The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1909-05-21
THE TELEPHONE FRANCHISE.
TIE CITIZENS OF FARXYILLE STIRRED
ON The QUESTION.
The Council Accepts the Smaller Bid.

Ihe Council Accepts the Smaller Bid.
From the crowd that gathered in
the Courthouse on last Thursday even
ING to hear the arguments Of counsel
on the question of granting a tele-
phone franchise and the fact that it
fingered long and waited. nervously
for the action Of the Council empha-
sised the fact Of wide spread and
intense interest on the subject. As
70 the decision itself there is also
wide spread difference of opinion.
Under the provisions OF law the rea-
sons for the action of the body had to
be given and here they are:
An ordinance 20 provide for the grant
ing OF the franchise, privilege, lease
on right To use all public property or
easements Of any description TO the
Farmville Telephone Company for
Tue purpose Of a telephone line,
poles or telephone system, 10 be OPP
er-ted within the corporate limits
OF the Town Of Farmvlle, Virginia.
Whereas, the Council is satisfied
That the best interests of the town
make it advisable so 10 do. doth ac-
cept the hld Of the Farmville Tele-
phone Company Of Ten Dollars
$1,000 for tine franchise hereinafter
particularly set out, being satisfied
that the said Company has expended
considerable sum in erecting and
maintaining a telephone line in the
town when no other person OF c0rpo-
ration was willing to do 80. and al
ready has plant which Will furnish
telephone service to the residents Of
the town while the new or improved
ille IS being constructed, and which
can be partly utilized: and that the
sand company. acting upon the faith
of the action heretofore taken bv this
cody. whereby said Company sup
osed II had acquired the legal right
io The use Of the streets Of the town
for The purpose of constructing and
operating rs telephone system, had
made preparations 10 begin the work
on lls said lines, and had expended
considerable amount Of labOr and
money To- accomplish that end
It should be added, however thot
the ten dollar bid is the smaller ono.
and that the larger was for $1,000.
The members OF the town council are
business men of recognized integrity
and ability and noone who knows them
will charge any selfish motives behind
their action We must be permitted.
however 90 contradict most emphat-
IcaIly position assumed by Mr.. Cas-
.ie. Of LynchbuFg, who represented
the old company that a councilman in
his Official position was nothing but
private citizen as 20 what he should
30 and should not do that is that
what would be wrong in the conduct
b. the individual citizen would be just
IS wrong in the conduc. of the official
charged Wifh delicate and responsive q
rust This position was not assailed q
md 90 allow it TO go unclallenged
would lead Co. and may in this have a
ed 90 plain violation Of the letter and &
pir.t of the laws governing men who y
ct in fiduc.ary capacity.
The private citizen should spurn TO b
lead the statute of limitations while 81
% administration Is compelled to do a
o. 4 member of the town council d
nay give Of his own money to a tramp. d
b aid fellow men who had failed i'm b
usiness venture, but he does not
ote the money Of the town TO any j
uch purposes. There is broad dis a
nction between the town councilman
nd the private citizen and the differ
nee should be recognized. 4
We very much regret this contro-
ersy should have broken out in the a
lnks Of our business just at this juno u
Ire when earnest and cooperative /
fort is essential to the accomplish ID
lent of results now so desirable and NJ
} much hoped for II
Let US, then, agree to differ on &c
lis one question and to merge all g
fferences as to other matters of g
isiness moment
OSG he Stores From Ten TO Twelve
IN Novg aFo,Io..