Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1909 — TELEPHONE COMPANY SEEKS NEW FRANCHISE [ARTICLE]

TELEPHONE COMPANY SEEKS NEW FRANCHISE

The Matter of Chief Importance Before the Council Monday Night ! Was Telephone Rates. The city council held its regular meetings Monday night and the matter of a new and revised franchise for the Jasper County Telephone Co. was discussed and an effort was made to grant the new franchise under a suspension of the rules. Thia failed, but there was an apparent friendliness on the part of most members of the board toward the ordinance, but they did not want., to rush It through, and, In fact, indicated that their action would hinge largely on the attitude of the patrons of the telephone system inside the corporation. The telephone company had an expert here who discussed the project in a business- like manner. Deles Thompson and Superintendent Jack Montgomery, of the Telephone Co., and B. F. Fendig, druggist, spoke in favor of granting the franchse, which) would give the company the right to increase the rental of aU phones 50 cents a mnpth, and which would provide that the company could not begin the charging of the increased rate until it had installed a new metallic circuit system. A petition was presented to the council signed by 141 telephone patrons protesting against the granting of the franchise. This petition, it is understood, was circulated and largely signed because the signers thought the franchise did not require anything of the telephone company, but| simply permitted them to charge an increased rate without any improvement of the service. It is said that manjs, would Hot have signed the remonstrance had they clearly understood the provisions of the proposed franchise. Mr. Thompson brought some of the telephone books with him to the council room and says that any of the books are open to the inspection of citizens. His contention is that no company can exist and keep up its equipment and not lose money, at the rate charged here.

No action was taken on the franchise, but it will come up for final reading and passage at the next regular meeting of the council, which will be Monday night, March 22d. In another place in this issue appears an article prepared by the Telephone Company, and which presents their side of the question. The Republican does not fee! in a position) to take sides on this question, notwithstanding the fact that) its publishers hold some views that it will probably express later on. If it is Impossible for a company to keep up its equipment and to have at all times a system worth as much as it costs and pay a reasonable interest on the actual cash invested at the present rates, and if the present rates do not provide for a sinking fund equal to the depreciation of the equipment, this paper favors a franchise that will permit of these things. But, on the other hand, the burden of the proof that this condition exists, should be with the company which is now operating under a franchise that was agreeab'e to them at the time it was granted and they should be required to show conclusively that they are running at an actual loss, or would be when the new system they propose is installed, or the franchise should be refused. Every business must regulate Itself to provide for its own maintenance and must be figured to run at a profit) over that or failure is the certain result. The patron of the business must pay the frefght. The individual as well as the corporation that runs a business contrary to this plan faces ultimate bankruptcy. And the individual should not expect the corporation to run a business on any other basis. The people are entitle to be heard and to present their side of the telephone question and we believe that the present telephone users should get together and consider the franchise preposition and present their view to the bouncil when it meets in special session Thursday night of this week. The city treasurer made his report, as follows: Water fund, overdrawn, $149.14. Corporation, $151.38*. Light fund, $4,728.58. •Warants are outstanding in this fund in excess of the above amount. Suits made to order by the Carl Joseph Co„ of Chicago, orders taken by Herman Tuteur, over Warner Bros. Hverybodys’ friend—Dr. Thomas’ Eclectric Oil. Cures toothache, earache, sore throat Heals cute, bruises, scalds. Stops any pain.