The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-11-12
Council After Long Discussion
Allows the Bills of kenosha
Home Telephone Co.
MAYOR TO HOLD UP ORDERS
Council Decides to Continue Work on
Ashland Avenue Sewer and Gives
Assurance That Trunk Sewer
Will BE Built Soon

session at the City Hall Wednesday
evening and Notwithstanding the fact
that most of the members had been up
all the previous night watching the
election returns, it was long after elev-
en- clock before the wrangling was
concluded and the Council adjourned.
There were two interesting pieces of
business to come before the Council.
One was the question of the city pay
ing the telephone charges of the Ke-
nosha Home Telephone Company and
the other was the trunk sewer in
Jerome Creek.
President James Cavanagh Of the
Kenosha Home Telephone Company ap-
peared before the Council and asked
that some final action be taken in re-
gard to telephone bills. He showed
that it was impossible under the Public
Utilities Act for the company to con-
tinue to serve the city with free teIe-
phones, but declared that if the mayor
and Council could find any way that
the company could legally give the city
this service that it would be DONE
Mayor Scholey did most of the talking
so far as the city was concerned and
while he talked mostly on matters that
were not germane to the situation in
any way the discussion lasted for over
an hour. The. mayor got a chance to
get in one Of his famous harangues
in regard to legislation for the rich
instead OF the poor and declared at
the finish Of the discussion that he
would not sign the orders for the tele-
phone rental at this time even if the
bills were allowed by the City Council
The company was asked by the mayor
to donate $3.50 annually for the poor
Of the city or for the fire department
and in this way pay back to the city
the amount of the annual rental, but
Attorney Cavanagh refused to bind the
company to any such an agreement.
Then the mayor threatened retaliatory
measures, insisting that as the city
had the right to regulate the telephone
business it would proceed to do some
regulating. The president of the com
pany declared that his company was
ready to accept any orders of the city
which led to a reasonable" regula-
ton of the business of the company.
It was understood at the close of the
session that the company was to move
several poles on Church street as sug-
gested by the city but it is probable
that there will be some doubts as to
whether the company will agree to
move these poles without a contest in
court. After the discussion Mayor
Scholey had lot to say to Mr..
Cavanagh in regard to the franchise of
the Citizen s Company, but Mr.. Cav
anagh declared that the present tele-
phone company did not take over the
franchise of the defunct company and
that it was still in the hands of the
former owners. At times the discus
sion between the mayor and Cavanagh
got spirited, but Mr.. Cavanagh seemed
to have compassion on the mayor and
did not cut loose on him at any time
during the discussion.
After the discussion was all over the
Council without dissenting vote de-
cided to allow all the back bills of
the company SO that the fight is now
a personal one between the mayor and
the telephone company. If the mayor
refuses to sign the orders it is probable
that the company will go into court
and get nlandamus writ to force him
to carry out the orders of the Council
of which he is the executive head.
The bills are being paid in all other
cities of the state and there seems to
be absolutely no reason for holding up
payment.
The matter of the trunk sewer in
Jerome Creek was brought up with the
discussion Of the Ashland avenue mud
die and the property owners in that
part of the city were given the as
surance that work on the big sewer
would be started next year and that a
set Of plans for this work would be
ready at the next meeting Of the
Council. The contractors were ordered
to resume work on the sewer on Ash
land avenue and it is expected that
the work will be stopped by injunction.
The communication from the Board
of Water Commissioners in regard to
the building of filter brought storm
of protest from some of the members
of the Council and threats Of forcing
the Commission to act in this matter
were heard from several aldermen.
Mayor Scholey declared that he was
in favor Of forcing the Board to act
for purer water or get new Board.
The matter was finally referred to a
special committee of five which will
take it up with the Water Commission
ers at the next meeting of the Board.
The committee is composed of Alder
men Pirsch, O'Brien, Thomassen, Wade
and Higley.
The property owners on South Elk
change street asked chat the Council
take some action to secure the com
pletion Of the curbing on that street
at once and this matter was referred to
the street assessment committee with