, 1916-12-23


after the Hurricane, and further gave order
to The Building Inspector to get tue teie-
phone service in the country districts re-
opened as quick as possible. .&For THIS J
purpose c, FIcs. 1900 have been used~up
till now.
Government now proposes, after confer
ence with the Municipal Committee, that
tho amount necessary for the warrantables
re- establishment of the telephone line is
granted. The expenses are estimated at
FIRES. 10000, 1t will be necessary to eN-
change c. 1870 telephone posts; it is the
intention to make these Of iron concrete.
Sketch and estimate of them will be found
placed on the CouEcils table. 1t is at the
sam time the intention to replace the main
lines between the towns with double lines,
which will together with the abolishing Of
the iron posts limit the possibility of hear
ing outside speaking on the lines The
establishment Of double lines instead of
single lines viii involve an extra expense
of Frcs. 1000 for procuring wire.
His Excellency the Governor (KonoaD).
I beg to thank you for allowing the discus
sion upon TINS matter although the pro
posal has not been laid before the Council
in time.
1t was q necessity 70 have the telephone
service between the Towns reestablished
as soon as possible, and for economic reasons
it vas advisable to have the telephone
service in the Towns reestab.ished, so as
not to loose the subscription fee. All this
was done shortly after tic hurricane.
When 1 came over here row ] found that
the subscribers in the country were very
dissatisfied that the telephone connection
was not being roopened for them, and as [
considered their complaint just, l ordered
the Building Inspector to get the telephone
service III the country reOpened as soon rs
possible.
There were thon two possibilities. either
to fix up the system quite temporary with
light wooden posts or to fix it up with solid
concrete masts to LAST permanently. The
first way would of course be the cheapest
but all the money spent in this way would
in reality be wasted, rs it would soon be
necessary to do the whole work over again.
[ then proposed to the Municipal Commit
tee. that we went to the geater EXPENSE
at once; and the Municipal Committee
agreed to it. If you give this proposal your
approval, l believe that you will get q tele-
phone system which will give satisfaction.
The proposed masts are we'll proportioned
and no doubt will prove economic III the
long run. Further the double lines on the
main line will help considerably to dimin-
ish the drawback. which it is to hear other
conversations While speaking. l consider
the establishment Of double lines not to be
in any way extravagant; double lines no
doubt ought always to be used on such
distances as hat between the two Towns
here, and it would be unadyisable not to
introduce this improvement now. when it
may be done cheap, because it can be done
together with the other necessary work.
l beg to recommend the hon. Council TO
adopt this Draft. as the necessary measures
for reestablishing the telephone system.
destroyed by the Hurricane.
The actg. Chairman &C. Leevy) read the
Draft with remarks, and q sketch of the
posts was circulated.
A recess was given.
After the recess the actg. Chairman
&C. Leeuy) declared LIST Discussion opened.
Ath Member for Christiansted Country
District (SchmiegeloO). The telephone sys-
TEN has shown itself so useful, though it
has never worked to our satisfaction, that
we greatly miss it now. when we have not
got it. I consider that We should go on
and spend the money and get it in good
order.
1st Discussion closed.