BELL 'PHONES TO BE LOWER.
Compromise With City in Pole
Tax Controversy.
An ordinance introduced in the upper house last night, and referred for one week to the committee on streets, alleys and grades, contemplates the immediate reduction of Bell telephone rates from $96 to $60, in the business district, and from $60 to $36 per year for instruments in residences.
Accompanying this ordinance was another effecting a compromise between the city and the Mirrouri and Kansas Telephone Company, populraly known as the Bell system, whereby the city drops its pole and conduit scheme of taxation and is to accept 2 per cent of the gross earnings of the company, in addition to the right to use one conduit and all pins on the Bell poles, for the carrying of police and fire department wires. Further, the city is to receive $28,533.34 as a settlement of arrears of disputed taxes and also to get a receipt for something like $7,500 due the Bell compny for services already rendered.
