The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-12
TO INVESTIGATE
PHONE SERVICE
Councilman Selph Acts on Com
plants and Will Endeavor
to Get Facts.
GETTING At COST TO CITY
Question of Western Unions
Stand Also to Be Point
at Issue.

In response to complaints from many
of his constituents. Councilman john
Selph, of jefferson Ward. win introduce
at the next meeting of the Common
Council u resolution looking to an in
vestigation of the service being rem
dered by the Southern Bell Telephone
and Telegraph Company in this city.
Mr.. Selph's colleague from Jefferson
Ward. Councilman John Lynch, pro-
poses the widenig of the scope of this
investigation so as to include the rela-
lions of the Bell Telephone Company
with the Western Union. the object
being to revoke tho cntiro franchise
of the Bell Company in this city II It
should be shown that the companies
are one and the same. the Western
Union being. as far Richmond is
concerned. an outlaw corporation. oc-
cupylns the streets OF the city in def
ance of the authorities.
Dcfles the City.
Five years of expensive litigati
has failed to secure the removal from
tho south side of Broad Street OF an
unsighuy line of poles and wires of the
telegraph company. which has in
trenched itself behind injunctions OF
the United States courts and defied the
city to cut down It's poles.
Mr.. Selph was at one time connected
with the Richmond Telephone Company,
a local line, which once held fran
chise in Richmond. and which sold out
to the Bell Company about the time
that that company secured It's new
franchise. During the days when
there were two companies. the service
of both was very poor and business
people generally approved the grant
Ing OF an exclusive franchise to the
Bell Company, service and rates to be
subject to the supervision of the Coun-
Gil. Mr.. Selph says he has received
many complaints of the service rem
dered. and would advocate the naming
of a special committee to ascertain
whether or not the Bell Company was
living UP to Its contract agreement
with the city.
MIR. Lynch proposed at a recent meet
ing OF the Street Committee that that
body refuse all further permits for
extensions and alterations for either
poles or conduits TO the Bell Company
until the Objectionable poles and wires
are removed from Broad Street. 1t Is a
DR.. Jekyl and Mr.. Hyde performance.
according to Mr.. Lynch. The Bell Com
pany Ia the friend OF the city, en-
joying an exclusive franchise and do
ing business on most friendly terms
under the name OF the Western Union
the same company Is an outlaw. defy
ing the city, running poles and wires
where 1t pleases. and lighting the city
ordinances in the Federal courts
City Telephones.
Still third matter may be referred
TO the special committee for inquiry
the somewhat anomaao Gus conditions
of city telephone service. The city has
large number OF phones all over the
city. For some II pays $40 year, for
others $73 year. The directory cred
Its the city with ifty-eiGht telephones.
in addition to which the city pays for
phones in the residences OF the dis
trict physicians and in the homes of
n number of city officials and employees
whose services are of an emergency
character. These are paid for in many
ways from many funds. some author