The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1908-05-21
Phone cos.
CONSOLIDATE
Council Effects Compromise
for one System With FaV-
OTahIG Rates
(From thursdays Dally,)

communion" a. one OF the other city
officials described H. tho city coun'
ell reached an important decision
yesterday on the telephone propo-
sitlon. Briefly stated, the two toll
ephone companies which have been
contending for the field here, con-
sent to consolidation which will
give Amarillo one telephone system
and that OF the very best. This con-
solidatlon will operate under the
twenty-five year franchise given the
Davenport company last year and by
an amendment adopted yesterday the
charges on phones will be as fol-
lows: Business phone SO per month;
residence phones, one party line,
si.75 per month, two party line
$3.50 per month, four party line,
Sl.25 per month. The amendment
further provides that after a total
OF 1900 phones has been reached,
rates may be increased 20 cents per
month ON each phone and that for
increases OF 500 phones up to 1000
phones 25 cents additional may be
added.
Under the franchise the company
must also pay the city an annual
franchise fee OF $500.
On final vote the ordinance, as
amended, passed by unanimous vote
OF the aldermen present, j. d. An
derson, r. NJ. shaughnessy, p. L.
Person and p. IL. seewald. Mayor
Mars steady opposed taking final
action In the matter I'll further time
was given for investigation and TIL
Alderman Mcknight, who Is now In
Corpus Christi could be present. He
urged the tabling OF the measure TIL
precise information could be OBJ
tanned on cost OF telephone service
as the number OF phones increased.
The agreement reached, however,
appealed 10 the aldermen as being
tho best possible solution OF hard
problem and was accordingly passed
without dissenting vote.
Concessions From All Concerned.
Each party concerned in the prop
osition made concessions and no one
OF the parties received all II asked
but both the companies and the
council, as well as the business men
who have expressed themselves. are
largely satisfied with the settlement,
Under It Amarillo is guaranteed free
dom from the burdens and inconye-
nlenco which would have unavold-
ably been with two systems, At
the same time both the Num- COM
pany and the Davenport company
will effect a great saving at no loss
in adequacy OF equipment by not be-
ing obliged to each install the enor-
mously expensive plant and system
which the situation demands and for
which each company has been pre-
pairing, Finally the public gets a
greatly improved service at approx
mately the same rates. The COM
panies had asked rates in excess OF |
those finally embodied in the
amendment and It was not until after
prolonged discussion by the council
and with tho telephone people that
the concessions in regard 10 rates
were secured. An additional con-
cession In the matter OF business
phones is that added to the amend.
ment yesterday which expressly stip-
ulates that desk phones for business
houses will be supplied at the same
rate as wall phones. Business ex-
tension phones. that Is additional
phones on the same line in different
parts OF the business house will be
installed at 81 each per month ex-
ira, and residence extensions at so
cents per month extra.
Maximum Date No. 20.
Under the limits already given the
Davenport company, the time had
been considerably extended and yes
terday a maximum date at which
the complete system is to be in op-
GRAFTON was set as Nov. 90. The
Num- company has already compIet.
ed much Of the overhead work that
viii be included in the new system
and has been planning to have SIS
system In use considerably before the
date set yesterday. The officials OF
both companies say that the sys-
tenn will be installed before the time
vet In the agreement Under the
new franchise AN the lines in the /
town-town district are TO be under |
ground and none OF that work has
ret been done. The Davenport com
pany, however, has exact plans ready {
Tor immediate use on all this work,
has material for the underground
lines here ready for use and has a
Itching machine for use In laying \