Show MUNICIPAL COXTEOL I Seattle Taking Steps to Own All Public Conveniences SEATTLE Wash Jan 16he charter commission had today a most exciting debate upon the question of the insertion in the new charter of a carter clause empowering the city council to purchase and conduct the telephone system for the convenience and profit of the city By a special election held in November the city voted for the acquirement I ac-quirement of water works the establishment estab-lishment of electric light plants and the sale to manufacturers of the electric elec-tric power generated by a gravity system sys-tem of water works This has been steadily followed up by a certain element ele-ment in the commission for the purchase pur-chase and establishment of street railroads roads by the city a bid for which only failed by one vote of being placed in the new charter and it is to be offered of-fered as an alternative for the city to vote upon The proposition that the city counci should conduct the telephones tele-phones was based upon the argument that all the present monopolies now conducted under city franchises should be swept away and placed in the ihands of the people The telephone was a great public convenience and the people of the city should have it at clt cost price Telephone service in this city costs 6 per month for offices and 4 for residences I was shown how j much below the price of other cities this was but the argument was of no avail Very bitter statements were made in regard to the Western Union and its watered stock a compared to the public conduct of telegraphs in I England I seems probable now that the telephone bill will pass I |