Arizona republican., 1909-07-30
COUNCIL STOOD ] ID 2
The Application Was Not Permitted to Go to a Vote of the People but Was Nipped in the Bud-Fu- ture Plans.

Another special meeting of the city council was held Wednesday evening for the purpose of further considering the application of the Independent Telephone company for a franchise to operate a system in Tempe. The coun- cil made short work of the matter and result was tbat the application was denied.
 The application of the company was presented a week ago and turned over to the ordinance committee. The com mittee reported at the special meeting Wednesday evening that it did not be- lieve the franchise was for the best interests of Tempe wherefore it rec commended that it be denied. Coun- cilman Goodwin moved that the re- ports be adopted, but before the vote was taken there were several spirited debates between Attorney Kingsburg for the city and Attorney Langston Of Phoenix for the company. MT. Lang ston. spoke at some length urging the council not to adopt the report of the ordinance committee but to allow the matter to go before the people and let their vote decide. The company said MT I.angston. stands all the cost of the eIection-the city is not out cent and it seems to me that it is the fair est thing the council can dO-' Coun- cilman Fogal took the same view and though Mir Stelzried did not express himself during the argument. 1t was evident when the vote was taken that he felt the same way about it
 Councilman Goodwin was strong in his opposition to the franchise in any form. He wanted it killed right on the spot and it appeared that his view was shared by Councilman Lukin and May or Dimes. Attorney Kingsbury urged the adoption of the committees report on the grounds that the new company would be a nuisance and that the peo- pIe did not want it. He failed to see the necessity of an election when 1t was possible at that time with single blow to put the franchise out of sight The matter was discussed pro and con for some time and finally the main matter of granting the franchise seem ed to be lost track of. It merely be- came a question of whether or not the people should have say in the mat ter or whether the council should do all the saying that was to be said.
 The roit was finally called and re- corded as follows: Ayes-Goodwin. Iukin and Mayor Dimes; nays-Fogal and Stelzried By that vote the mat ter was effectually settled-the appii- cation is denied and for the present at least there is no indication that the present telephone system will suffer any opposition.
 There seems to be reason to believe however, that the matter will not be allowed to drop with the results of the meeting Wednesday evening. Inn mediately following it Mir. Langston held an extended conference with Messrs. Fogal and StelZried but what may have been accomplished was not given out for publication. Asked for his views on the matter after the meet ing MT Langston said: 'Tonight's de- cision does not preclude us from mak- ing another application at any time in the future but for the present we shall probably not do anything. l have un- der consideration several plans which at the present time I am not at lib erty to divulge but which may have a bearing on the matter in the future