the Franchise.
The following is the full text OF
the franchise, as granted by the
council:
Section l. Be it ordained by the
Mayor and Council of the City of
Dawson, and it is hereby ordained
by the authority OF the same, that
permission be and Is hereby granted
to the Dawson Telephone Company,
its successors and assigns, to erect,
maintain and operate telephone lines,
including the necessary poles, fix