The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-10-05

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1t was the original intention of the
new Mutual Telephone Company to re.
build and repair the distributing sys.
tenn at an expense of some $3.50, 900.
This provided for the automatic sys.
tenn, the placing of the downtown lines
underground, and for the general re.
pairing of the outlying lines. Part of
this work has already been started,
and the rest has only been awaiting
the arrival of the necessary supplies
from the mainland.
The plans of the telephone company
contemplated the expenditure Of the
quarter of q million before January i,
but it now seems hardly possible that
the work can be completed within that
time, for the company will not hazard
any great sum of money until it as
certains just what action the super
visors intend taking in the matter.
The original ordinance, drafted by
the supervisors, provided that the
board might require the telephone com
pany to lay the police and fire alarm
wires of the county in underground
conduit, and also provided that every
excavation, whether for a pipe line or
simply for post, should be made only
after securing permit, and the price
of that permit was placed at one
dollar. This ordinance was amended,
at the suggestion of Deputy County
Attorney Milverton, to make the per-
nit price so cents. This was done to
avoid conflict with the territorial laws
which withhold from the county the
power to tax for revenue, the idea
being that 80 cents hole more nearly
approaches the actual cost of super
vising the work.
A tentative agreement was then
reached between the supervisors and
the telephone company, whereby it was
practically settled that the section of
the proposed ordinance giving the
county the power to force the company
to place the police and fire alarm wires
in conduits should be stricken out. At
the same time, the company agreed to
lay the wires at actual cost price.
1t was supposed that the matter was
settled, but when the supervisors
amended the ordinance, they failed to
eliminate the section allowing them to
coerce the telephone company in re-
gard to the conduit work.
The telephone people claim that theii
franchise, which the Supreme Court
has held to be valid, gives them the
right to lay their lines, and they in
sist that, if the county is allowed tt
force them to expend some $500 il
placing lines, not belonging to them
under ground, the county can alsC
force them to pay out $4,000 for SINH
lar work, should fancy prompt.
There seems to be considerable op
position to the course which the super
visors have taken. 1t is pointed on
that, for years, atrocious service wa
furnished by the old telephone compa
ny, and that now that the new com
pany is preparing TO install a system
second to none in the country, thu
supervisors are suddenly prompted t.
test the legal status of the city street
at the expense of the Mutual Telephone
Company.
The suggestion has been made tina
the Mutual Telephone Company an(
the county might get together on {
basis whereby, in return for laying
the police and fire alarms wires un
derground, the phone people would b.
released from paying the excavation
fees. 1t was thought for time tina
this plan could be put through; blu
hitch has developed.
When the company agreed to lay thu
lines at cost, the supervisors instruc
ed the directors TO have the work com
menced, but offered no security tina
the money would be paid over one,
the work was completed
As matters now stand, IL looks n
though the reconstruction of the tele
phone lines will be held up until thu
supervisors see N TO recede from thu
stand which they have taken. Thu
Representatives of the company do no
intend their ultimatum 20 be taken II
the light Of threat, hut they insis
that they must have some assurance
that unreasonable loads will not b.
imposed upon them,
olaa In Demand.
Olaa shared IN the wave of prosper
ity which has struck the stock market
aud last week the shares were yerl
much In demand, olaa, like MeBTyde
has been very quiet for months, an'
the price has been very low,
The bali Was started last Tuesday
when 1883 shares, in two blocks, chang
ID hands 40 40, That awakened thl
buying public ~ realization ~ th'
fact that there VAS something dolng
and $50 shares shortly afteTwaT,
brought ia Tho prize then sllppe'