Show COMES BACK AT CITY Bell Belt Co Will Wilt Charge for Service if Compelled C to Pay Li CITY HAS FORTY PHONES THESE ARE FURNISHED FREE DURING GOOD BEHAVIOR A peculiar condition of affairs has been developed by the attempt of the city au auditor auditor auditor to collect a license tax from the Bell Telephone company The ThO Th ordinance providing prodding for such a tax has never been enforced but it provides provided that all phones mes earning a yearly early rental ot over 60 shall pay 1 a year to tue city and andall andall andall all under 60 shall pay pa 50 SO cents a year ear earThe The new deputy license assessor S I 1 Godman Is Js now trying under the in instructions instructions Instructions of the auditor to collect this tax The Independent company when asked for a statement of the number of phones in use on its local system having and offered to pay on that number As none of the phones of this company earns a yearly rental of ot o more than 48 18 the tax will only be 2600 2000 In ad addition addition addition to this however by the compans franchise It is required to furnish to the city free of charge forty phones and also aiso pay 1 per cent of ot its gross earnings into the city treasury D S Murray of the Bell company was yesterday esterday asked to state the number of Instruments in the local exchange lie He said that there were 1 over 60 OO a year ear and earning less than that amount At this rate that concerns tax ta would be Mr Murray Murra would not promise its payment and requested that he be allowed to appear before the coun council council cil cli license committee Thursday evening I Bell Will Retaliate Mr Murray also stated that if the city fit to enforce this license tax he would be compelled to charge 7 a year ear each for the forty phones which are used by b the various city departments Here Mere Heretofore Heretofore the Bell company com pan like the Inde Independent Independent Independent pendent company has donated this service service servIce ice although the latter concern is re required reQuired required to do so by its franchise while the Bell people have acted out of pure philanthropy supposedly supposed If TI this charge is made the city cIt I either have to order all the Bell phones out or pay a year for their rental which would leave the net income of tho the license tax but 1784 1751 or less than that which the Independent company will nave have to pay The latter company pays in addition 1 per cent of its gross earnings The Bell company operates under no franchise or charter I |