Cheaper Telephones

Au opportunity is offered the oity to have a oheaper telephone rate. John R. Miner and Dr. E. K. Hale presented an ordinaixe to oouncil last Monday night, according to which the rate wonld be $24 per aunnm for business places, and $15 for ï-esidences. The ordinance makes the following provisions: Section 1 provides for the name, the Washtenaw Telephone (Jo., and for the putting in of wires, poles, et: Section 2 provides that the propo-fed work shall be done under the control of the board of works. Section 3 provides that the oompany shall rnake known five days bef ore work is commenced in auy of the streets or alleys where the coutemplated work is to be done, the board to detide upon location of poles. Section 4 makes provisión that the poles will be either wood or :rn, and the wires 20 féet from the eurl'ace of the ground. Section 5 : city may have use of poles for flre alarm or pólice wires. Sectiion 6: Theccmpany is to furnish uiue telephones for city offices and flre protection free of charge, and any more wanted by the city will be fnrnished at ouehalf the schedule pcice. Section 7 is important, as it provides that the company must keep connections with othor telephone companies without extra charge. Sectiou 8 provides for rates as stated above. Section 9 makes provisión for the furnishiug of a $5,000 bond, to insure the oity again-t any suits or legal enranglernent: that might in any way grow out of the line's construction. Suction 10 provides for the ordinano i beooming void if the company does not start to work within a specifled time after the ordinauce is passed. Section 1 1 : Tbe ordinauce shall be in duration 30 years. Section 12: If line is ever constructed to Ypsilauti there shall be no increase in rate for connectiou there. Section 13: The oompany is to become a corporate body with $25,000 capital. The ordinance comes up in two weeks, at which time it is stated there will be a lively tilt over its passage. The new telephone company is officerert as follows: Dr. A. Kent Hale, president; W.W. Watts, vice president; Dr.D. A. VVright SKcretary and John R. Miner treasnrer. Articles of incorporación witli $25,000 oapital stock have been filed and a canvas is beiug made to secure sabscribers to th? telepbone service it being hoped by the promoters of the company to place several huudred phones in the cifcy. At $15 a year most residences can afford to be played in instant connection with all parts of the oity. Grooers wonld then find it easy to get orders without sending out rigs espeoially kept for the purpose and residents would be largely enabled to remain in-doors in bad weather. Jnst what action the Bell Telephone Co.will take to meet its rival remains to be seen.