Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-01-07

CITY COUNCIL MET
 IN fIRSI SESSION
 tjF HI. kLW YLAR

Ul lnE. luW lLHn Gas, Telephone and Suburb Annexa-
 tion V ere Matters Which Came Up
 For Consideration.
 The first meeting of the year, and the first meeting since December 16, AoAo, ol tlIc .l.y IVunoiA Was liolu i11St nlgIC III tne coulIcll CllenlueAs tile CILy iIali. Inere Was mucn rOutlne Duslness to come Deiore rne councll, but Lne business moSC IrOugnC WICn eApectaIlOnS We're nIaLLers relaLlng to false Iii Lelepluie raLes, L,le De- JltlOn to Iorce servIce Dy the gas com pany, slgneu by over three nunured gas users, and the annexation of cer- or the cl5y proper.
 The routine business having been disposed or, the first matter which came up was consideration of the peoples rights in the recent new schedule or rates by the telephone company, in which the former rates were raised. City Clerk Lee read to the members of the council all the correspondence relating to the matter, which included telegrams from Mayor Bloom to Hons. Kirby, Taylor and Robinson, in which he registered a protest. The answers to these tele- grams were in turn read by MT. Lee. The text of all of them was that the United States government had decided the question of raising the rates on telephone service, and had seen fit to authorize the new schedule, insofar as revenues and expenses of the com- pany had made the higher rates nec- essary.
 They stated, however, that the city would be given hearing, in which the merits of it's case could be put forth. Following this, letters from Mayor Bloom and from Senator Kirby were read. The latter stating the same in effect as had the telegram.
 At this juncture, E. B. Bloom sec retary of the Chamber of Commerce, being allowed to interpolate remark, explained to the members of the coun- cil that committee of the Chamber of Commerce, consisting of J. F. Me- Jntyre. and T. J. Collier, Jr., had been appointed to confer with the council regarding the matter. and that this committee, would upon the return of MT Mcintyre from Memphis, advise with legal gentlemen in regard to what action might be taken.
 The fcllowinp resolution was adopt ! council:
 "Whareas. the telephone rates in the citv of Pine Bluff have been increased hv '+he roverrnent of the United States throuoh its duly commissioned postmaster general and said increase was accorded to the telephone com ranv wi+hout any notice whatsoever +o tho o;+;zors~ or officials of the city of p;re P'rf ard the first notice or ir+io, ation of sNch increase was the h';r~ of +ha notice with the citv clerk by the telenhone cornanv's officials . two days nrior to the taking effect thareof And
 "Whereas, The city of Pine Bluff has solemn and binding contract and ohlioation existinp between it and the Southwestern Bell Telephone Com. ranv. which cootract fivas the rates charees and prices which may be charoaa the citizens of Pine Bluff bS said telephone comnanv for it's serv. ices in the use and furnishing of tele. phones: and
 "Whereas This citv council has nle1reA and manifested. and does nov hereby renew it's pledges. of loyalty and fidelity to the government of tn United States in it's prosecution o1 the war against aristocracy and ty ranv: now therefore be it
 Resolved, Bv the city council O +ha ";+v of Pine Ruff: 6
 "First. That the action of the du', commissioned postmaster general O the United States in granting sai, increased rates when the war is nrac +icallv over and when no necessit, +harofor ex;sts and without any no tice or intimation to the cit;zAre a Dina R'uff nf such action is absolute 'v unwarranted.
 "Second. That the Ignoring an setting aside the contract and fran chase agreement between the city Q Pine Bluff and said Southewester Bell Telephone Company by the post master general is violation of tn obl;ration of contract.
 'sThird. That this city council doe most solemnly protest against sue action, and increased rates, and doe hereby direct the officials of the cit government to leave nothing undon r. ..~A,,.o o% tho ;,,A,1o,aoo rF cv1ch of