The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-04-05
MERGER IS PASSED
TO SECOND READING
AMENDMENT To TELEPHONE
FRANCHISE ORDINANCES AZ.
NANCED ANOTHER STEP.
Vote 10 Pass 20 second Reading
Was Taken After Heated de-
bate and strong Opposition.

III the race or the most bitter OPP
position a telephone merger ordl-
nance passed its second reading AZ
q meeting Of the city council last
night by a vote of 4 TO l. alderman
Andrews having ltsented himself
before the final vote was taken. OPP
position developed as soon as the
proposed merger ordinance was
read. and, with the wafer once mud
died and subjected to a constant
stirring. it took two long hours to
bring the matter to vote, but in
the end the council placed itself on
record as willing TO let the wishes
OF the people guide them in their
action upon a question of such vital
importance G. c. AGroce, who, at
the request of the city council.
wrote greater part of the ordi-
nance was first TO oppose the adop-
! ton of same for the reason there
were several franchises in existence
and that q discussion OF the situa-
tion with MIR Earle disclosed the
fact that the Independent exchange
now is the property of three COM
panies He declared the council
ought to know with whom they were
dealing and how well such company
is able to put in effect the provis
ions of the merger ordinance.
| Such objection was swept away
by Manager Earle. who explained
that the Brazos Valley company is
the assign Of the Ellis County In
dependent company and that the
Texas company is the assign of the
Brazos Valley company He said
these things were all matters OF
record and if same had been men
toned he would have provided GER
titled copies of same so there would
be no confusion on this point AL
derman Williams removed ali doubt
when he said the city would not
suffer from a confliction of fran
ehise rights by the passage of such
an ordinance rs proposed, that
doubt Of franchise rights would be
more to the disadvantage of the
telephone company than to the city.
City Attorney Sullivan objected
| strenuously to the passage of the or
dinance saying the council had not
had time in the two weeks they have
been striving to get the ordinance
| framed to think of all the things
they would like to incorporate. He
| likewise suggested a new course of
procedure, that of granting new
franchise, but on this the council was
pretty well agreed that they would
rot care to pass a new franchise, so
1.-THE objection had the effect only of
delaying matters and preventing its
final passage.
A majority of the aldermen pres
ent openly declared themselves in
favor of giving the people the merg-
er. ana as many as three said they
we're ready to vote finally on the
measure, but after persistent objec-
tons and an effort to postpone en-
tirely the ordinance was placed upon
its second reading and carried by
vote Of and 1 The merger ordi-
rance is bitterly opposed by Mayor
Prince, Alderman MeCombs. City
Attorney Sullivan and probably by
another alderman, who has not thus
far expressed himself in public. Mr.
Williams said that personally he
favored keeping the two exchanges
but that he was convinced that ma
iority of the people wanted the mer-
ger and he was ready to perform
service required Of him.
A called session Of the council
will be held on April 18th when the
ordinance VIII come up for its final
reading. At that time the council
will have secured a proper draft OF
same and a final vote will be taken.
The users Of business telephones
had hoped for an early vote to has
ten the DAY when the two exchanges
would be merged and subscribers
could get the connections of the
two exchanges over one phone at a
pasi saving 10 the reapie as a whole
bur would not offer criticism TO any
councilman who seeks delay In or
der that the best interests of the
citizens may be served.